Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“I don’t do social media.”
He gave her a shocked look. “You don’t? I thought everyone did.”
“Do you?”
“No. But I don’t have any friends.”
“But maybe once you have friends, you’ll do social media.”
“Yeah, I can’t see that happening, girl.”
“Why don’t you have any friends?” she asked.
“Because people don’t like me.”
“I’m sure that’s not true, you seem, um, very likable. I’m sure you’re imagining it.”
He eyed her, giving her a look like she was full of shit.
Hmm. She could see where he might be an acquired taste. But everyone needed a friend. And then it came to her.
“That’s it. That’s how I’m going to repay you for what you did.”
“How?” He eyed her suspiciously. Maybe that was the way he always looked, because he’d stared at her like that a lot.
“I’m going to find you a friend.”
“You’re going to find me a friend?” He stood, folding his arms. Wow. He was really tall. And now that he’d stood, her face was right at eye level with his crotch.
Hmm, this was a nice position to be in.
No. Bad girl, Maeve. You cannot think about sex right now.
“It’s so hard, though.”
“Excuse me?” he asked.
“What?” She stared up at him. “Did you say something?”
“You said something.”
“I’m certain you’re mistaken. Do you often hear voices?”
He eyed her. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you, girl?”
“I wouldn’t dare tease you.” She tried to stand, but he held his hand out.
“Stay there.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“That’s not a reason, you know.”
“Yes, it is. Because I said so.”
Her lips twitched. He was outrageous. And wrong.
He did have a sense of humor.
“Okay, Mr. Because I Said So, I’ll sit. But I’ve got to tell you that might not be the attitude to take when I’m finding you a friend.”
“Ya think?”
Hmm, she couldn’t tell if he was making fun of her or not. He had a really good poker face.
“So, would you like my help finding you some friends?”
“No.”
A car pulled to the curb behind them, but she ignored it as she glared up at him. “You know that’s really rude.”
“Is it?” He didn’t really look concerned. “Our ride is here.”
“What? What ride? I didn’t call for a ride.”
“You should have,” he grumbled.
Yep, she was starting to see why he didn’t have friends.
“Now, come on.”
“I don’t know that car. I can’t get into it.”
“Oh, now you show some sense of self-preservation. Where was that earlier? Get in the car, I’m taking you home.”
“It’s your car? Who is driving it?” she asked.
“A friend.”
“You don’t have any friends, remember? You shouldn’t lie. Bad things will happen.”
“Like coming across a woman about to be raped and having to fight off three disgusting assholes?”
“I was going to go with stubbing your toe, but yeah. Something like that.”
She didn’t want to think about what had just happened. If she pushed it to the back of her mind, then she could keep herself from falling apart.
“Get in the car.”
“I can get myself home.” She couldn’t just climb in a car with him, right? She didn’t know him.
Well, she knew some things. He was kind of grouchy. And he liked to give orders. Oh, and he loved to scold.
He also had a really sexy beard, and she kept getting glimpses of what she thought might be a tattoo above his shirt line.
She really wanted to run her tongue over that tattoo.
“You shouldn’t have been walking around at night. It’s dangerous and you’re cold. You’re probably going to get sick.”
“I won’t get sick.”
“And then you’ll get pneumonia.”
“No, I won’t. I’m really very healthy. I take my vitamins every day.”
“Do you? That’s a good girl.”
Okay, she was not going to react to that. Because he didn’t mean it that way.
“But vitamins won’t save you from dying.”
“Are you always this dark?”
He just shrugged.
“I’m not going to get pneumonia and die.” Although she was feeling rather chilled and getting colder by the moment. She really wanted to go home, curl up into bed and drink some hot cocoa.
This had really been a stupid idea.
“Yet. Now get in the car. I’m taking you home.”
“I can really get home myself.”
He sighed. Again, it was far longer and heavier than was called for.
“You’re a drama queen, huh? Maybe I’ll start calling you Queenie. Hmm, no, that won’t work. I know Dreamie.”
He shot her a look. “Dreamie, huh?
“Ahh.” Crap. Good Lord, the last thing he needed was to make his head bigger.
“What is with people giving me stupid nicknames?” he muttered.
“Someone else gave you a stupid nickname? Not that mine is going to be stupid,” she added hastily.
“Not doing this.” He pointed at her, then at the car. “Get inside.”
She nibbled at her lower lip.
Reaching out, he cupped her chin and tilted her face back. “Girl—”
“My name is Maeve.”
“Girl, do you really think I rescued you from those assholes, carried you out here so you didn’t hurt your feet, put your shoes on, and put up with your ridiculous suggestion to find me friends just to get you in my car and murder you?”