Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
He pushed off the jamb and laughed. “I knew what you meant, Georgie. And you can stay in whatever room you prefer. Even mine, though we’d have to share a bed.”
I rolled my eyes and went over to one of my suitcases, grabbed it, and put it on the bed. “I would rather sleep in the barn before sharing a bed with you.”
“Ouch,” he said softly.
I turned to face him as a sudden thought occurred to me.
Folding my arms over my chest, I asked, “Did you plan this? Me staying at your house? I mean, is this some kind of game you’re playing at, Blayze? Because I have to tell you, staying with you wouldn’t have been my first pick.”
A look of hurt passed over his face, and his eyes looked like a storm was beginning to brew in them. I instantly regretted saying my thoughts out loud. But then I saw the moment the mask fell into place. He gave me the same look he’d given me that day ten years ago when I’d angrily told him that sleeping with him would have been a mistake. A regret I wouldn’t have been able to take back. I’d hurt him.
“Trust me, it wasn’t planned at all, Georgiana.” He spat my name out, and I flinched. I hated the anger in his voice.
“I wasn’t any happier than you when I found out you had to stay here. Hell, I wasn’t happy to hear you were coming at all. And don’t even think that I’m going to let you interview me. You’re the last person I want to talk to about my private life.”
It was my turn to whisper ouch, but I kept it inside my head. “Okay,” I said as I looked everywhere except at him. “I’ll do my best to stay out of your way.”
He closed his eyes and was about to say something when I added, “I need to make a phone call. So if we’re done, can you leave, please?”
He clenched his jaw as he nodded and headed to the door.
I felt like a complete ass. Blayze was being kind enough to let me say here, and I was acting like a total bitch. I called out, “Do you think you could drive me around the ranch so I could take a look at it since it’s been so long?”
Stopping at the door, he looked back at me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read, but it caused me to shiver. The easiness between us was gone, and it was clear that a brick wall was firmly in place.
When he spoke, his voice was on the edge of being cold and distant. “In case you forgot, I’m in charge of a large, multi-million-dollar cattle ranch. I don’t really have the time to play chauffeur for you.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Seriously? You won’t even show me around the ranch?”
He scoffed. “No one consulted with me about this. So let me make it easy for you. Any questions you have or anything you need regarding this interview, you can ask my father.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. Had Blayze truly not agreed to this interview? Before I could ask, he went on.
“The only reason I’m going along with letting you stay here is because my father asked me to for his own reasons. Whatever secrets you think you’re going to get, Georgiana, let me just inform you now: You’re wasting your time.”
A rush of anger washed over me, and I took a few steps in his direction. “I was tricked into this, as well, Blayze. I wasn’t even told who I had to interview until I was on my way to the damn airport in Dallas. I didn’t even have time to go back to my own house after my trip to Paris. My father told me this would put my name on the map as a sports reporter. He knew I would decline if he told me I’d be interviewing your dad and uncles, because he knew I wouldn’t want to see you!”
“Then why did you agree to the article if you didn’t want to be here?”
I balled my hands up into fists. “Because I want to be taken seriously in this business. Everyone thinks I’m just about shoes and fucking hats. I know sports, goddammit. I know how to report on them and write about them, and if that means I have to be an adult and put aside whatever happened between us ten years ago, then I can do that. So whatever this is between us—” I pointed to him, then me. “I can move past it, because it means nothing!”
I practically screamed the last word as it left my mouth.
“There isn’t anything between us,” he said.
“What happened, Blayze? Not only ten minutes ago, everything seemed fine.”