Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Yeah, probably best if I don’t mention those scenarios. “You always wear really high heels, yet no one really sees them.”
She sets her foot down, but glances at the shoes in front of her again. “I wear them for me. Nice shoes . . . high shoes make me feel stronger.”
“Stronger is a fascinating choice of words.” I walk to the beverage fridge and pull out a bottle of mineral water. With my eyes locked on hers again, I twist the cap off and start drinking.
She watches and licks the corners of her lips as if she’s a parched woman returning from the desert. In a huff, she turns away to head for the exit. “I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with me.”
“So could I?”
“What?” she asks, snapping back. She’s fucking gorgeous, and I’m beginning to think she doesn’t even realize it. How?
How is that possible? She must get hit on all the time.
Fuck it. I’m not going to lie. If she reports me, she reports me. If she doesn’t . . . guess we’ll see. “I could have a field day with you.”
“You already did and look how that turned out.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely fantastic from what I recall.”
“Guess we recall two different events.” The blow to my ego hits hard. She kicks up a heel and smirks at me. “And the memory is all you’ll ever get.”
“You sure about that, sweetheart?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” she says with a wink, “sweetheart.” She walks out, those fuck-her-over-my-desk-shoes tapping across the linoleum as she exits.
Resting against the counter, I watch her go because it’s a great fucking view, but damn she’s got a whip-smart mouth. My thoughts go south from there.
Audrina enters right after, smiling when she sees me. “Hey there. How’s the first week?” And that’s the end of my erection. But under the circumstances of me being at work and all, that’s probably best.
No doubt Liv has left me in a state that will have me thinking about her all damn day, though. I reply, “It’s going.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” She grabs a bag from the fridge and then comes to stand close to me. Too close considering we’re the only ones in here. “You happy it’s the weekend? Any plans?”
“Looking forward to it. You?”
“There’s a concert down at Little Island. You can go if you want.” She casually shrugs as if it’s nothing. “We can get drinks and hang out?”
I skirt around a small table with four chairs, making a move to get out the door without it being too obvious I’m hightailing it out of there. “Sounds fun, but I have a few commitments already.” I turn to leave. “Have a good one.”
“You, too.”
I detour toward the elevator, hoping it arrives before she returns to the front desk. It’s okay talking to Audrina, but I can tell there’s an undertone of flirting. She isn’t taking the hint that I’m not interested.
It opens, and I jump in.
Liv hops in just before the doors close again. I expect a look of disappointment, especially after the break room interaction. But she half smiles. HALF smiles at me. I’ll take that half with full intention to win a full grin soon enough. “Where’re you headed?”
Leaning against the railing, she holds it with her hands behind her. The smile is still in place. Maybe we do have a chance of calling a truce. “Fresh air. I’m really feeling . . .” Wobbling her head, she releases a breath that comes from deep in her chest and then fans her neck with her hand. “The heat today in the office.”
“Anything I can do to make it better?”
I swear to God she gulps again and looks away as if she was busted staring. She wasn’t. It felt like a normal exchange between us. Clearing her throat, she angles toward the doors. “No. No.” She swallows again. Umm… What the hell is going on with her? “You’ve done enough.”
“I’ve done enough? What have I done exactly?”
Her gaze lands on me again, and deep pink floods her cheeks this time. What the hell? “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Yeah,” she says, fanning herself even though she’s in a sleeveless shirt when she’s usually all buttoned up in a suit. “Is it hot in here?”
I can’t stop staring at her. “I’m good, but you’re really flushed.”
The doors open, and she practically runs toward the exit. “I need fresh air.”
Leanna stands off to the side, staring at Liv. When I step off, she asks, “Is she okay?”
“I have no idea what’s going on. Think I should check on her?”
With her attention back on Liv, she nods. “You might want to. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so animated.” Turning to me, she says, “Good luck,” and gets on the elevator.
“I’ll need it.”
I cross the lobby, watching Liv through the glass as she hurries down the sidewalk away from the building. When I reach the outside, my stomach tells me to go left to the deli. But since my mom is still on my mind, she’d give me a solid lecture about not checking on someone in need. Acting out of character, I’m certain Liv is someone in need.