Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Hey honey.” Corrine stands and gives me a hug. “How are you?”
“I’m good. If you guys want to head home, I can keep an eye on Reed. I’m home for the night.”
“Sounds good. Thank you,” Stephen says. They both say goodbye, and once they’re gone, I grab a quick shower to rinse off. When I get out, I check my cell phone to find a text from Killian: I’m taking you to see your mom tomorrow. Be ready at nine.
Olivia and Nick must not have had a chance to tell him they saw me on a date. Feeling guilty, I text him back: That’s okay. I need to handle this on my own, but thank you.
When he doesn’t respond, I put my phone to charge and head out to the living room. Any time I watch Reed, I have a tough time going to sleep. I know parents have to sleep when they have kids, but I feel like I need to be awake until his own parents are back with him. I flip through Netflix and stop on Sons of Anarchy. I consider watching the rest of the episode I fell asleep during, but for some reason it feels wrong, like Killian should be here with me to watch it. Well, in that case I’m never going to finish the series…
Needing a distraction, I grab my laptop and work on a couple proposals I’m presenting to potential clients this week. One is for an office being completely remodeled, and the other is for a couple who are moving in together and want to merge their homes into one. I smile, remembering how cute they were when they explained they wanted to make sure their home felt like it was theirs instead of his or hers.
When an email pings through, I click on it and see it’s the medical loan company I applied to yesterday. I was told I would know within twenty-four hours if I’ve been approved for the loan. I scroll through the email until I find their answer: Denied
Unsure of where to go from here, I set my laptop down and allow myself to cry. Of course, as I’m bawling my eyes out, Nick and Olivia walk through the door…and behind them is Killian.
“Giselle!” Olivia drops her purse and runs across the room to me. She throws her arms around me and hugs me tight. “What’s wrong? Did your date end badly?”
My gaze flicks to Killian who’s standing next to Nick. His jaw is tight and his eyes are shooting daggers straight at me.
“No,” I tell her. “My mom…umm…” I don’t usually talk about my money troubles with Olivia because I hate for her to feel bad and offer me money. “She needs long term treatment.”
“Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry. But that’s good, right? They will help her get better.”
“Yes,” I agree. “But…umm…I was denied the loan.” Liquid drops of defeat fall down my face as I come to terms with what I knew the other day when the doctors told me the cost of the facility. I can’t afford it. And I couldn’t possibly borrow that kind of money from Olivia. It’s more than I make in a year…hell, it’s more than I make in two.
“Giselle…” Olivia’s hands come up to my shoulders as she looks me in the eye.
“Please don’t say it,” I plead. She sighs in frustration but nods.
“Can we talk?” Killian cuts in. His words are formed as a question, but we both know he’s not really giving me a choice.
“Sure,” I say as I stand.
He heads down the hall toward my room. Before I follow him back, I stop and give Olivia a hug. “I love you. Thank you for not offering.” She gives me a sad smile of understanding.
When I get to my room, Killian is standing with his back to me. He turns around with my phone in his hand.
“I wasn’t snooping,” he says. “It went off a few times and I glanced at it to make sure it wasn’t an emergency.” He hands me the phone, and I read the messages he saw. They’re all from Bianca, and she’s pissed:
This is the second date you’ve messed up! I’m taking it out of your pay.
You’re going out with Andrew again tomorrow night. You WILL make it up to him.
I’ll email you the information.
A simple OK to confirm you’ve received my messages will suffice.
“So, let me get this straight…not even twenty-four hours after I get you off, you’re out with another man.”
“I wasn’t out with another man,” I say. “I was working.” I set my phone down and look at Killian. The hurt in his eyes is exactly why I told him I could only be friends with him. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have let him kiss me. I should’ve stopped things when they got too heated. But it felt so good to be with a man who wasn’t paying me to make it about him. Oh, no. Killian made sure it was all about me. Pleasuring me like it was his job. And if I’m honest, it wasn’t just the physical part I craved. Killian has done a complete one-eighty. If he wasn’t an athlete, and I wasn’t an escort, I could see myself wanting more with him. Wanting to explore what could be between us.