Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 37885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
She looked so cute. Flour covered her cheek, and it looked like she had some in her hair as well.
“What’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine.”
He meant that about Drake as well.
Abby’s smile filled him with warmth. “Thank you. What do you think?”
She poured some chocolate chips into the batter she was working on before grabbing a large-looking ice cream scoop to put the batter into the cupcake cases waiting for her.
“They’re delicious.”
“James has something he wants to suggest,” Drake said.
Drake moved behind Abby, his hands wrapping around her waist, kissing her neck. At first, she’d been a little unnerved by Drake’s touch, but when she saw that James didn’t mind Drake touching her, she’d relaxed.
“I’ve been thinking about us going on our honeymoon,” he said.
“You have? I thought we were on it?” She glanced back at Drake then at him.
“No, this isn’t a honeymoon,” James said. This had been his attempt at being a bastard to drive her away, and that plan wasn’t going to happen, not anymore.
He couldn’t bring himself to hurt her and not because she’d been a virgin either. She was too sweet, and he wasn’t a monster. She didn’t deserve his anger.
She’d been in the same situation as he had.
They’d both been forced into this, and he wouldn’t take out his anger and frustration on her. He’d save all of that for her parents, which he was working toward finding out some of their secrets.
“Oh, I thought it was. I’ve been having a lot of fun.”
“It’s going to get even better,” Drake said. “Trust him.”
“I own a beach house.” He told her about his beach house that was located just off the beach in a villa in Italy. It was a quiet place, few tourists knew about it, but they’d have the privacy.
Also, they’d be far away from her parents, who kept on phoning. Her mother constantly sent her text messages, offering suggestions, which made him even angrier.
“Okay. I’d love that,” she said, smiling at both of them.
“Awesome. Pack, we leave tomorrow.”
“I’ll finish up these muffins.” She scrunched up her nose and shrugged. “Can we, erm, drop these off at a shelter to enjoy?”
“Yes. We can do that.”
James left the kitchen and made his way to his office to finish making the arrangements.
“You’re falling for her,” Drake said, entering the office.
“Don’t, Drake.”
“Come on, Abby’s everything we’ve been searching for. You can’t say you don’t see it.”
“I do see it.”
“Then what the hell is wrong?” Drake asked.
“We’ve got to deal with her parents. We can live happily together all three of us, but we can’t do that with their threat hanging over our heads.”
Drake’s smile dropped. “Shit.”
“They’re always wanting more money, Drake. Always demanding more. They know about us, and I want us to be the ones to tell Abby.”
“You love her?” Drake asked.
James paused. “I don’t know. It’s too early to tell.”
“Bullshit. Before we go on this little trip of yours, know that I’m falling for her and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her as part of us. Whatever it takes.”
With that, Drake turned on his heel and left.
Sitting back in his office chair, James leaned down and pulled out the file he’d gotten from another investigator. Drake was damn good, but he was also involved so there was a certain biased approach. This independent PI, he’d gotten everything on Abby. Her grades, her life, everything, including a sister they hadn’t known about.
Maggie Bryant had been a rising star. Her voice was talent in itself, but at a young age, she ended up in the hospital. Was that what Abby was referring to? He didn’t know everything. The information was all vague.
Rubbing at his temples, he stared down at a picture of her in high school. She wasn’t smiling, just staring into the camera.
You love her.
He gritted his teeth and slammed the file closed.
The day of their wedding, he’d been so angry, but it hadn’t really been with her.
No, it had been with himself.
Seeing Abby walk down the aisle, his heart had pounded and he’d watched her. Her sheer beauty had taken his breath away, and he’d been struck dumb. He’d believed she’d been like her parents and his sudden spark of interest in her had multiplied and he’d hated it.
There’s no way he’d wanted to be attracted to anyone who reminded him of her parents. The very idea of it angered him.
Only, she wasn’t like her parents.
He couldn’t keep fighting this attraction he had for her. It wasn’t doing either of them any good.
Because he did have feelings for her.
He was falling for her, and he knew she’d fit perfectly with him and Drake.
He just had to find a way to make it work.
Chapter Ten
Abby sat on the beach and stared out at the ocean. It was late at night, and there were so few people around. Running her fingers through the dry sand, she closed her eyes.