Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and took one out before silently offering her one. She shook her head. Tam watched in fascination as he lit up and took a long deep puff. Normally she found the act of smoking disgusting, but there was something incredibly sexy about this man when he did it. He reminded her of the icons from the old 40’s movies she used to watch as a kid.
“You’re either hungry or you’re not. I was about to go get a burger. You can come with me or not.”
She moistened her suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “But didn’t you just get finished eating?”
He snorted. “Those portions couldn’t satisfy a toddler. I need some real food.”
“What about your date?”
“Took a cab home.” He took another puff from his cigarette before raising a midnight brow. “Any more questions?”
Tam shook her head.
Just then the valet pulled up in a slick luxury vehicle that looked like something out of a spy movie. “You coming?” He walked to his car without looking to see if she followed.
For all she knew, he could be a serial killer. She had a rule about getting into strange men’s cars because she knew that it didn’t always end well, but something told her to throw caution to the wind. Besides if push came to shove, she could always use the trusty pocketknife she carried in her backpack.
When she slid into the car, he’d already tossed out his cigarette and thankfully there were no lingering fumes.
“There’s a good burger joint down the street. It’s a dump but the food is good.”
She thought she detected a bit of an accent but decided it was best to keep the conversation at a minimum while she sized him up to see what he wanted from her. But instead of talking, he simply drove. There was something about sitting so close him that made her pulse race, which scared the fuck out of Tam because she hadn’t had a reaction like this to anyone in a long time. The scent of his cologne made her squirm in his leather seat. What was this guy thinking to pick someone like her up? Maybe he believed he could buy her with a couple burgers. Just as that thought crossed her mind, her stomach betrayed her again as it let out a loud growl.
A smirk tilted his sensual lips. “From the sound of it, you’re just as hungry as I am. We should be there shortly, love.”
The offhand endearment caught her off guard. He probably used it with all of his women. A man like him no doubt didn’t suffer from a shortage of them. She couldn’t figure this guy out. Most of the men she encountered would have made a move by now with either a hand on the thigh or at the very least he would have pulled into a dark alley by now. Her silent driver was driving her crazy as she tried to figure out his motivation. It got to the point where she could no longer be silent.
“Why?” Tam blurted out.
He didn’t answer at first and for several moments, she didn’t think he would until finally, he said so softly that she thought she imagined it, “I don’t know.”
Shortly after he pulled up in front of a run-down hut that had several people standing in front. “The place is too small for seating, so most people just hang out on the benches. Let’s go.”
Tam looked around the area. This place didn’t seem to be in a great spot. “Are you sure you want to leave your car unattended. Aren’t you worried someone will touch it?”
Again, he smirked. “That wouldn’t be wise of them.” He said it with so much confidence that she wondered what line of business he was in that he could stroll around a place like this without any worries. She decided to think about it later because the intoxicating scent of grilled meat had seduced all thought from her head. He ordered a cheeseburger for himself and two for her. Tam didn’t wait to get back to the car before she devoured the first one. It was heaven on a bun. They ate the rest of the food in his car.
“You must have been hungry.”
“How could you tell?” she asked facetiously licking her fingers and not caring how sloppy she must have looked. Tam froze when she realized that he’d been staring at her with that indiscernible gaze of his. It made her shiver. She licked her lips. “Uh… why are you staring at me like that?”
He continued to look at her with his unwavering regard.
Tam squirmed in her seat. Unable to hold his intense stare, she looked at her lap.
“I think you’d clean up quite nicely.”
That wasn’t at all what she’d been expecting. As compliments went, it was backhanded. She didn’t consider herself unattractive but maintaining a beauty regimen while fighting for her very survival hadn’t been the top of her priorities list. Self-consciously, she pushed a stray lock from her face. She hadn’t properly twisted her hair in forever and she was sure it looked a mess.