Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
It was those lips that could do a grown man in, though. Set in this endless pout that screamed seduction.
I was immediately pummeled with the vision of wrapping those locks in a fist as she got on her knees and put that delicious mouth on me.
Yeah, that was exactly where I wanted to dip my dick, except the woman was scowling at me so hard I was pretty sure the only vision she was having right then was stabbing me.
“Mommy, he was gettin’ his mail, and that means he lives right next to us, and we gotta meet our new neighbors if we’re goin’ to have any friends, and there wasn’t even one single kid on the playground.” The little girl huffed through her reasoning.
It took me a second to catch up to the fact the child belonged to Hailey.
She was her mother.
She had a kid.
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the feeling that swept through me. Something that was both sinking and swelling.
On instinct, I peered over Hailey’s shoulder like I was going to catch some fucker standing behind her in a stance of possession.
My gut twisted, the thought of someone touching her making me sick to my stomach. What the fuck was that? She was the last woman I should want.
Clearly, I needed to keep my distance the best that I could because I was losing my damned mind.
Another voice snatched my attention. “That’s right. We must meet the new neighbors, especially this one. No need being standoffish when he’s already been so helpful.”
The old lady was grinning wry, her stringy gray hair set free and red lipstick staining her lips. “Braving that storm the way he did to help Hailey rescue our Maddie’s favorite stuffed animal last night.”
“You helped to get my Princess Verona for me?” Madison squealed it as she came to a stop right in front of me, grabbed a purple bunny from the wagon, and held it up for me to inspect.
“I was gonna get another bad dream if I didn’t find my Princess Verona because I got to sleep with her always, and she got lost in our big truck that has all our stuff from our old house, and my mommy got super wet trying to find her. Did you get wet, too?”
I felt the exasperated sigh pilfer from Hailey, and my attention swung to her.
Apology on my face.
Because it was becoming clear why she’d been out there in the rain, and I’d given her shit for it when I didn’t have the first clue of her intentions.
When I didn’t have the first clue about her.
Not one fucking idea about her circumstances just like she had accused me of.
I looked back at her daughter. “No, I didn’t get too wet. It was your mom who found her. She’s the one who gets all the credit. I just helped bring the boxes to the door. No big deal.”
“Well, that’s good that you didn’t think it was a big deal because we might need your services again, big strong man that you are.”
Shock was spluttering from my mouth when I realized the old lady was suddenly standing at my side, bony fingers squeezing my biceps as she issued the words.
Hailey gasped, and her voice whipped in a reprimand. “Lolly.”
Lolly shrugged. “What? You didn’t think I was going to help you haul that couch into the house, did you? I might be spry for my age, but an old lady knows her limits.”
The woman winked at me, and I chuckled low before I turned my gaze back on the woman who appeared to be about two-point-five seconds from blowing a gasket.
“You don’t have a man to help you?”
Shit.
The question was out before I had time to contemplate the ramifications.
But there was a coil of something inside me that needed to know.
Her arms tightened over her chest, emphasizing those gorgeous tits under her blouse. Her head cocked to the side. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
She said it at the same time as the old woman offered up, “No man around here. Not one for miles and miles.”
Hailey shot out another frustrated, “Lolly.”
“Are you gonna get our couch for us?” The little girl hopped on her feet, that hair bouncing all around her, beaming up at me, so fucking adorable it speared me in a place that wasn’t supposed to exist. “Mr. Cody, that is so very nice.”
She turned to her mother. “Mommy, I think we hit the jackpot and got the best new neighbor.”
No doubt, I was digging a brand-new grave, but how the hell was I supposed to resist that?
So, I looked straight at Hailey and said, “Well, then, it looks like I’m moving in a couch.”
SIX
HAILEY
“Um, no, you most certainly are not.” I made the mistake of taking the time to send a glare at Lolly, because mark my words, she was in so much trouble, while she stood there with some kind of wicked glee dancing over her face.