Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
No sooner had she reacted, than he’d known he had to end things. Learning she wasn’t in love with him but with his status had been a blow, but at least he’d walked away with his dignity intact. Only with hindsight had he realized he’d liked similar things about her, how they fit together for business and yes, the sex had been good. As shallow as he’d discovered the relationship had been, the road to getting over her still hadn’t been easy.
His temporary houseguest already evoked protective emotions and those feelings made him weak. If she stayed, he might give in and he refused to fall for the poor little rich girl. One who could decide to run back to her rich family and leave him alone to pick up the pieces. Been there, done that. He didn’t care for a repeat.
“Maddox?” Gabby waved a hand in front of his face. “Are you listening?”
He groaned, aware he’d been lost in thought for way too long. “Look, you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.” It had been hard enough to sleep knowing she was a short distance away in his study, on the bed his brother had used while he’d lived here. Maddox’s shower had consisted of jerking off to thoughts of Gabby and being too pissed off at himself to fall asleep after. “How about we get dressed, drive over to the bar and you can figure something out?”
She shook her head. “I already thought things through. Everything around here is booked in the summer, rentals included. I’m not going back to the city. My parents will follow. And I am not going to their summer home so my mother can push her agenda, forcing me to hang around with that rich, handsy loser, Preston Barrett, III, thinking I’ll agree to marry him.”
“You said Preston Barrett?” Maddox knew that name.
“The third.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste.
He agreed with her assessment of the prick her parents wanted her to marry. He knew him too well.
“You know him?” she asked, her eyes wide in surprise.
He couldn’t prevent the half smile from lifting his lips. He hadn’t planned on revealing anything personal but with this common connection, he couldn’t hold back. “If I told you before I managed The Back Door I was a money manager in the city, would you believe me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked without hesitation. “It just makes me want to know what made you move here and change your whole life.”
He blinked, surprised at her nonjudgmental reaction. Even his parents, who loved him with everything in them, wondered if he’d lost his mind when he’d made the choice. In the end, they’d supported him and were grateful that he was happy again.
He didn’t reply to her question. “So I know the Barretts because I worked at Barrett Senior’s financial firm.”
“Aah. So you know the slime is inherited?” She grinned and he wanted nothing more than to kiss those lips.
He nodded. “Preston came in thinking he was above the existing partners because of his family name. He cornered more than one receptionist, sending them running to HR only to find nobody would write up the owner’s son.” It was just one of the many reasons that world wasn’t for him.
“That’s awful,” Gabby whispered, obviously putting herself in the place of those women.
“You defended yourself against him. As for me, I saw him in action, then backed up my assistant’s accusation. I put it in writing, but I assume Senior buried the claims. She left the firm when I did. You’re doing the right thing, getting away from him.”
And shame on her parents for thinking the entitled young bastard with the wandering hands was good enough for their daughter. And there were those possessive instincts firing up again. Ones he’d never felt for a female in his life, except for his mother.
“Thank you for saying that.” Gabby smiled. “So you see why I’m not going home to deal with my family or Preston.” She squared her shoulders, obviously preparing for an argument.
Oh, she was good. Using his disgust with Barrett as a way to change his mind about her staying. He ground his teeth so hard he was surprised he didn’t chip a molar. Because there was no way Maddox would send her back to the pit of vipers she came from.
“Fine. You can stay here.” He’d just have to take an extra cold shower a day.
Her eyes opened wide, a big smile pulling at her mouth. “Really?”
He held up a hand. “For a little while. Just until you figure out your next move.”
“Thank you!” Ignoring the last bite of her breakfast, she jumped up from her seat. Next thing he knew, she’d wrapped herself around him, hugging him tight. “I’m so grateful. You’ve been a life saver from the moment we met.”