Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Jerry nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Yes, of course, she needs a day at least, maybe the rest of the week to recoup. I want you to take the rest of the week off, Sonia. You were shot. You need it. I’m going home, but I want you to call me every day. Let me know how you’re doing.”
She gasped. “I can’t take a week off. It’s a freakin’ Band-Aid. We need to keep the crew working.”
“I’m capable of running a crew,” Jerry said. His tone warned her against arguing.
She glared at Joshua as Jerry swung his chair around and started toward the kitchen door. “This is your fault,” she hissed at him. “I like working. Jerry doesn’t. He likes to sit in his office and play with his paperwork and the telephone.”
Jerry paused in the doorway. “I heard that. I’m working when I’m in the office.”
“Working is actually doing something besides playing those video games you don’t think I know you play,” she said.
Jerry looked over his shoulder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m too old to play video games. I wouldn’t even know how.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Lightning is going to strike you, Jerry Corporon.”
In answer, he let the door slam behind him. She turned her attention to Joshua. “Do you see what you just did there? He as much as told me I couldn’t go back to work for a week.”
“How is that my fault?” Joshua asked. “I said a day.”
She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. He had said a day, so why did it feel as if she’d walked right into a trap he’d orchestrated?
“I’ll go pack you a bag.” He moved fast, heading for the stairs.
“Wait!” she called after him. “What do you mean, pack me a bag? I’m not going anywhere. Joshua, stay out of my drawers.” She jumped to her feet. Her cheek throbbed. If she was admitting it, so did her thigh. He had a head start, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Gatita, move it. She called on her little female. Utilizing the leopard’s speed and agility, she leapt across the room, landed with a jolt on the stairs and then was up them in two bounds.
For the first time ever, the door to her bedroom was closed. She caught the door handle, twisted and pushed. Her body ran into the thick wood. The door didn’t budge. “You locked me out,” she accused, rattling the door handle.
“I did? It must have locked when it swung shut. You’ve got yourself a faulty lock there, baby,” he called.
“I’ll just bet I do,” she sniffed. “Open this door. Right. Now.”
“Busy, darlin’, give me a minute.”
“I’ll darlin’ you. Don’t you dare touch my things. And stay out of my drawers.”
“Too late. Already found your vibrator. Nice one. You’ll have to show me. I’ll enjoy watching you.”
She closed her eyes and slid down the wall. Heaven help her. She was never going to live it down. Not ever. She knocked the back of her head against the wall three times. Gently. Her cheek still felt a little like it had exploded and jarring it wasn’t smart, so she was careful, but still, there was no getting around the fact that Joshua made her crazy.
“Sonia?”
His voice bubbled with laughter. That was so much better than the worry. The fear. That growl he made in his throat when he was going all badass protective on her. She kind of liked the growl. Just thinking about that sound sent a little shiver of desire sliding down her spine. “What?”
“I like this sexy dress you have hanging up. It’s red. I have a thing for red.”
She’d found that dress in a boutique in New Orleans and hadn’t been able to resist it, although she’d had nowhere to wear it. She didn’t want to talk about that dress, or think about why she’d bought it. The purchase had been pure impulse, to try to lift depression. She’d been alone night after night convincing herself she was the worst-looking woman on the face of the Earth. The dress had been an attempt to feel sexy and daring. She’d told herself she’d get it lined and then she’d go to a club. She hadn’t. Instead, she’d packed the dress away and only took it out to look at it when she was seriously depressed.
“It belongs to my sister.”
“You don’t have a sister.”
“You don’t know. I could have one stashed away somewhere.”
He laughed and flung the door open. “What are you doing?”
“Sulking.” It was the truth. She was going to go home with him. She shouldn’t. It was only going to get her deeper into trouble, but there was no resisting him when he was being sweet and funny.
“Come here, baby. You just need a little TLC.”
“I need you to be real, Joshua.” She looked up at him, feeling fragile. Vulnerable. Terrified. He made her feel things she had no business feeling. She didn’t even know if she was free to fall in love with him, and she didn’t have a safe way to find out.