Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Thank you, Jade mouthed to me as I glanced at her.
Hey, I was just doing it to be nice. But if it scored me some brownie points with Jade, I wasn’t gonna be mad about that.
My washer started buzzing, prompting me to walk over to turn the clothes over into the dryer.
In the time that took, Lily took the baby back from Jade, and was trying to shush the other two, who were complaining that they were still hungry.
“Why don’t you take them upstairs to get some food?” Jade asked. “Levee and I can watch your machines.”
“Are you sure?” Lily asked.
“Of course,” Jade agreed, seemingly in a hurry to rush them along. “Right?” she asked, looking at me with eager eyes.
“Definitely. Take your time,” I added.
“Thank you. Thank you both,” Lily said, pretty blue eyes full of hope as she shuffled her two older kids toward the door.
When their voices trailed off, I turned back toward Jade.
“Now why do I get the feeling that you want to get me alone?” I asked, turning back toward Jade.
Just as she reached up, grabbed my face, pulled me down, and sealed her lips to mine.
CHAPTER FIVE
Jade
It wasn’t like I was in the habit of making out with somewhat random men in laundry rooms.
But, well, this particular man was ridiculously gorgeous, charming, and—miracle of all miracles—he was kind.
Kind enough to offer to help complete strangers with their seemingly hopeless situation.
I adored Lily and her family.
Lily and Curtis had been the first people in the building to say hello to me, to tell me that if I had any questions about the building or area, to let them know.
I’d babysat for them when there had been conflicts in schedules. And I went out of my way to get a few minutes playing with their sweet baby a few times a week.
I’d come across Lily sitting outside her apartment door sobbing in private so her kids wouldn’t see her breaking down when she’d gotten the call from Curtis saying he was arrested.
I sat with her for as long as possible, crying with her, before the kids became too unruly, and I had to go inside to try to placate them while their mom got herself together.
I was new to the area, new to this sort of neighborhood. It was hard not to feel my heart crack and splinter every day at the sadness I saw all around.
Single moms struggling to make ends meet. People in need of money falling prey to payday loans. The addicts who needed help, but all they found were dealers. Kids from disenfranchised families have no choice but to work as scouts for local criminal organizations. The homeless begging for spare change just to be able to feed themselves.
It was such a change from the world I’d grown up in. A happy, middle-class upbringing where I was insulated from so many of the hardships in life.
It made for a happy, well-adjusted childhood. But I couldn’t help but think it gave me a very skewed outlook on what the world was really like.
I tried as much as I could to help. But I wasn’t exactly rolling in cash. Hence why I was staying in this building where the air conditioning was spotty at best, the hot water almost never worked, and I was pretty sure some of the paint around was actually still lead.
It had only been a month, yet it seemed like I was often the only one who was trying to do any good.
Then there was Levee.
Taking care of his grumpy uncle.
Then offering to help a complete stranger to try to get him cleared of his charges.
What can I say?
His do-goodery was a surprising aphrodisiac.
I couldn’t wait to get him alone.
The second that Lily and the kids were out of distance where my actions wouldn’t scar them all for life, I reached up, grabbed the sides of Levee’s stupidly good-looking face, and pulled him down to me.
I expected sparks.
I got fireworks.
Desire surged through my system as Levee’s lips pressed harder, deepening the kiss.
My hands slid from the sides of his face to wrap around his neck, holding on tight as I pulled myself up.
Sensing my intentions, Levee’s hands slid down my back to sink into my ass, helping lift me up.
My legs wrapped around his hips but his hands stayed planted, massaging my ass as he turned and walked me backward until my back met the wall.
A moan escaped me, the sound swallowed up by Levee’s lips.
His hips ground into me, his jeans doing little to hide the bulge of his desire.
My head fell back, and his lips moved down to my neck, making goosebumps rise up on my skin and need pool in my core.
As if sensing that, Levee ground himself against me, making a low moan escape me.
“Fuck, you smell good,” Levee groaned as his nose teased up my neck.