Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Because he was going to marry that girl.
“We have to head off soon,” Raid said. “It’s getting late.”
“Fine. I’ll just go say goodbye.”
“Okay, try not to trip up and, you know, get engaged or something.”
Tanner shook his head at his brother. Raid was such a drama queen. Tanner walked over to where Lilac was standing by one end of the bar.
“Lilac.” She jumped with a small scream as he put his hand on her arm.
When she turned to him, her face was white and the fear on her face floored him.
“Baby, hey, it’s just me.”
“Tanner.” She put her hand on her chest. “Sorry, I was away with the fairies.”
Was that it?
“You’re not scared of me, are you, Lilac?” he asked.
Her eyes widened and she swallowed heavily. “Of you? No.”
“But of someone?” Okay, now he was feeling even more protective. Who had frightened her?
“No one in particular.”
He frowned at her answer.
“I, um, I just had a bad experience once with a man.”
“Baby.” His heart was breaking for her. “Did he hurt you?”
“Not, um, sexually or anything. Just scared me.” She glanced around, looking embarrassed. “I’ve got a ten-minute break and I need some fresh air. Come with me?”
“You bet.” Raid could wait another ten minutes.
He followed her out the back. They used a staff door to head outside to a small staff parking lot.
“Where the hell are the security lights?” he demanded.
“Oh, there aren’t any.”
“What? But how do you see when you’re walking to your car? Do not tell me that you walk out to your car on your own.”
If she did, that was going to stop. Even if he had to be here every night when she finished work.
How are you going to manage that when you go home?
“Oh, no, I don’t walk out here by myself to my car,” she said.
The tension left his shoulders. “Good.”
Taking his hand, she led him to a couple of metal chairs where he guessed the bar staff took their break. Wasn’t the nicest place to sit down, but he figured it was more private than inside. They sat and she fiddled with her phone and turned on the flashlight.
“That’s better, now I can see your pretty little face!” Reaching up, she pinched his cheek.
Relief filled him that she was back to being sassy and relaxed around him. Although he hadn’t forgotten what she’d told him. Who the fuck could scare and hurt someone like Lilac?
“I need your phone number,” he told her.
“What? No please?”
“Nope. It wasn’t a request.”
“Fine. Here it is.” She rattled off her number as he put it into his phone.
She shivered and he realized she’d come out here without grabbing a jacket or sweater.
“Baby, you shouldn’t be out here dressed in just a T-shirt.”
“How dare you!” she said with mock horror. “I also have jeans on.”
“I’m going to pick you up,” he warned, pleased with himself for not just grabbing her.
Then he lifted her onto his lap. The chair creaked ominously beneath him, but he ignored it.
“Oh my God!” she cried.
He tensed, looking around. “What? What is it?”
“You are so warm.” Turning, she snuggled into him. “How did you get so warm? I need you to just follow me around all the time. You can be my personal heater-boy.”
“How well does it pay?”
“Not too well. But the benefits are excellent. Wink-wink. Nudge-nudge.”
He laughed. “I don’t think you’re meant to say the words, wink-wink, nudge-nudge, pretty girl.”
She grinned at him. “No? Silly me.”
“But still . . . those are some damn good benefits. I’m tempted to become your human heating-pad.”
“Yeah, it would be way better than being a cowboy,” she said. “I promise to remember to feed you every so often. And water you.”
He snorted. “So generous of you.”
“I thought so.”
They fell silent and he just held her.
“I don’t want to go back in,” she eventually said.
“Me neither, pretty girl.”
“Do you ever feel like your life is speeding by and you haven’t done any of the things that you wanted? As though you’re trapped with no way out?”
Fuck. Where had that come from? No, he guessed he hadn’t thought of his life like that. He was actually pretty happy with everything he had.
Especially now that he’d found her.
“Fuck, Lilac. Is that how you feel?”
She stiffened. “What? Of course not. It was just a . . . a question. I don’t feel that way. I’m happy as pie. Although I’ve often wondered how pie can be happy. It can make you feel happy. But it’s pie. It doesn’t have feelings, right?”
She was babbling, which was damn cute. However, he didn’t let it distract him. And when she tried to move from his lap, he tightened his hold on her hips, keeping her in place. He wasn’t having that.
“Tell me the truth.”
She huffed out a breath. “What makes you think I wasn’t telling the truth?”