Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“Just keeping an eye on things around here, Mr. James,” I reply as I keep running.
“And as the newest member of Carol’s neighborhood watch program, what have you worked out?” he asks.
“That the military house is definitely one to watch.”
Mischief flashes across his face as he drives along at a slow pace beside me. “I thought you would run faster than this.”
You thought wrong.
“Is critiquing elite athletes a hobby for you?” I puff. Please drive away. I’m about to go into cardiac arrest.
“Only the clumsy ones.” He smirks.
How could a smirk be gorgeous?
Get a grip, Juliet.
He’s a jerk.
“On your way, then.” I try not to puff.
Dying . . . no air.
His car stays slow with me. “Am I annoying you?”
Drive away, motherfucker!
“Yes, and you’re very good at it,” I puff. “Go and do whatever it is that you do.”
He smiles as if his mission has been accomplished. “Have a good day.” He drives off, and I watch his fancy car as it disappears around the corner. I stop and put my hands on my knees while I gasp for air.
Maybe he’s being nice to me because he feels sorry for me because of my pajamas.
I get a vision of myself in Minnie Mouse underwear and what he must think of me, and I pant in disgust.
“Keep running, bitch.”
Everyone wearing white at a bachelorette party.
What next, a black wedding?
I step back to look at myself in the full-length mirror. “Hmm.”
I turn and look at my behind. This dress is a lot shorter than I would usually wear.
My minidress is fitted and strapless, and I’m wearing nude stilettos with a clutch in the same color. I’m fake tanned, my blonde hair is down and full, and my makeup is trying to be sexy.
“Not bad.”
I’m going to let my hair down tonight, have fun with the girls, maybe dance with someone to take my mind off everything. And by everything, I mean my out-of-bounds twat-face next-door neighbor Henley James.
That damn man is distracting.
I’ve been in my house for over two weeks now, and instead of painting and planning my renovations, all I’m doing is plotting and spying . . . on him.
It’s counterproductive and getting really annoying.
I get Barry’s huge bone out of the fridge and take it out back. “This should keep you busy,” I tell him. He just looks up at me, completely uninterested in my gift.
“You eat it,” I tell him.
He ignores it.
I go to walk back inside, and he tries to follow me. “No, you be a good boy and amuse yourself tonight. Momma needs a night out.”
He immediately begins to bark and scratch on the door to be let in.
“No,” I tell him.
“Woof, woof, woof,” he carries on.
“Seriously.” I glance at my watch. “I have to go.” I walk away from the back door. Maybe if he can’t see me, he’ll calm down. He’s quite happy to stay outside if I’m home.
I reapply my lipstick to the sound of him barking in the distance.
Fuck’s sake.
I don’t want Henley to go postal again.
“Barry, stop it.”
Henley
I hold the cards in my hand and take a drag of my cigar. My eyes flick around the table.
Poker night.
And I am kicking their asses.
Blake puts down a stack of chips. “I’ll raise you fifty.”
I narrow my eyes. “You sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“Looks like you boys are making another deposit into the bank of Henley James.” I smirk.
Blake holds the cigar between his teeth as he looks through his hand. “That bank is fucking corrupted.” He throws his cards down.
I chuckle. “What about you, soft cock?” I ask Ant.
“Fuck off,” Bennet mutters, deep in concentration, a pen strategically placed behind his ear. “Hold.”
“Full house.” I smirk as I lay the cards down.
The table erupts. “Fuck off,” they all cry. “You are one hundred percent cheating.”
I laugh as I begin to shuffle the cards.
A knock sounds at the door.
“That’s the pizza,” I say. We all throw twenty dollars onto the table, and Blake goes to answer the door.
“Who wants to double the stakes?” I smirk as I look around the table.
“Triple them,” Antony says.
I laugh as I lean back on my chair. “Begging to be bent over again, I see.”
“Well, hello there,” we hear Blake say in his trying-to-be sexy voice. “Who are you?”
“Is Henley home?” I hear Juliet’s voice, and I glance up to see her dressed in white and looking like Aphrodite herself.
Next minute I’m standing at the door. “Juliet.” My eyes drop down her tanned and muscular legs, and I imagine them around my ears.
I feel myself twinge with arousal.
Hmm.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she says.
Suddenly all the boys are standing behind me, waiting to be introduced.
Fuck off.
“Hi, I’m Bennet.” He steps forward and shakes her hand. “It is great to meet you.”
I stare at him deadpan. Don’t even think about it.
“Hello.” She smiles. “I’m Juliet.” She points to her house with her thumb. “I just moved in next door.”