Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“So show her you’re the good guy.” Taggart stood, gathering his things. “Show her she can count on you. Be vulnerable to her but not so much she truly understands what a whiny man baby you can be. I’ve learned it’s best to keep that inside until you’ve got a ring on her finger and you’ve put a couple of babies up in her. Then she’s trapped and you can let your man baby out from time to time.” He stepped close to Drake, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You can be charming, and you’re excellent at manipulation. Use your powers for good this time. I heard her talking to Sandra about play night tonight. Maybe you should be there. You can point out the fact that it would be safer to play with someone on the team. You have to be careful about bringing anyone in. Give her the option of getting close to you. She’s willing to do a lot to bring the people who killed her father to justice. Once she’s sleeping with you, show her you couldn’t have done it, would never have done it. Teach her that she can trust you.”
“Do you think I can do that?” He could hear the wistful tone in his own voice. Yep. Whiny man baby was in there somewhere.
“I think you’ll always regret it if you don’t take the chance. The question is always going to be is she worth it. And are you worth it? Is she worth the pain you could go through if she walks away? If she’s not, then you have your answer. If she is, then you should make sure you’ve got leathers because Sandra is strict about dress code.” Tag’s hand tapped against his shoulder, a brotherly show of affection. “Now I’m going to go and call my wife and make sure my girls haven’t taken over the world yet. Good luck, Drake.”
Drake watched the man go, the door closing behind him.
Luck. He was going to need it.
Chapter Nine
Taylor thought seriously about going to her room and going to bed. She had a good excuse. She’d been traveling for days, and she was dealing with stress of the upcoming op. No one would miss her since all anyone could talk about was the fact that Sean Taggart had been in the kitchens all afternoon braising something.
She wasn’t sure what that meant, but it smelled delicious.
“I’ll take a gin martini up with a twist.” Kim stood beside her at the private bar where everyone was gathered waiting for dinner.
Everyone except Drake, who had still been in the conference room when she’d left.
“Are you not drinking because you’re going to play later?” Kim asked. “You know you would be okay with a couple of glasses of wine given the fact that we’re about to eat a huge meal. I’ve heard Sean is pulling out all the stops with this one. He brought his own meat.”
Taylor glanced up at the bartender and nodded. “I’ll take the same.” She turned her attention back to Kim. “I don’t think I’ll play. I can use the sleep.”
Of course, if she went to bed, she would probably lie there staring at the ceiling thinking about Drake Radcliffe. She would think about how much she hated him, how much he’d screwed her over.
She would think about how once he’d touched her like she was something precious.
Nope. She definitely didn’t want to go to bed.
She glanced over at the clock and it was only three hours until the club would be open. The bartender handed her and Kim two martinis, the clear liquor making the yellow of the lemon twist look vibrant.
Everything seemed more vibrant here. Louder. More alive.
Had she spent so much time in the shadows that the light was too much for her now?
“I’m excited about dinner.” Kim led her away from the bar toward the big bay windows that overlooked the back of Sandra’s property. “I love Bliss, but it’s not exactly a gourmet food destination. Oh, Stella’s cook will tell you he’s a celebrity chef, but he came in third on a local cable show’s cooking competition. He’s a wizard when it comes to diner food, but I question his special of the day choices. He’s also surprisingly good with beets.”
Taylor doubted there would be diner food on the menu tonight, but she was also worried she wasn’t the target audience. “I grew up on ramen noodles and instant mac and cheese. I am not a foodie. I mostly eat protein bars now. I don’t see the need to make a big deal out of a meal.”
Kim took a sip of her drink. “Have you considered the fact that you might still be grieving?”
She wasn’t sure how Kim had made that turn. “Of course I am. I’ll always grieve for my father.”