Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“That’s the problem with you billionaires. You don’t know how to enjoy the small stuff. I keep telling you.”
“You billionaires? Are there a lot of us in your life?” He laughs, but I’m about to rain on his parade.
“Well, there’s Dax, the man my sister is engaged to. And—”
“Your sister is engaged to a billionaire?” His expression is doubting.
“Dax Cove. Look him up.”
He pulls out his phone and starts typing. “Bitcoin billionaires. Two a penny.”
“Except his day job is medical research—like, saving lives and stuff. The way I see it, he deserves to be a billionaire.”
“Okay, so he’s a billionaire.”
“And then there are all his brothers—they’re wealthy. I’m not sure how wealthy, but Vincent has a plane. He owns the place where I’m staying. But you probably know that already, since I’m certain you and your paranoia have checked me out.”
He shrugs. “I check out everyone in my life.”
“I get it,” I say. “It’s difficult to trust people. I’d rather trust—albeit taking precautions—and get taken advantage of, than live less of a life because I can’t trust anyone.”
He doesn’t move his gaze from mine as he takes another bite of his burger.
“Tell me why you’re staying in the hotel and you don’t go into the office,” I ask.
His gaze flits over my shoulder and then across to scan the restaurant.
“Precautions,” he says. But he’s not looking at me. He’s looking everywhere but at me.
Have I pissed him off? Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything. He seems to be getting more and more uptight the more we sit here.
“Precautions about what?”
“I told you. I think someone’s been following me.”
“Right, but there must always be people who want to find you-know-who’s real identity. Why are you being so cautious now?”
“A few things.” He leans a little farther forward. “Does something feel off to you? It’s like the air has shifted or something.”
I glance around the restaurant and there’s… definitely something happening. Someone shouts in the distance and a murmur waves through the diners. Staff appears, moving tables around.
Maybe the paranoia is catching, but I swear I can hear the sound of camera shutters going off everywhere. “Bennett,” I whisper. “Did you hear that?”
He pulls in a breath and pulls down his cap. “I think we should leave.” He definitely heard it.
At that exact moment, there’s a little more activity at the entrance to the outdoor seating area. Some beefy-looking guys come through the gate and start looking around before a group of six to eight people follow.
I start to laugh as I recognize one of the faces amongst the group.
Bennett is half out of his seat.
“Sit down,” I whisper. “This is not about you. Seems like Tom Cruise likes Shake Shack just as much as me.”
He frowns in confusion. “What?”
“That’s what the fuss is all about.” I nod toward the party of guys on the other side of the restaurant. “Tom Cruise is in the building.”
Bennett finally lets out a chuckle, then sighs and sinks back into his seat. “Ahhh. I can enjoy this burger after all. I was thinking I might have to abandon my food, and that’s never a good feeling.”
I laugh and slot my legs between his, wanting to get closer to him and his smile. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
“The burgers are great,” he says, taking another bite.
“But you’re not comfortable. I didn’t expect you to be so… We should have ordered room service. Except then I’ll get fired, which is only a big deal because I don’t want to let down—”
“One of your numerous brothers-in-law.”
“Right.” I grin at him.
“We should get away for the weekend,” he says.
“Like a romantical mini-break?” I suggest, picturing some country castle in Scotland.
“Somewhere in the middle of nowhere. A log cabin maybe.”
“Oh yes, I love a lack of flushing toilet. It’s just so intimate.”
He chuckles. “It’s your turn to be tense on our date.”
“True,” I reply. “If you want to take me away to a place without a flushing toilet, I would be delighted. I think I might follow you anywhere.” He raises his eyebrows, and I replay my own words back in my head. “As in, because I can’t get enough of you, not because I’m stalking you. For the record. In case that required clarification.”
He laughs again, and the sound washes over me like warm water and bubbles. “How can I resist a challenge like that?”
FIFTEEN
Efa
The build-up to this trip has been the best. The idea of being with Bennett for an extended period of time has me… fizzing inside. If I wasn’t a little afraid of where we’re going—and being forced to shit in the woods—I might actually be giddy.
I’m cross-legged in the passenger seat of a huge SUV, noticing fewer and fewer houses as we keep driving. We seem to have been going for hours.
“We must be nearly there by now,” I say.