Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
At first, he holds out. Long seconds pass as we endure a silent standoff.
Then, he props his elbow on his desk and crosses one of his ankles over the other, getting comfortable in his assessment of me. His throat constricts with a swallow as he gives me a drawn-out once-over. His perusal is so unnecessarily long it makes me want to squirm, especially as his gaze trails down my bare legs. When his brown eyes clash with mine again, they narrow shrewdly.
“Well, for starters, I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. Blaze has the IQ of a gnat.”
I bristle at his cruel tone.
“Well, he’s who I want,” I insist with a harsh finality. “And I’d be careful, Mr. Money Man. Disparaging the guy who brings in all that alcohol revenue for the resort isn’t so wise.”
He gives up leaning on his desk and instead tilts closer to me. The air shifts.
His breath is minty fresh, and I’m staring intently at his mouth as he begins. “Okay, you want Blaze? Here’s what you’re going to want to do.”
I immediately wish I had a pen and paper to jot this down. He looks like he’s about to dole out some seriously good advice.
“You’ll need to buy a clicker.” He air-clicks his thumb and makes a light popping sound effect with his tongue. “You can find one on Amazon. Oh, and grab a bag of M&M’s—y’know, something small so he won’t choke if he forgets to chew. Every time he displays some good behavior, like paying you any meaningful attention, you’ll click the clicker and treat him. You’ll have him eating out of your hand in no time.”
I’m already giving him a You’re not funny glare, my eyes narrowed into slits, but he continues, unperturbed. “Now, if he jumps up and starts pawing at you, you can try the choke chain. But remember, some guys aren’t into that.”
I’m already walking out of his office at this point, wishing I hadn’t bothered in the first place.
“Have you tried one of those whistles?” he calls after me.
Cole, I decide, will be no help at all.
Chapter Ten
PAIGE
Sometimes you have to go after what you want. Love isn’t going to just fall into your lap. I think whoever coined the phrase “Good things come to those who wait” probably just didn’t want to have to pause Netflix and get up off their couch. Genius, when you think about it.
I don’t have that luxury. It’s time to make a move with Blaze once and for all.
I seek him out at work. The grotto isn’t that busy since it’s only 2:00 p.m.
He’s behind the bar, slicing lime wedges and dropping them into a plastic container while he sways to the beat of the pop music playing over the speakers.
“Blaze! Just the man I was looking for!” I drum my pointer fingers on the counter.
He looks up, startled. “Uh . . .” Worry lines his forehead as he searches behind me. His eyes flit back up the path in both directions, like he’s expecting someone else to appear. Cole, perhaps?
“It’s just me,” I say with a light laugh.
His demeanor visibly relaxes.
I made sure to wear my name tag today. It’s pinned on my shirt, visible to anyone within a twenty-foot radius. Still, I straighten my spine and jut out my chest to make sure he sees it. Paige. Yes, that’s my name. The effect my posture has on my breasts is a plus as well.
“So what’s going on?”
“Just . . . slicing limes,” he says with an easy smile. “Do you work today?”
“Yes, but I’m off at seven p.m., and I’ve been dying to try the new steak restaurant that opened last month. You know the one? Lara and Camila won’t go with me . . . they aren’t big meat eaters.” This is a lie, of course. Today, they served hamburgers in the cafeteria for lunch. Camila ate a double with extra cheese. The juices oozed down her chin. Hopefully Blaze didn’t notice.
He continues right on slicing limes, unbothered by my predicament. “Bummer.”
“Yeah . . .”
Then he looks up, having put two and two together, albeit slightly slower than I would have preferred. “We could go?”
Ding ding ding!
“Okay! Tonight?”
He shrugs. “Why not?”
Mild enthusiasm aside, this could work.
“I’ll meet you at eight? Umm . . . you know how to get there?”
This is a genuine question. Though well laid out and extremely intuitive, the resort grounds can be complicated for young children and . . . really anyone, okay? It’s not just Blaze!
“I could draw a map,” I suggest helpfully.
He laughs, but then he drops his knife to retrieve a pen and scrap piece of paper from behind the bar so that I’m forced to do it.
“So you know where the main lobby is, right?”
He looks stressed by the question.