Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
She loved going to work. Sure, Darlene was cold and would often stare at her disapprovingly. Nikki wasn’t quite sure what she had done wrong. She wore a pair of pants and a plain white shirt, which is what she noticed a lot of the other staff wore, both men and women. There were some that wore their shirts a little tighter. She wasn’t too comfortable wearing anything tighter.
Each time she thought she’d ask Darlene what was wrong, she always chickened out. So, on one of the many occasions Hawk came to pick her up, she invited him back to her trailer for coffee.
“What do you think? Do you think I’m doing anything wrong?” she asked.
“Have you thought to ask?”
“Well, I don’t want to upset her. What if there is nothing wrong and all I’m doing is blowing this completely out of proportion?”
Hawk laughed. “You’re nervous?”
“I like Darlene, okay? I’m loving this job and it’s the only thing I want to do.” She sighed and put the kettle on the stove. “I know I sound crazy and I’ve probably driven you insane with how much I’m talking about my work.”
“It doesn’t bother me. Quite like it.”
She doubted that. In the past week, he had barely said a word to her. She’d been so focused on her new job and the fact her luck was turning around. The landlord had made sure to get her plumbing fixed, and the gas was already hooked up. She had gotten an apology as well.
With regard to her car, the mechanic had called and let her know it was still going to be a couple of weeks, but he was able to work out some deals and she would no longer have to worry about the cost increasing. It was all being taken care of. Just like that, a little miracle.
“How are you?” she asked.
Hawk stepped closer. “I’m fine. Talk to me about your day.”
He hadn’t sat down. He was close. Closer than she was used to him being. She had no choice but to tilt her head back to look at him. His heavy masculine scent was so intoxicating, and she felt a wash of arousal sweep over her, which took her completely by surprise.
“I feel like I’ve been talking about my day for a long time.”
He smiled. “The good news is, I like to hear it.”
“Why?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
“What?”
“Why do you like hearing about my day? I’m always a little surprised to see you, waiting for me, helping me.”
“Can’t a friend help you out?” he asked.
Had he gotten closer? It felt like he had, and they were sharing the same air. What was happening to her? She kept dropping her gaze to his lips. They were mesmerizing.
“Is that what you are?” she asked. “A friend?”
For a long time, she didn’t care about putting a label on it. There was no point. She had no idea what he was doing, but figured he would grow bored and move on. She didn’t want to think of him moving on without her.
This was stupid.
He reached up and placed his hand on the wall above her head. “Tell me if there is anything else I can be?” he asked.
His other hand went to her waist and at his touch, she took a deep breath and felt that edge of panic. This was … different. This was not two friends getting along. This was something more, something uniquely dangerous.
Did she want to change what they had?
The friendship?
Did she want more?
He came in close, and she panicked.
“I’ve never kissed anyone,” she said. Those words just blurted right out of her mouth, and she knew they must have made her sound like an absolute fool.
Hawk didn’t pull back.
“You’ve never been kissed?”
She shook her head. Words were failing her.
“At all?”
“No.” At least that was a word.
He frowned.
“I’ve never had sex.” And there went another little admission she had hoped to keep to herself.
His gaze seemed to darken. She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. Hawk was a hard man to read, not that it had been easier to read him before this moment. If she could read him, she’d know exactly what was going on in his mind, but she didn’t have a clue.
“Never?”
“No.”
“No man has touched this body? Seen you naked? Fucked you?”
“No,” she said, and she couldn’t help but laugh. She wasn’t even entertained, and now she was a little embarrassed. More than a little embarrassed. She didn’t want to talk about this anymore. She wasn’t quite sure where she got the strength to push him out of her way, but she did so and then spun toward him, feeling a little victorious. She wanted to fist pump the air, but instead she reeled it in. “No, I’ve never had sex with anyone. I get it, my mom is a whore, how can it be possible for me to not have fucked someone? Trust me, there were men that wanted to and didn’t care that I was underage, but hell, no. The guys at school were cruel, and there was no way I was dating. Hell, no.”