Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Phoenix nodded. “Good point.” He looked toward Rocco. “How about you and I head for the janitor’s closet? We’ll all keep our ear units on so we can stay in communication. We’ll let you all know if we’re able to access the portal and when we’re in.”
Magnus nodded in agreement. “I’ll watch you from every angle I can and warn you if anyone wanders by, especially if they’re suspicious-looking.”
Hawking nodded. “I’ll make sure the morning staff on security detail is ready to start and extra vigilant.”
“I’ll wander the grounds,” Caesar said.
Kestrel stood. “I’ll go prepare the helicopter. I have two tours booked for this morning. Please let me know if I need to cut anything short. You know I’ll be wherever you need me.”
When the men had all scattered, Sadie gave Juniper a hug. “I’ll be up at the front desk. Text me if you need to.”
“We can stay with her,” Celeste offered.
Zara nodded in agreement.
Juniper shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Go cure cancer,” she told the two scientists with a smile.
Suddenly, she was all alone in the middle of the enormous basement. The rush she’d gotten from being needed and important took a dive and left her feeling out of sorts.
“Little girl.”
She jerked her head up to find Magnus looking at her from his station.
“Come here, Juni.”
She shuffled toward him. “I don’t want to interrupt your work. I’ll order us some breakfast or, uh, make sure there’s enough toilet paper in the bathrooms.” She winced as those ridiculous suggestions left her mouth.
Magnus chuckled. “Come here, Little girl.” He held out a hand.
She rushed into his arms, needing him to hold her more than anything. She hoped she wasn’t upsetting him. He’d made it crystal clear he didn’t like anyone, including her, in his workspace.
She’d thought a lot about what he’d said to her and realized she needed to honor his work preferences. The man was territorial about his station. She could understand that. She wasn’t exactly the kind of person who was used to working on group projects either. She’d been working from home for that very reason. If someone had come into her house and offered to help her with her job, she would have told them to fuck off.
“I’m sorry I was naughty earlier,” she murmured against his neck, feeling her Little side come to the surface.
He lifted her and settled her sideways on his lap. He even took off his baseball cap and set it on the desk before cupping her face. “You were not naughty, Juni. I was caught off-guard, and I reacted badly. I want you to stay here with me and keep me company this morning.”
She narrowed her gaze at him. Was he serious? “You’re just saying that because you’re afraid to let me out of your sight.”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m saying that because I love you, you’re my life, and I need you near me.”
“I can sit on the couch and stay really quiet while you work, Daddy,” she offered.
“No. You can sit right here on Daddy’s lap, where I can inhale your sweet scent and touch your sexy body.” He smiled, kissed her on the lips, and turned toward the computer. “Would you like me to tell you what all I do?”
“Sure, Daddy. If you want. You don’t have to, though. I can sit here like a little mouse. You won’t even know I’m here.”
He kissed her neck. “Tell me if you get bored.” He pointed toward a monitor. “See that one?”
As he rambled on about what everything at his station was used for, she felt pretty damn guilty. Maybe she should just tell him now what she’d been doing for a living.
Nah. She wasn’t ready for that confrontation yet. Besides, she could tell he felt kind of powerful and important telling his silly Little girl about the big computers. Would he spank her ass later when he found out? Probably. But she wasn’t sure that would be a bad thing. After all, she’d learned she rather liked getting spanked.
Chapter Fourteen
Blinking her eyes open, Juniper took a second to figure out where she was. Whatever she was sitting on wasn’t soft at all. She focused on the edge of a curved surface that extended partly over her. That looks like Magnus’s cap. Holy crap, I’m on his lap. Did I drool on him?
Pushing against the broad chest that supported her, she looked down at his now-rumpled Danger Bluff polo. There was a distinctive wet spot where her head had lain. Rubbing at the splotch, she apologized, “Fuckdoodle! I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you wake me up or dump me on the couch?”
“Do you know how long I’ve waited to have my Little girl nap on my shoulder?” he asked, meeting her gaze with eyes darkened by emotion. “And I’m never going to dump you anywhere,” he added.