Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“Sorry, I need to take this. It’s my fiancée,” I lied.
Turning my back, I answered the phone, praying Charly would forgive me for what I was about to do.
“Hey, baby,” I crooned. “I was just thinking about you. Christ, I miss you.”
There was silence on the end of the line.
“I was heading to my room. Maybe you could finish what you started this morning when you called, you little minx.” I chuckled low and deep in my chest, knowing Red liked that. “I think my cock was about to slide between those pretty lips of yours?”
I heard Monique’s huff of exasperation and watched as she stormed away, her high heels clicking on the marble floor. I had a feeling she wouldn’t be bothering me anymore.
I went back to the call. “Charly?”
A throat cleared, and a voice I didn’t expect replied.
“It’s Brett. I assume you would like to talk to Charly and not me. I doubt I can help you with what, ah, you are looking for.”
I shut my eyes, cursing and muttering. I headed toward the elevator.
“What can I do for you, Brett?” I asked through tight lips.
“I need a part for a Lincoln. It’s backordered, but there is a dealership in Toronto that has one. I was going to drive in and get it. It would save us the courier charges, but I’d be gone the rest of the day. I’ll catch up tomorrow. I wanted to okay it with you. Charly said you needed to approve it.”
“Sure. That’s fine.”
“Okay. Hang on.”
I let my head fall back in the elevator, part of me hoping it plunged to the basement and ended my embarrassment.
I heard murmurs and Charly’s loud screech.
“He said what?”
Her voice came on the line. “Holy moly, Maxx Reynolds, are you drunk?”
I started to laugh. Loud guffaws that echoed in the empty elevator. The doors opened, and I walked down the hall to my room, still chuckling. “No, but I think I’d like to be.”
I explained about Monique, relieved when Charly huffed, then giggled. “I don’t remember getting a ring,” she sniffed.
“An oversight.”
“I told you to watch out for the women.”
“Yes, as usual, you were right.”
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”
“Nope. You’re breaking up, Charly. I didn’t hear you.”
“Gosh dang it. I aid you in your time of need, and I don’t even get the satisfaction of you groveling.” Then she began to giggle. “And I’m not sure Brett will ever recover.”
“I’ll explain when I get home. He’ll understand.”
“Right now, he thinks I call you for phone sex. Thanks for that, Bucko.”
Bucko? That was a new one.
“You can tell him.”
“Nah, let him think what he wants. He already surmised we were sleeping together.”
“Why would he think that?” I toed off my shitkickers and relaxed back on the bed.
“I think you went a little overboard on the protectiveness thing when you spoke to him. He’s been very, ah, respectful.”
“Good. He should be.” I frowned. “Any trouble with Wes?”
“I saw his brother in Lomand while I was in town yesterday with Mary. Aside from his staring, nothing else.”
“Okay. Keep your eyes open.”
“As I told you, I can take care of myself.”
“And as I said, I know that. Just saying, be careful.”
She muttered something about chapping her ass, which made me grin. “I have to go. I really need some food and some Tylenol.”
“Okay. Put a cold cloth on your head. Or even better, ask for an ice bag and put it on your neck.”
“I will. Thanks. And, Charly?”
“Yeah?”
“Sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
She sighed, the sound breathy and low over the line. “It’s fine. I expect a huge bonus for that, though.”
“What would you like?” I asked, playing along, wondering what she would ask for. Her reply slid into my heart, warming the unused organ.
“For you to come home. I miss you.”
She hung up before I could reply.
Chapter 16
CHARLY
I dropped my head into my hands. Why did I say that to him? It was far too personal—yet the words had come out before I could stop them. I did miss him. Staying in his house, working at making it better for him, made his absence seem bigger. The silence in the house louder.
I looked down at the file I had discovered earlier. It was stuck in the back of a drawer, caught on the railings. I had to work it out carefully, and I had been shocked to discover the contents.
I glanced up, making sure the doors were shut. Brett had left while I was on the phone with Maxx, Rufus was napping at my feet, and Mary wouldn’t arrive for a couple of hours. We were going to finish the wall I had been working on in the garage.
I opened the file, once again perusing the documents, the story they told unfolding before my eyes. I had sorted the thick folder once I had realized what it contained, and now I read through it.