Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 72071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
He used the panties that I wasn’t aware he was still holding onto to help clean me up, then seemed to be undecided what to do with them.
“Throw them away,” I suggested, pointing to a trash can.
Instead, he folded them in on themselves, being careful not to get any of his or my juices all over him, then stuffed them into his pocket.
I just shook my head with amusement written all over my face.
“That’s going to smell here in a little bit,” I told him.
He shrugged. “It’s only until I can get to the truck and stash them. I don’t want to throw them away.”
I didn’t either.
I quite liked the idea of my panties being in his pocket.
“Okay,” I said softly.
But before I could do anything more but straighten my skirt, he was back in front of me, pressing me back into the wall.
With my feet on the ground we were at much different heights, but that didn’t stop him from dropping his mouth down until it rested against my ear.
“I’ve never in my life needed a woman,” he said, holding my gaze. “I’ve never needed anything. I’ve lived my life the way I wanted to live it. Then came little old you, and the desire to do anything that didn’t include you lost any and all appeal.” He pressed his mouth to mine. “This has been the hardest time of my life, being without you. And I can’t find it in me to care that I was shot. Not when it brought me back to you.”
My eyes started to water, and the ‘I love you’ was on the tip of my lips.
But before either one of us could say so much as an ‘I love you’ he was backing away and putting distance in between us.
That was when I heard the door to the patio opening and a chipper ‘all ready’ from my boss.
Liner’s eyes still held mine, though.
And I could tell with just one single look that he didn’t need to say I love you. I could read it in his eyes.
***
I was practically squirming in my seat.
It took everything I had not to throw myself into the man’s arms and hug the crap out of him.
But, he was probably hurting horribly.
And, ultimately, if he’d wanted me to act like I knew him, he would’ve introduced himself as an old friend and not as ‘Josiah Paldecki, nice to meet you.’
God, the feel of his hand around my own still burned. I felt like it was seared onto my skin.
“So you’re looking into expanding up here?”
We were still finishing up the entrees and conversation was still flowing amongst the men. There was one man to the side of me that separated Liner and me. The expanse between us was excruciating.
I wanted to be next to him. I wanted to feel his heat up against my own.
I wanted to be in bed with him, while simultaneously being exactly where I was.
My mind was running a million miles an hour, and I couldn’t figure out which I wanted more.
Him to sit next to me, or him to be holding me while we basked in the peace and quiet of my home.
The idea of having to separate, though, to drive separate vehicles while I went to pick up Linnie and him being in his own vehicle? Well, that sounded like the most awful kind of torture.
And God, Linnie was going to be so excited.
Speaking of, I looked at my watch and grimaced.
I was cutting it close too. I had less than a half hour to get back to the office and then get to the school pick-up.
Our lunch had gone way, wayyyy over.
We had gone way over the original estimate of about an hour and were now already approaching two and a half hours. And no end in sight.
I looked at my watch again and knew that I’d have to leave.
I stood up and smiled at my boss. “If I don’t go now, I’m not going to be able to make it to the school pick-up. I’m sorry for cutting it short.”
I started to pull out my wallet from my purse, but a big, massive hand stopped me.
I knew it was Liner’s, and my heart started to pound as I met those eyes. “I’m paying.”
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes and saying, “You’re paying whether I want you to pay or not, apparently.”
Instead, I smiled at him. “Okay.”
I felt like a lovesick fool.
I was deliciously sore. Overly happy. And I wanted to cry.
Happy tears, but tears nonetheless.
“Do you need a ride?” he asked softly, reluctantly allowing his hand to slip from mine.
The man that was between us was sitting back in his seat to allow Liner to reach over him, and the look on his face, as if he could tell that there was something going on between us, was enough to have me blushing.