Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
And it had been.
They had made love that night and talked everything out the next day. No fuss. No drama. Because that was just how Blake was.
And after that...
Life became really, really good.
And two hours later, it became a lot better, and it all started with a phone call.
"Hartland Bookshop."
"Thorn."
He recognized the voice right away. "Slade. You're back from Denver?"
"Just today, and...we've got a problem."
Thornton frowned. "Kady?"
"Guess again." The cafe owner's smirk was evident in his tone.
Ah. Thorn's lips pressed together. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
"I'll take the car if I were you," his friend advised.
"That bad?"
"Depends," was all the billionaire said before hanging up.
Thornton flipped the store sign to Closed and was parking his truck outside the cafe a mere ten minutes later. He stepped inside and immediately saw what the problem was.
"You!"
Or rather, the problem saw him.
She waved him to come over, and when he joined her and her friends in their table, Thornton saw right away that she was absolutely smashed.
"How long has she been like this?" he asked Frankie.
"Longer than I can bear," Blake's friend answered with a shudder, "so if you don't mind...I'll leave her to you?"
"I...um...have to start working, too." Elizabeth quickly got up as well.
The speed with which the two girls left had Thornton blinking.
"You!"
He turned back to his girlfriend.
"You!"
He nearly smiled. "Is that all you can say?"
"Don't you be smart with me, boy."
Interesting.
"I'm the woman you love," Blake said haughtily, "and you should treat me like a queen."
"Is that so?" He was beginning to see why her friends had all been in such a hurry to leave.
She gave him a regal nod. "That's so!"
He leaned back against his seat. "How do I do that?"
"First..." She pointed to his lap and flashed him an approving smile when he obeyed her silent command by scooping her off her seat and depositing him on his lap.
"Good boy."
Someone behind him choked at hearing this, but Thornton didn't mind. No one had ever had the guts to order him around like this, and it was quite...fun.
"Anything else?"
"Mm..." Her gaze narrowed at him. "I think you should fix your tone."
"My tone?"
"It has to be more...suburban."
More choking.
"Do you mean...subservient?"
Blake scowled. "That's what I said!"
"You're right." And this time, he made sure to sound subservient. "I apologize." He raised a brow. "Anything else?"
"Mm...I think I should make things harder for you."
"Whatever you wish, my queen."
"Baby."
"Baby."
"No, no, no." She shook her head. "You should say my queen baby."
There were laughter and choking this time, and a particularly loud groan which sounded very much like Frankie's voice.
"Understood, my queen baby."
"Oh my God." This time, there was definitely no doubting it was Frankie, and she sounded like she was about to throw up in disgust.
"Aha!" Blake swayed as she leaned forward, and it took several laughable tries of her cupping her hands over different parts of his body before she finally got it right. Hands cupped over his ear, she whispered, "My next command is..."
Thornton's eyes widened.
Aidan glanced at his youngest brother, who, as always, was busy recording the whole thing. "I don't think you'll be able to show this in public."
"Why not? Blake's a good sport. She'll..." Ethan quickly stopped filming when he saw where Thornton's hand was going.
Aidan smirked. "You were saying?"
Ethan shook his head. "Who would've thought?" Their innocent little Blake...was not so innocent after all.
The End
"Just do as I say, and you won't get hurt."
I've heard all the warnings. Don't talk to strangers. Don't judge a book by its (gorgeous and hot) cover, and definitely don't fall for someone with killer violet eyes.
Too bad I'm terrible at following rules.
He doesn't even have to say a word. Being too close for comfort is all it takes. And the next thing I know, I'm in the car seated next to him, and the line between right and wrong is as twisty as the road ahead.
Is it just my life on the line...or is my heart already his for the taking?
The Hitchhiker and His Secret Desire
By Marian Tee
Copyright 2024 by Marian Piñera
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
The Hitchhiker
IT'S SNOWING HARD OUTSIDE the car. But my cheeks are burning with the sheer stupidity of what I've done. I should be in survival mode right now, but all I can think of is how he's making me feel so dreadfully and shamefully weak.
"Just do as I say, and you won't get hurt."
"Says the person with a gun."
"You weren't supposed to know I had one."
"My sincerest apologies. I wasn't aware being observant is a crime now."