Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
I smile as soon as I read his message. I swear he's so overprotective. He's my hero, though. He always has been.
Me: Pinky promise.
"I gotta go," I murmur to Arwen. "I have some stuff to finish up if I want to get out of here soon."
"Okay." She heaves a dramatic sigh. "I guess I'll see you when you get back to town. Be safe. Love you more!"
"Love you most." I replace the desk phone in the cradle, chewing on my bottom lip. My gaze drifts to Braxton and Liam's closed door. The privacy screen over the glass windows is activated, making it impossible to tell if they're busy or if they're in there arguing over something ridiculous or simply staring at the walls. I decide to take my chances. They're always grumpy anyway.
I climb to my feet and smooth my pale pink skirt before crossing to their door and knocking. My heart pounds, pumping anxiety through my veins.
Braxton immediately pulls it open.
"Oh, hey." I blink up into his dark eyes.
"Lola," he growls, staring at me like he always does…like I'm a meal he wants to consume slowly. There's so much heat in his gaze, so much darkness. It's intense. My body reacts immediately, arousal flooding my system.
His dad is American, and his mom is Indian. I've never met them, but I just know he looks more like his mom with his tawny beige skin and dark eyes. He's so damn beautiful. He towers over me, filling the doorway. I ache to faceplant into his chest and feel his arms surround me.
My cheeks heat, blood rushing to the surface of my skin.
Liam makes a groaning sound, and I tear my gaze from Braxton's to find him looming over his best friend's shoulder, watching me with the same expression. Only there's a lightness in his blue eyes that isn't in Braxton's, a sense of mischief that goes bone deep, as if it's forged into his very soul. He's no less intense than Braxton, but he can be playful and gentle.
"Do you need something, lamb?" Braxton's deep, rumbling voice kicks up fires in my womb. I want to fall asleep to his voice in my ear. It's so deep, so dark, and delicious.
"Do you guys have a minute?"
"Always for you," Liam says.
Braxton steps aside for me to enter their office.
I step past them, fighting the urge to tremble as their scents envelop me, wreaking havoc on my body. Liam smells like the outdoors, like Earth, sweet wine, and the hot sun. Braxton like saffron, cinnamon, and citrus.
Their office takes up most of the floor. Despite how different they are, they're both ridiculously neat and tidy. Their antique desks are perfectly arranged. Even the file folders stacked on top line up just so, as if they don't dare stick a corner out of line. Family photos litter Liam's desk. Braxton's contains only the essentials. A sitting area off to the side of their desks gives the office a welcoming vibe. The conference area set up on the far end screams boardroom. The other end is more mancave than office, with an air hockey table, a large television, and a small live oak-edged bar.
"What's going on, Lola?" Liam asks from behind me.
I startle, caught off guard at how close he is.
When I spin, I realize he and Braxton are standing side by side, arms crossed over their chests, feet planted apart. They're a solid wall of muscle, matching grim expressions on their faces.
"It's about Tahoe," I say, fighting the urge to squirm beneath the weight of their stares. "Um, do I have to stay with the two of you?" Well, crap. That didn't come out right.
"What the fuck?" Liam growls.
Braxton blinks his long lashes, his eyes flickering across my face as he tries to get a read on my expression. Whatever he finds there doesn't please him. His lips pull down into a deep frown. "You don't want to stay with us?"
"I…didn't say that." I kind of did say that, but I didn't mean to say it.
"Have we done something to make you uncomfortable, Lola?"
They both look mildly sick at the possibility.
"What? No. Of course not," I hurry to reassure them. "It's nothing like that. I just…think it would be better for everyone if we had our own spaces. That's all."
"What the fuck?" Liam mutters again, scrubbing a hand through his messy hair. He looks at Braxton in complete bewilderment, an accusatory gleam in his eyes. "What did you do? Why is she mad at us?"
"I'm not mad at anyone!" I cry.
Braxton ignores him, watching me as intently as ever. His gaze is a little wild, as if whatever's going on behind those mocha eyes distresses him. "Do you have plans in Tahoe, lamb?" he growls after a moment, an edge to his tone I've never heard before. It's dark and dangerous, instantly heating my system to the nth degree. "Someone you intend to meet up with?"