Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“I don’t think I like surprises.”
“You might like this one.” He gave her a sad look. “I went to a lot of trouble and you do owe me a date.”
“She hasn’t been on a date in a long time,” Uncle Willy said unhelpfully.
She turned to glare at her uncle. “I think I liked it better when you were unconscious.”
She immediately felt terrible. But her uncle just laughed.
“I think I get my sense of humor from you,” she told him.
“You’re welcome.”
“I didn’t say it was a good thing.”
“Shoo, child. I need to sleep and you’re distracting.”
Standing, she leaned over him, kissing his cheek. “I love you. I’m glad you’re all right.”
“I love you too, my dear.”
Finally, she pulled back and turned to Jack. “I’ll just get ready.”
“No need. You look great as you are.” He grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the door.
“Wait, I need my handbag.”
“No, you don’t.”
“What? Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t.” He kept tugging her.
“At least let me get my phone.”
“If anyone needs you, they can call me.” He had the door open by now and was dragging her through.
Okay, she didn’t put up too much of a fight.
Hux grinned at her as Jack led her past him. Looked like she was going out. For a surprise!
“This better be a good surprise,” she muttered.
Jack shot her a look. “If you don’t like it, we can do something else.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. “Sorry, I’m being a lizardbutt.” What a bitch. Here he was trying to do something nice and all she could do was complain. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s just . . . most surprises in my life have been bad. And I just . . . I don’t think I have the energy to go anywhere. I’m just . . . I’m really tired, Jack.”
Suddenly, he opened a door and drew her into a small storage room.
“What is this? What’s happening?” She glanced around at the shelves of cleaning supplies. “I don’t think we’re supposed to be in here.”
“It’s fine.”
She shook her head. “What if someone finds us?”
“Then they find us. What do you think they’re going to do?”
“I don’t know . . . call security? The police? There was probably some rule in that document that Ian tested me on about sneaking into supply closets.”
He sat on a small wooden crate and drew her onto his lap.
“Um, Jack. What are you doing? Why are we in here?”
“We’re having a time-out.”
She stiffened. Had Ian told him that she was a Little? Was he making fun of her?
“A time-out?”
“Yep. You’re over-stimulated. You need a break.”
She wasn’t over-stimulated, was she? Did she get that way? Then again . . . she had been annoyed by the lights, and all the people, the noise.
Maybe she had been.
“I thought time-outs were just for when you’re naughty,” she whispered.
“Nope. Time-outs are also for when everything gets too much and you need some time to just be. Without worrying or thinking.”
“I don’t think I know how to do that. Right now, I’m worrying that the crate might break. That I’m too heavy for you. That Uncle Willy might need me and I won’t be there.”
“Okay. You need to take a few deep breaths for me.” His hand went to the back of her neck. The hold was possessive. Dominant. Maybe it should have frightened her or made her wary.
But instead, her stupid body just melted.
“That’s it. Deep breath in. Then out.”
She followed his directions.
“I have no idea what’s wrong with me,” she admitted. “I don’t usually worry this much. It feels . . . I don’t feel like I’m coping very well.”
“Because you’re exhausted and you’re taking too much on. You have to lean on us.”
“But you’re just my guards.”
“Is that all I am? A bodyguard?”
She felt his breath against her ear and shivered with pleasure.
“I don’t . . . I mean, are we friends?” she asked.
“Just friends?”
Sheepsbollocks. Her mouth went dry as he turned her head so it was tilted up toward him. Then his lips lightly touched hers.
A groan escaped her. As her lips parted, he slid his tongue inside. His kiss was different from Ian’s. Ian was more demanding. He took control right away. Yet, Jack seemed to cajole. To dance and play.
But there was still no doubt in her mind of who was in charge.
“We . . . I . . . what just happened?” She placed her fingers over her lips.
“We kissed.”
“But I . . . bollocks. I kissed Ian.”
She braced herself for his response.
“I know.” Satisfaction filled his voice. “And now you’ve kissed me as well.”
Was it some sort of game? Ian kissed her so now he had to? She wasn’t some damn prize.
Although she guessed he probably knew that after being around her so much these last few days.