Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Slater scooted closer. “Maybe she’d be happy to know that you’re a good person. A strong woman. And you mix one hell of a good drink.”
“All I did was pour vodka over ice.”
He grinned. “I meant some of your other drinks at the bar. You make people happy there. You listen to them. Even the jerks.”
That almost made me laugh. “Are you in that category?”
“Sometimes.”
I nodded, sensing it wouldn’t offend him. “But not tonight.”
“Nope, not tonight.” His eyes were on me. “Come here.” He patted the couch next to him even though we were practically right next to him.
I eyed him, trying to gauge his expression. Did he want to kiss me? For some reason, there seemed to be a lot of that going around. And what’s more, I kept letting it happen. “Slater, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He gave me a cocky smile. “Since you don’t even know what my idea is, I don’t think you’re in the best position to judge that.”
I stared at him suspiciously. “What’s your idea?”
“Come here and find out.”
It was a challenge. And the smirk on his face was irritating. But I didn’t back down from challenges, and I didn’t let cocky men win.
I scooted over.
His eyes gleamed and he spread his legs apart, pointing at the floor. “Sit down there.”
My eyes narrowed and I glared at him. “If you think I’m going to blow you just because—”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Sit down there facing away from me,” he emphasized. “Though, now I’m really curious about how you were going to finish that sentence.”
“Oh,” I said meekly. Now that I had some idea where this was going, I settled down on the floor, my back against the sofa. His long legs were on either side of me.
I felt the couch shift as he leaned forward, and then his hands were on my shoulders. “Oh god,” I moaned as he began rubbing.
He chuckled in appreciation of the sound. “I figured you might be tense tonight.”
“Go figure,” I said, but it felt too good to be sarcastic. His fingers were long and very strong. Delicious shivers radiated from everywhere he touched.
He worked my shoulders until I was completely relaxed and content. Then he tugged on the end of my ponytail. “Can you undo that?”
“Sure.” I possibly would’ve answered the same way if he’d asked me to take off all my clothes. His touch felt so damn good.
When my hair was free, he plunged his hands into it, kneading my scalp. I leaned my head back, my eyes closed. “That feels amazing.”
“The way you’re moaning sounds pretty amazing,” he said. “And if I weren’t such a professional, it might have an effect on me.”
I giggled, a sound I didn’t usually make. “A substantial effect?”
“Very substantial.”
I could almost imagine his erection. It had to be just inches from my head, I contemplated turning around and doing the very thing I’d thought he’d wanted from me before, but his fingertips were gliding along my hairline, and I was too content to move.
As his hands worked their magic, I almost fell into a trance. This was exactly what I needed after such a stressful week. It made me grateful that I’d happened to run into him tonight. He’d always seemed the most lighthearted of the three. A bit nuts sometimes, but better natured than Rocco, who could be so grumpy, and Julian, who could be so serious.
Yeah, I was glad he just happened to be on the street when I left tonight. I sighed in bliss as he pushed my head gently forward and began kneading my upper back.
That had been a real piece of luck.
But somewhere, deep in the back of my mind, a little voice emerged through the feel-good hormones.
Had it been luck that he’d just been outside when I left the bar?
11
SLATER
Fuck.
I exited Maggie’s building with a raging hard-on. Not so easy to walk with my cock ready to burst right out of my pants. Luckily, there were few people around to be offended. Besides, if they’d met Maggie—and ran their fingers through her silky hair—they’d understand.
Blue balls were apparently my reward for being a nice guy tonight. For giving Maggie what she needed after her stressful night. I doubted she knew how much I wanted to pick her up and take her to bed. To satisfy my cravings and hers. To lick her creamy body from top to bottom and devour her. And then, feed all eight inches inside her, to give her a night she’d never fucking forget.
But no.
That couldn’t happen.
I couldn’t have her. The last thing she needed was to get more involved with the shadowy world we inhabited. She was already on the fringe just by living around here. I’d been reckless with women’s hearts in the past—I knew that, and that was on me. But with Maggie, it wasn’t just her heart that might be on the line. She’s already been exposed to violence a couple of times in the last few weeks because of us.