Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
“Does rosemary garlic focaccia count?” he asked, taking a loaf from the freezer.
“Definitely.”
I watched as he put both items in the different sides of the oven, baking the bread at a lower temperature. Then we chatted while he sautéed zucchini and squash in olive oil and garlic. I didn’t think about how bad my breath would end up until after I devoured the food he put in front of me, and we got up to take care of the dishes, standing side by side at the sink. Although he had a top-of-the-line washer, I insisted on doing them by hand since there were only a few. I cleaned while he dried, and when I handed him the last plate, our fingers glided together, making me shiver.
Pressing my hand to my lips, I mumbled, “That was a very garlicky meal.”
“Then I guess it’s good that we both ate the same things.” Reaching out, he cupped my cheek with his big palm and stepped closer. I leaned into his touch, my eyes going wide as I stared up at him and lowered my arm. A shiver raced up my spine when he slid his hand to the back of my neck, and my lips parted in anticipation of his kiss when he leaned in until his mouth was barely an inch from mine.
I didn’t want to wait another second, so I fisted the front of his dress shirt and made a breathy sound of encouragement as I went up on my toes to close that gap. With my lips resting against his, I whispered, “Kiss me.”
“Whatever you want, baby.”
Our mouths crashed together in a firestorm of need, his tongue sweeping inside to tangle with mine. The chemistry between us blazed out of control, and I clutched his shoulders, holding on for the ride as I melted in his arms like warm honey. Each swipe of his tongue sent a jolt of sexual awareness through my body, until my knees were weak.
I let out a little whimper of protest when he finally ripped his mouth from mine, staring down at me as both our chests heaved. Taking a step back, he lowered his hand to his side, fisting it as he rumbled, “You need to go to bed before I lose control.”
I wanted to argue, but I knew that I wasn’t thinking clearly because my mind was cloudy with passion. Pressing trembling fingers against my lips, I nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Walking away from him was one of the most difficult things I had ever done, but I forced my legs to keep moving until I reached the room that he’d put me in. I reminded myself along the way that I was here for work, not romance. That James was a billionaire, while my net worth was in the five-digit area. Which wasn’t bad for a twenty-two-year-old who decided college wasn’t for them, but nowhere near what James and his brothers had accomplished for themselves by the time they were my age.
When the door shut behind me, I glanced at the wall that would separate us while we slept and groaned. I had a feeling that it was going to be a long, sleepless night.
4
JAMES
I’d had years of practice working late nights, followed by early mornings. I didn’t need a whole lot of sleep to be firing on all cylinders.
It was a good fucking thing, because I’d spent most of my night awake and restless in my bed. When I did manage to sleep, I dreamed of Samantha’s hot little body and all the things I wanted to do to it.
At four in the morning, I’d finally given in and thrown on a pair of pajama bottoms and went to my home office to get some work done. I’d brought home the paperwork that we were supposed to go over before the inspection, so we didn’t need to leave for the site until eight-thirty.
My office was across the hall from the room where Samantha was sleeping, so I kept an ear out, and when I heard her moving around, I set my glasses on my desk and padded out to the kitchen to make breakfast.
When Samantha found me, the bacon was on a plate in the warming oven, I was almost done with a couple of omelets, and the bread was sitting in the toaster, ready for me to hit the button.
The kitchen was filled with delicious smells, but it was Samantha that had my mouth watering. Her blond curls had been twisted into a bun on her head, and while I missed the soft tresses floating around her, the hair style made her look like a naughty librarian. I’d never fantasized about one before, but seeing Samantha in another snug pencil skirt, with a pink, satin blouse with long sleeves and a high collar that was closed with a black ribbon, and black stilettos, I suddenly understood the appeal.