Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Not even an hour later, when his eyes scanned the crowd and the courtyard, he spotted her again. Mostly because she was so damn hard to miss.
The problem was, he wasn’t the only one watching her.
He heard rumors about her stepfather—or whatever the fuck Shade was—watching over his ol’ lady’s hot daughters like a fucking hawk.
Magnum could be in-your-face deadly.
Shade went about it quietly.
He was the kind who’d slice your throat and disappear before you even knew what the fuck happened. Breathing one second, bleeding out the next.
With one last glance at the strawberry blonde and the group she was with, he wandered away to find himself a cold beer.
And while he was sipping that beer, he’d work on his plan of attack.
Her back was pressed to one of the pavilion’s wood posts. Above her head, so was his forearm. Romeo leaned into it and dipped his head until their eyes locked. Her big brown ones held a gleam, and her mouth curved up at the corners as she stared back up at him with those inviting lips slightly parted.
He remembered her name now after hearing another man mention it. So, at least he didn’t have to ask and risk her putting him off because of it.
Women liked to be remembered. They never wanted to be forgettable.
But again, names weren’t at the top of the list when it came to what was important to him.
“How old are you, Maddie?”
“Why?”
“Just wanna make sure you’re legal.”
“For what?”
For you and me to share a little skin-to-skin contact. “To make sure you’re supposed to be having that beer.”
She lifted the red plastic cup. “You mean this one?”
“That one.”
She put it to her lips and swallowed a mouthful. When she was done, she smiled. “Why does what I do concern you? I get enough of that around here from Shade and the rest of the Fury. I don’t need it from you, too.”
“He keep you on a short leash?”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “Who? Shade?”
He nodded and took a tiny step closer, closing the small gap between them. The visible pulse pounding in her neck drew his attention for a hot minute.
“No, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t pay attention. You, out of anyone, should know how a club works. Anyone with a vagina is property for them to protect.”
“You don’t wanna be protected?”
“I don’t want to be dictated to. I’m an adult, a college graduate and about to head to graduate school.”
Damn. Proof she was too damn far out of his league. But, fuck, he didn’t want to discuss Shakespeare with her. He only wanted to share some basic human urges.
Like procreating.
Without the “creating” part.
As far as he knew, he didn’t have any of his DNA waddling around on two short, chubby legs. He was good about making sure he collected it in a wrap and tossed that shit in the garbage.
Where it belonged.
Where it didn’t force him to make child support payments. A sentence of eighteen to twenty-one years.
Too many of his brothers paid out the ass every month for the mistake of not wrapping it tight.
He wanted to wrap it tight with Madison. He only needed to convince her that it was a good idea.
That might be the difficult part.
“A smart, independent woman,” he murmured, sliding his fingers down her arm. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. It’s a turn-on for me.”
Goosebumps appeared on her previously smooth skin and her breathing quickened.
Oh yeah. She wasn’t immune to his charm.
“Let’s be real… I’m sure it doesn’t take much to turn you on, Romeo.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Love a variety of women. All colors, shapes, and sizes.” He pressed the tip of his index finger against her chest. “Ain’t the outside that turns me on, it’s the inside.”
She rolled her lips inward for a second. “Uh huh. Do you stick around long enough to discover what’s beneath the surface?”
“Doin’ that now, ain’t I?”
“I don’t know, are you? I figured this was your attempt at greasing my waistband to help my pants slide off a lot faster and easier.”
His attempt at what?
Damn. He needed to up his game if he wanted to win it.
Good thing he liked a challenge. And Maddie decided she was going to make herself one.
Challenge accepted.
“Nothin’ wrong with a brother wantin’ to be with someone so damn beautiful.”
“Mmm hmm,” she murmured.
“Ain’t lyin’.”
Using her finger, she drew a pattern on his chest. “Romeo…”
He snagged her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Yeah, baby?”
“I’m going to share something with you that I don’t share with many people.”
Hot fuckin’ damn. “Gonna make me feel special by sharin’ a secret with me.”
“It might make you look at me differently.”
“You only like chicks?” If so, that would fucking suck, and he was wasting his damn time.
She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head.
Why the hell was she teasing him like this?