Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
What would he think if she put on a slinky negligee and walked into the living room, got to her knees in front of him and offered to suck him off?
He’d have to say yes, right?
But what if he said no? Darn it. She didn’t have the courage to do that. She turned to stare at herself in the mirror and let out a cry of horror.
What . . . how . . . why?
Why hadn’t she checked what she looked like before she’d opened the door?
No wonder he’d asked her if everything was all right. She looked like she’d wrestled with a bag of flour and lost.
There was flour in her hair, all over her apron, and a big patch on her face. Not to mention the other stains on her apron.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Panicked, she moved around frantically. Stripping off, she pulled on the dress she’d chosen earlier. It was white and long with pleats coming down from the chest. The short sleeves were a new thing for her, but she grabbed a light cardigan to put on top.
She thought she looked all right. Or she would once she redid her hair and washed her face. As she headed out of the bedroom, feeling better, the scent of smoke hit her.
Oh no! Something was on fire!
“Jilly!” Regent called out from the kitchen.
She raced in to find him opening the oven. Black smoke flew into his face, making him cough.
“Watch out!” she cried, rushing to the kitchen sink. “I have it!”
Opening the cupboard under the sink, she got out the fire extinguisher.
“Jilly, open the windows,” he told her commandingly. “Stay back.”
“No! Get away!” She aimed the fire extinguisher at the oven.
Suddenly, Regent plucked it out of her hands, then picking her up with his free arm around her waist, he carried her out of the room.
“What are you doing? I have to put the fire out!”
“There’s no fire, just smoke.”
“But . . . but the saying goes where there’s smoke there’s fire.”
“Not sure that saying is about actual fire.”
Well. That was confusing.
“Stay here while I take care of this.” He turned away.
Stay here? Was he crazy?
This was her responsibility. She wouldn’t leave him to just clean everything up.
So, as soon as he walked into the kitchen, she followed him. He paused.
“Jillian.”
“Yes?”
“In case I didn’t make myself clear before, you’re to remain in the hall or the living room or go outside for some fresh air until I come back for you. Understand?”
“But I can help. This is my kitchen.”
“You’re not helping. The smoke isn’t good for your lungs. Now, you either obey me or you and I are going to have a very long conversation about obedience.”
Yikes.
She should tell him that he had no right to boss her around. And that she wasn’t ever going to obey him.
Right. That’s what she should do.
So why did she find herself turning away and going out into the hallway?
Her feet were moving before her brain caught up to what she was thinking.
Noticing that the smoke smell had drifted through the house, she moved to the living room to open the windows.
Urgh. It was so hot and sticky outside, and she was letting out all the cool air.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Drat. She probably smelled like smoke too. And now her new outfit was ruined.
How had this ended up being such a disaster?
13
Sitting on the sofa, Jilly placed her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands.
So much for paying Regent back for getting rid of Clive for her.
“Jilly? Are you okay? Did the smoke get in your eyes?”
She startled and sat up, very nearly smacking her head into his face.
“Shit! Sorry!”
“Hey, I’m all right.” Reaching out, he brushed his thumb under her eye. “You’re crying. What’s wrong? Do you need a doctor? How much smoke did you inhale?”
“It’s not that. I’m fine. Well, not fine because I’m such an idiot,” she moaned. “I can’t get anything right. This whole night has been a disaster.”
“It hasn’t been that bad.”
“I’m surprised you can say that with a straight face.”
“Jilly, look at me.”
She noticed that he’d taken off his suit jacket. And rolled up his sleeves. What was it about forearms that made them so sexy?
She focused on his hands.
What would it be like if he cupped her bare breast with that hand? Or if he placed it over her stomach possessively?
A shudder ran through her as she stared into his slate gray eyes, watching as they softened, warmed. “Your eyes don’t look red and sore. Your throat is all right?”
“I’m fine. You were the one in the kitchen, fixing my mess. Are you all right?”
He nodded, his face growing stern. What now? “Jilly, why didn’t the smoke alarms go off?”
She blinked. Why was he asking about smoke alarms?
Because yours didn’t go off . . . idiot.