Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Not as crazy as they did for Lance, but enough she wanted to squirm on the seat. Tight jeans hugged his lower body, black boots stuck out from the bottom. A faded and worn blue shirt only amplified his upper torso’s strength. She wasn’t the only one looking.
Men and women were checking him out. Some men glowered at their women, some glowered at their men. Women were plumping up their breasts, thrusting back shoulders.
Holy fuck it was hot. She nearly took the kid’s ice cream to have something cool.
“Found us a seat, Daddy.”
His loose-limbed gait showed off his power. She swallowed as he neared. Green eyes like the boy’s met hers. The corner of his mouth twitched up. “Did you ask this beautiful lady if we could join her?”
That voice. Good lord, angels were weeping. Much like parts of her body.
“She was crying. I made her feel better. We’re friends now, it’s okay.” The kid kicked his feet as he ate, seemingly completely content with how things were going.
“Thank you for making her feel better.” Another waffle bowl with Rocky Road settled in front of her. “Lady said this is what you had. I saw yours tip over.”
“Thank you, but it wasn’t necessary.”
His smile was sinful. “It was. We’re crashing your table. Unless…”
She knew what he wasn’t asking. “It’s fine.” Jasmine moved her dumped ice cream and the napkins to the side and picked up the new spoon he’d delivered along with the bowl.
“Name’s Nolan. This is Liam.”
It was easier on her overall to look at the boy, who now had a ring of blue around his mouth. “Nice to meet you both. I’m Jasmine.”
Liam smacked his lips. “Like a flower. You’re pretty like one too, huh, Daddy?”
“You got it, bud.”
She put a spoon of ice cream in her mouth and willed her body to cool down. This was freaking insane. She didn’t get horny like this. Not with a man she didn’t know.
Then again, I did proposition the good detective when I first saw him. Her core clenched at the thought of Lance. Keeping her head down, she took several slow, deep breaths before lifting her gaze once more.
Nolan watched her, those electric dark green eyes locked onto her face. He winked and her panties damn near combusted. Oh, this man was lethal.
“She could be my new mama.”
Jasmine paused with her mouth on the spoon and flicked her glance between the two men at her table.
His smile wasn’t gentle, it was rough with the promise of endless pleasure. “I don’t think so, bud.”
Liam continued kicking his feet. “Why not? You said she was pretty.”
“She’s beautiful. But she’s also taken, based on the frown from the man behind her.”
She cocked an eyebrow and drew the spoon from her mouth. “Really?”
He nodded slowly, the rhythmic thunk of Liam’s shoes on the table steady and oddly calming. “Tall man. Dark hair. Glowering like he’s the devil and I’ve touched his favorite toy.”
“You should share, Daddy.”
“I’m game for sharing. Are you?” The question was directed at her and she swallowed down her laughter.
“Sorry, not this time.” She glanced behind her and frowned when she saw Lance leaning against the fencing post for the outside area. Eyes on her. Locked. How the fuck did he find me?
“Very well then.” He winked once more and went back to his ice cream. Chocolate double scoop on a regular cone. Not a waffle. “If you change your mind.”
“She won’t.”
Lance gripped the nape of her neck and immediately her body heated like it had been on an ice cube before. No matter how hot—and he was hot—Nolan was, her body was owned by Lance Baldwin.
“We need to get going, baby.”
There was something in his tone that had her moving instantly. She held up the newer ice cream. “Taking this for the road. Liam, it was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for cheering me up.”
He grinned at her, unaware or uncaring of the undercurrent of tension streaking between the two adult males.
“Daddy said we should try to make people feel better.”
She nodded. “He was right.”
Nolan offered her a card. “You need anything, you call me, Jasmine.”
Behind her Lance muttered, “She won’t.”
Jasmine smiled and took the card. “Thank you. It was a great pleasure sharing ice cream with you today, Liam.”
“Bye, Jasmine. Nice to meet you.”
A brisk nod to the father and she walked away, Lance draping his arm around her shoulders and brushing a kiss along her cheek.
“We really need to talk about this, baby.”
Chapter Fourteen
Yesterday is not ours to recover,
but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.
~ Lyndon B. Johnson
The anger he’d been holding at bay raged within him. A mix of crap from Robert and from seeing his woman with some handsome man who was absolutely, hands-down flirting with her. As they walked he tried to calm himself, but it wasn’t working. All he could see in his mind was Jasmine and that man in an erotic setting. The man’s hands skimming down her curves. Peeling her clothing off her one article at a time, exposing the smooth brown skin.