Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
He turns and splays one hand over my jaw and neck, rests the other at my hip. “You hungry?”
“I could eat,” I understate since my stomach is chewing itself.
“Sit.” He nods to my kitchen counter. “I got you.”
It’s so sexy when he serves me. He sets the plate of eggs and turkey bacon down in front of me.
“Sorry it’s basic,” he says. “Laurenz has spoiled me. I just went with what you had here and kept it simple.”
“It’s perfect.” I’m about to take a bite of my eggs, when my mother’s chiding voice demands that I say grace. “Never thought I’d say this, but I’m ready to go home. I miss Mama and Aunt G.”
“You talked to them?” He sets a plate down with mine on the counter and takes the stool beside me.
“Briefly. Mrs. Redmond says they’re good, but I want to see for myself.”
“Guess we part ways again.” He bumps his knee against mine. “I miss you already.”
“Two weeks in Tokyo and you’ll be back. I’ll actually be back here by then. Aunt Geneva will be recovered enough for me to come home.”
“You sound reluctant. Anything you want to talk about?”
“Not really.” I shrug. “Living with them has just shown me that this arrangement has an expiration date. Aunt G is seventy-seven years old. I can’t expect her to do this much longer. They both want it, but it’s not realistic. We’ll all have some tough decisions to make.”
“You’re right.” He links our hands on the counter between us. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“‘We,’ huh?” I tease.
“I want everything to be ‘we.’” He kisses my cheek.
A knock at the door interrupts us.
“That’s probably Skipper.” I rise and start for the door. “She’s bringing some stuff from the office before I fly back to Charlotte.”
“Oh, shit.”
I stop and turn to look at him. “What?”
“Bolt’s coming by to grab me for the airport.”
My eyes go wide. “What if they…”
I speed-walk to the door and wrench it open to find both of our assistants on the threshold, standing at least a foot apart, arms folded and eyes fixed straight ahead.
“Oh.” I gulp my down my laughter. “Skipper. Bolt. Good morning.”
“Speak for yourself,” Bolt grumbles, brushing past me and into the apartment. “I’m here for Mav.”
Skipper glances up, her gaze following Bolt’s departing back. I’ve never seen her look so forlorn.
I step out into the hall and close the door.
“What’s up, Skip?” I tilt my head toward the door. “You guys fucked in the elevator or something?”
She looks down at the floor, hands knotted at her waist.
“He asked me out on a date.”
My brows snap together. “And that’s bad?”
“Did you know he graduated from Harvard?” Her eyes go wide and slightly panicked. “Harvard, Hen. And he speaks like five languages.”
“Yeah, I think he actually serves as Mav’s translator in Japan.”
“You not helping!” she wails. “And he skis. Skis! What I’mma do with a skiing nigga?”
She huffs a sigh and looks up at the ceiling. “I bet he doesn’t even use the ‘N’ word, either. The only thing we have in common is orgasms. He’d get bored with me so fast, and I’m not putting myself out there just to get hurt.”
“Girl, you’re a college graduate yourself. You’ve achieved so much.”
“Not Harvard! And I’m the first from my family to even go to college. We East Point. His mother is a professor, and his father founded a school or something. And he’s flying all over the world. His boss is a billionaire.”
“Your boss ain’t exactly chopped liver,” I laugh.
“I know you’re a big deal.” She shakes her head. “I’m the one who’s not. Bolt’s going places.”
“So are you.” I lift her chin and capture her gaze. “And the first place you’re going is in this apartment and telling him you’ll go on that date. He’d be lucky to have you.”
“You think?” Skipper blinks at tears and bites her lip. “I feel like a punk being all intimidated by him.”
“Don’t be. You like him?”
“I really do. I think. I mean, we’ve spent more time smashing than talking.” She laughs and rolls her eyes. “But I think I do, yeah.”
“Well, give it a chance. I can’t promise that it’ll turn out like it has for me,” I say, swirling my hips. “But lemme tell ya. So far, so very good.”
We walk into the apartment laughing, but come to a stop when Bolt walks from the kitchen toward us, a determined set to his mouth. He takes Skipper by the elbow and keeps walking, guiding her out to the hall and slamming the door behind them.
Maverick stands at the entrance to the living room, brows lifted. “I told him to try again.”
“I told her the same thing.”
I cross over to him and step into his arms. “Think they’ll get arrested for public indecency out there?”