Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“Be quiet?” he said in a low voice.
“Yes, please,” she added in a nervous-sounding voice. “Please, just be quiet for a moment. River, thanks for meeting with me and I will be in touch despite what Travis thinks.”
River eyed him with wariness. “Sure you’re okay, Caren?”
“I’m sure. Travis might not think before he speaks, but he’s harmless.”
Travis snorted. Tonight was filled with firsts for him, it seemed. First time someone told him to be quiet. First time anyone ever thought he was harmless.
Caren could think that if she liked, but River needed to know better. So Travis gave him a death-filled look. The other man swallowed heavily.
Good.
“All right. See you later.” He raced off and Travis stared after him in satisfaction.
That satisfaction faded as his arm was tugged at and he turned to stare down at an irate-looking Caren.
“What the hell was that?” she demanded. “Explain yourself. Now.”
5
How was he here?
It made no sense. Was it a coincidence? Or was he following her?
Travis didn’t give off stalker vibes, though.
No, but he was giving off crazy caveman vibes. What was wrong with him? Why would he storm over and be so rude to River?
He didn’t even know the other man.
Although if he was crazy, then she’d completely lost her mind because now she was letting him drive her home.
Travis Andrews was going to know where she lived. A shiver ran through her.
Say it was a coincidence that they both happened to be in the same restaurant in Soho . . . why would he care who she was having dinner with?
And why had he been there?
She stared at his hands as he changed gears. Who owned a stick shift vehicle anymore? Especially in the city? It seemed like a lot of work. She didn’t even know how to one. In fact, she could barely drive an automatic car. Grammy had hired a number of instructors, but most of them quit after the first lesson.
Caren didn’t know why. A few accidents and near misses and they’d practically run off.
Wimps.
Damn, it was sexy the way he moved that stick shift around. See? She was definitely losing her mind. How could she think that was sexy?
It was something about the way he’d rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, to display his corded, strong forearms. Who had forearms that muscular?
Not her.
She was skinny all over. It was nearly impossible for her to put on weight. Which she knew sounded amazing, but it honestly wasn’t. The amount of people who judged her, even going so far as to ask her if she had an eating disorder . . . yeah, that wasn’t fun.
And there were times when she wasn’t able to eat regularly. Those times played havoc on her body. Like the last time she’d been overseas for work . . . she’d spent a week in the hospital when she’d gotten home for exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition.
The doctors said it was due to her childhood and the abuse she’d sustained.
Don’t think about that right now.
You’re in a car with Travis Andrews.
As angry as she was at him, she still felt a bit giddy over being so close to him.
Lord, even his scent was sexy. So freaking masculine. River had been wearing so much cologne that it had made her sneeze several times. She was pretty sure he thought she was ill and was going to infect him.
Anyway, she shouldn’t compare the two of them.
“I can’t believe you took public transportation,” Travis muttered. That wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned it.
She sighed. What was wrong with him tonight? She’d figured the odds of them seeing each other when she moved here were extremely low. And that even if they did, he’d pretend not to know her. Not that he’d storm over to where she was sitting and make outrageous demands.
“Everyone takes public transportation,” she pointed out.
Well, not him.
Then again, she couldn’t imagine Travis taking the subway. Or, Lord forbid, a bus.
The horror.
It actually made her smile.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked. “Your personal safety isn’t a joke.”
Jeez. Someone had taken their serious pill tonight. “I know it’s not a joke.”
“Do you? I’m not sure that you do. It’s not safe to take public transportation at night.”
“I was going to take an Uber home.”
“Uber? An Uber!” he yelled.
Dear Lord. What was wrong with an Uber?
“What is going on with you? Why were you at that restaurant?” she asked suspiciously. “You weren’t following me, were you?”
“Why would I follow you?” he asked.
Right. Why would someone like him follow someone like her?
That was ridiculous.
He didn’t even bloody well like her.
Although if he didn’t like her why was he driving her home? It had to be something to do with Lacey.
“Were you following me?” he asked her.
What the heck?
“Following you? I was there with another man.” Not quite how she’d meant to say that. She wasn’t there to see River romantically. It was a business interview. After hours. Because she’d really wanted to try that restaurant and hadn’t wanted to go alone.