Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
“Corndog,” Tinsley said sweetly.
Kent’s face filled with amusement. “I can see who the alpha is between the two of them.”
“Don’t count Tinsley out. She’s more cunning than you’d expect.”
Sending her a doubtful look, he ordered chicken tenders and fries. She ordered herself a barbeque sandwich with a side of corn, then pulled out two coloring books and boxes of crayons and gave them to the girls.
“You order a lot of chicken for a billionaire.”
Kent wadded up the paper from his straw, flipping it at her. “You’re a nut. I never said I was a billionaire.”
Sage gave a jaunty huff of air.
“You’re the one who acted like your stuff was made of gold,” she whispered to him. “If you’re that concerned I’d get pregnant when we had sex, you can take the precautions yourself.”
“I normally do.”
“How normally?”
“Always. You’re the first one.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“Poor guy.” She laughed. “I bet Colby nearly gave you a heart attack.”
“Darn near.”
Colby raised her head at the darn.
“I said darn.”
Her niece went back to coloring.
When the food came out, the girls immediately started eating. Sage had to cut up Tinsley’s corndog before she allowed her to eat it and wasn’t happy about not being about to use the stick.
As they ate, Tinsley stared covetously looking at the other food on the table. “I want hamburger.”
Sage wasn’t fazed. She had dealt with this problem before.
“You chose a corndog. Colby chose a hamburger. She doesn’t have to share.”
Tinsley picked up a piece of her corndog, holding it out to Colby. “I’ll share.”
“I don’t want a corndog.” Colby held her hamburger protectively.
She popped the piece of corndog into her mouth, but huge tears came dripping out of her eyes.
Colby set her burger down. “She can have a piece.”
Sage cut a small portion off and gave it to Tinsley.
“Thank you, sissy.”
“You’re welcome.” Picking the burger back up, Colby started eating.
When she chewed on the burger, Sage saw Tinsley looking at Colby’s burger again, ignoring her own food.
“No, Tinsley, I’m not going to let Colby give you any more of her food.”
Tinsley started eyeing Kent’s food. “I want chicken.”
Using his fork, Kent gave Tinsley a tender. Sage knew he thought that would make Tinsley happy. It didn’t.
“Sauce.”
“You have ketchup.”
Tinsley pointed at Kent.
“That’s too hot for you,” he told her.
Tears coursed down Tinsley’s cheeks.
Kent desperately flagged the waitress down for a milder sauce.
The tears didn’t stop until the sauce was set down in front of Tinsley.
Sage almost felt sorry for him when she saw the triumphant look on his face.
“Want mustard!” Tinsley bellowed.
Kent paled when customers at other tables turned to gawk at them.
Flagging the waitress down again, Sage asked for mustard.
Tinsley continued to cry until the waitress hurried back to the table. Once Sage squirted some mustard into the buffalo sauce, Tinsley quit crying to happily eat her food.
Warily, Kent resumed eating his fries, not touching the tenders.
Chewing the last of the tender, she lifted soulful eyes to Kent. “Want more—”
Kent didn’t let her get the rest of the sentence out before giving her another tender.
Sage couldn’t hold back. “What were you saying about the alpha?”
“She’s cute but ruthless.”
“Welcome to the terrible twos. She can have a meltdown in two point three seconds, then wrap herself around your finger in half the time.”
Accusatory, he nodded his head at her plate. “That’s why you ordered the barbeque sandwich and corn.”
“She thinks they’re yucky.”
Tinsley’s hand came out with a squished piece of corndog. “I share.”
Kent slid his whole plate toward her. “I’m good.”
THIRTY-ONE
When she opened her eyes, it took a moment to realize where she was. Then she contently felt the strong arm curling around her waist. Kent had brought her to his hotel room after treating her to a romantic dinner and a movie. Making love with Kent was everything she had dreamed of. He was gentle, considerate, and so passionate she gave a small shiver when she remembered the ecstasy she had experienced just hours ago.
Carefully, she reached for her cell phone, not wanting to wake him. She would have to wake him soon to take her home, but she wanted to wait until he got more sleep. He looked exhausted.
Kent never discussed his cases with her, so she didn’t know if it was his clients who were causing his sleepless nights or the fraud case the firm was having to defend itself against. Probably the case against the firm, Sage surmised.
The first two weeks of the trial, all the attorneys in the firm had seemed upbeat, as if they were going to win the case easily. The last week, all of them seemed on edge, all except Kent. The only difference she had been able to notice was how tired he looked.
She checked at the time and made sure there were no messages from Glory or Tayla, then placed the phone back on the nightstand. Wide wake, she grew thirsty and gingerly slid out from under Kent’s arm. The white dress shirt she had worn that evening was on the floor; she slid it on and buttoned it as she walked into the other room, closing the bedroom door in case she accidently made a noise that could wake him.