Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 74882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“Un minuto,” Araceli says in a monotone voice before bitching out the person on the other line. One minute.
Sheridan is breathing heavily, fury radiating from her in the stuffy office. I lean against the counter and smirk at her.
“Stop following me,” she huffs.
“Not following you.”
“You’re here.” She waves her hand up and down. “Breathing the same stagnant air in this shithole.”
I bristle at her words. “Maybe you should complain to management about the stagnant air,” I offer coolly.
Araceli barks something at what I’m assuming is Marco. My cousin and her baby daddy fight continuously. It’s a wonder they stopped arguing long enough to have sex and get knocked up in the first place. Araceli pats her stomach once before reaching over to grab an orange slice from a bowl. She chomps on it as she angrily listens to what he has to say.
From experience, I know this might last all day.
“Tres llaves, prima,” I call out. Three keys, cousin.
Araceli notices me, smiles briefly, then reaches into the drawer. She tosses the keys my way one set at a time.
“This is going to take a while,” I tell Sheridan. “Come on. I’ll show you to your room.”
“My room? Are you serious? I’m not staying in this dump!”
Araceli’s glare darts over to us and she rakes her eyes down Sheridan’s front, her nostrils flaring. Right. I’m going to have to get her out of here before she pisses off my cousin. A pissed off Araceli usually ends with her raking her nails across your face. I’ve nearly lost my eye on more than one occasion because of her.
“This dump is your only option, abejita.” Little bee. The nickname is fitting since she likes to sting with her verbal barbs. Not waiting for her to answer, I grab her delicate wrist and haul her out of the building. As soon as we’re outside, the warm wind blows sand against us. It’s still sunny, but I can smell the storm in the air.
“Let go of me, asshole,” she grumbles, jerking her hand from mine.
“Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?” I taunt. I’d said it before in Spanish, but that was when she had no clue what I was saying to her. Now, I want her to hear every word.
Her fiery features crumple for a second and then she stomps off. Okaaaay. Again, she nearly falls in her stupid heels. That’s enough of that. If she breaks her ankle, I’ll have to set it and I’m not in the mood to play doctor. I hook my arm around her waist and then toss her over my shoulder. She shrieks in surprise and then she loses her mind.
“Let me go, you idiot! I will sue you! I will sue everyone!”
Carson’s eyes are wide when I approach.
“Oh boy,” he mutters as I toss him two out of three sets of keys.
“Oh boy is right!” she screeches. “The moment I get down, I’m going to ruin everyone! By the time I’m done with you monsters, you’ll never get another job again!”
“Suave,” Carson says, shaking his head at me. “Real suave.”
“Dale, honey, why is that young man carrying that young lady?”
“She’s having a tantrum, Doris. He has to set her straight.”
“SET ME STRAIGHT?! WHAT YEAR IS THIS?!”
“Nineteen eighty-three,” Doris says at the same time Damian says, “Twenty friggin’ twenty.”
“It was a rhetorical question!” Sheridan yells. “Someone help me! Estefania!”
Estefania whines, shooting me a pleading look. Poor girl is the closest thing to a friend Sheridan has around here.
“Don’t worry,” I assure Estefania. “I’ll put her down soon. Follow me.”
“I’m going to kill you,” Sheridan warns. “And your dog too!”
Toro barks, trotting past us, unfazed by the threats.
“He’s so scared,” I tell her, laughing. “Did you forget the part where he weighs more than you and the fact he’s a damn bullmastiff?”
I toss the last set of keys to Estefania. She squeals when they hit her in the chest and then fall to the sand outside the hotel room.
“Nice catch,” I deadpan. “This is your room. Bunk up.”
“Sherrie-dan, we are to be roommates,” Estefania says with a squeal as she picks up the keys. “I am so excited!”
“No,” Sheridan huffs. “Put me down. Now.”
I slide her down my front, setting her to her feet, but don’t let go. Her face is red and her brown eyes blaze with fire. Once silky smooth chocolate-colored hair is frizzy and wild. Goddamn she’s beautiful.
Fuck!
She stings too.
Her thumb and finger pinch my stomach through my shirt before she releases me. She pokes her finger into my chest, glaring at me. “If I never speak to you again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Yes!” Estefania huffs in solidarity, choosing to poke me as well. “Sherrie-dan does not speak to handsome pilots anymore!”
I lift my brows. “Handsome, huh?”
“Smug bastard,” Sheridan rages, charging for me again.
Estefania grips her arm and pulls her into the room. “The handsome pilot is not worth your anger.” Then, Estefania gives me an icy glare.