Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 147967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 740(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 740(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Showing weakness in front of her family was a death sentence.
“Just cold,” she explained.
Hey, she got that out without fumbling over her words.
Go her!
“Do you get cold a lot?” he asked, grasping hold of her hand with his other hand as well.
Now he had two hands touching her! This might be more than her system could handle.
System overload.
Abort.
But when she tried to tug her hand free, he just held on. Why wouldn’t he let her go?
Maybe he likes touching you.
She glanced up at the sky.
“Maya? What are you looking for?”
“Flying pigs,” she muttered without thought.
“How does me asking if you get cold often relate to flying pigs?” he asked.
“Um, it doesn’t.”
“So?” he asked.
So what? She moved her gaze to his neck. Wow, look at her getting brave.
His neck was really sexy, though. She didn’t know that a neck could be sexy.
But his was.
It was tanned and strong. You could tell it wasn’t a weak neck. No fat neck for Matthieu. She’d always thought that Vince was kind of lacking in the neck department.
Actually, Vince was lacking in a lot of ways. His neck was really the least of his issues.
“Maya?” he questioned.
“Vince doesn’t have a neck,” she blurted out.
Hey! More words that she didn’t stumble over or run together.
She was starting to get used to him. Thank goodness.
“All right, how does you getting cold, flying pigs, and Vince’s neck all relate to each other?” he asked.
That was a really good question. And one she didn’t have the answer to right now.
“Umm. Ineedtogethome.”
Drat! Just when she thought she had herself together . . . bam! Her words went all crazy.
This was terrible.
“This won’t work!” she cried.
“Hey, calm down. Maya. Calm down.”
She shook her head.
“Close your eyes.”
Whoa.
He hadn’t used that voice before. Up until now, she’d heard him sound calm, concerned, and slightly bewildered.
But never . . . firm.
He was still calm. Still slightly concerned. But definitely firm.
And she couldn’t help but take notice.
Darn it.
How the heck did he do that?
“That’s a good girl.”
You do not like that. No. Nope. You don’t like that at all.
But she did. She really, really did.
Fight it, Maya. Don’t show him.
“I want you to take a deep breath in and hold it for two. One. Two. That’s it. Listen to me. Now, let it out. One. Two. You’re doing such a good job for me.”
Look at her! She was doing such a good job!
She bounced up and down on her toes before she could stop herself.
“I can see that makes you happy,” he said quietly.
Oh shoot.
What was she doing?
You’re making an idiot of yourself. Again.
Opening her eyes, she tried to move away, but he still had her hand in his.
“Are you feeling better now?” he asked in his soothing voice.
Again.
Fireplace. Blanket. Marshmallows.
Urgh. It was infuriating. She didn’t want to feel this way about anyone. But it was worse when it was a man who she couldn’t even look at!
Irritation filled her. “Yes. You can let go.”
That was good. Irritation was pushing aside her desire and embarrassment.
“Maya, we’re going to have to get used to one another,” he told her. “We’re going to be very close for the foreseeable future. We will know each other well.”
“That’s why it won’t work!” Now her irritation was aimed at herself. But it had the same effect. Her words came out clearly. “I can’t look at you!”
“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay.”
She shook her head. It wasn’t. It was humiliating. What an idiot she was, and he must think that too. She waited for him to make fun of her, to make her feel about a foot tall. It’s what most people would do in her experience.
“If you can’t look at me while talking to me, then so be it. Not a big deal.”
Not a big deal?
Was he an actual person? He couldn’t really think that, right?
She risked a peek up to his chin. Oh no. It was so sexy too. He had a five o’clock shadow and it honestly made her legs turn into wet noodles.
“Maya? You okay?” He grasped hold of her arms as her legs gave way slightly.
“Uh-huh.”
“I don’t know. You’re cold and you nearly lost your footing. When was the last time you ate? Or slept?”
Oh.
Yeah.
Those things.
“Maya?” he prodded.
“Umm.”
“Right,” he said briskly. “I’m going to take that as too long ago. You’re coming with me.” He kept hold of one hand and started walking down the driveway.
And she followed along like an obedient little lamb.
Wait!
What was she doing?
She dug her heels into the driveway. Not that it did much. He barely slowed down.
Words, Maya!
“Stop! Wait!” she cried.
He did stop, but unfortunately, she hadn’t actually expected him to and she banged straight into him.
Ouch.
Also wow.
Yep. She was completely overusing that word.
But he was so hard and firm . . . was he hard and firm all over?
Oh Lord. Stop, Maya. Stop right now.