Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Normally being the one they brought in strictly for sex was fine with him, but he couldn’t handle it this time. Not with her.
Garrett waved off the concern. “I think it is perfectly normal to send the lady we spent the night with a large bouquet of flowers with our real names and numbers in case she changes her mind. Or should I send jewelry? What kind of jewelry do you think she would like?”
“I don’t know. I only know that she left and we probably won’t see her again.” Keane was a pull the bandage off quickly and take the pain upfront kind of guy. It wouldn’t have worked out. It was obvious Red had a lot of friends and likely a family who would have a problem with him putting his hands on their sweet daughter.
“Well, we know she probably doesn’t go to The Club since I’ve never heard of a hot young redhead sub. Besides, The Club runs older. Like that other place. What’s the name? The Viking dude runs it.”
“Sanctum,” Keane replied. “He’s Case’s brother.”
Case Taggart ran Subversion, the club they played at in Austin when they had a chance to get away.
There would be no club in Willow Fork.
Or was there?
“Didn’t you mention something about Julian Lodge’s wife running a lifestyle resort in East Texas?” Keane asked. The idea of not playing for weeks made him antsy. Even without sex, he needed the play. He doubted they would find a woman willing to go hard in Willow Fork. The way Lexi described the place it was backward and judgmental.
Garrett looked up. “Yeah, I do remember hearing something about it. But I think we should give Red a couple of days at least. A month maybe. She could change her mind.”
“She won’t.”
“Was last night not good for you? Because it seemed like it was,” Garrett said.
“You know it was good for me.” Keane sighed and sat back. “It was perfect, but we have to consider that it wouldn’t work in the real world.”
“Why?”
Keane frowned his way.
It was Garrett’s turn to sigh, though his sounded like frustration. “Because of what happened when you were a kid?”
“I was tried as an adult,” Keane pointed out.
“And you were exonerated later.”
“Partially.” That didn’t mean much to most people. “Look, it was clear to me she’s a woman of means. She might be happy to date a lawyer, but I assure you she’s not going to fancy parties with a ranch hand on her arm. Much less one with a record.”
“Come on, man. You have to be more optimistic about this. You can’t go through life thinking only bad things will happen.”
He wasn’t sure why. It had worked for him for thirty years. He didn’t see himself changing now. Oh, there might have been some tiny version of himself that had been normal, but then his stepfather had come along and the world turned to shit. “I think we should concentrate on the job. We agreed to no names. We didn’t agree to no names until we really want a name. She showed us what she wants this morning. She had her fun, and now she’s gone. She didn’t lie to us. She told us exactly what she wanted. It’s not her fault you caught feelings.”
“And you didn’t?” Garrett looked at him like he didn’t know who he was.
Sometimes a little lie was required to make things go more smoothly. “The sex was good. She was hot, but she’s nothing we can’t find at any club.”
Maybe not a little lie. A big lie. He was worried he would think about that woman for the rest of his life, would die with the taste of her on his tongue. But she made herself plain, and he wasn’t going to beg for a relationship that would fall apart when she knew who he truly was.
“Okay,” Garrett said evenly, closing his laptop. “You need time. I can understand that. So let’s do what you said. Let’s concentrate on work. Although maybe I want to concentrate on something else because I’m pretty sure I’m going to be in hell.”
“Don’t you mean we?”
“No, I mean me,” Garrett corrected. “Look, you’re going to be out on the range, dealing with a bunch of young cowpokes, and you’re surprisingly good at that. I’m going to have to deal with a nepo baby who thinks because Daddy bought her a fancy degree, she understands how to handle things. She’s already fucked up with the Gladen Farms account. He’s got cause to sue.”
“I thought you said he might not be following all the organic protocols.”
“I know, but we don’t have proof and she walked in and accused him. Now he’s not only got the chance to cover it up, he has the chance to sue the hell out of us. She’s fucked up majorly, and I have to find a way to clean up the mess without upsetting the dragon lady.”