Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“How did you get them to sell to you?”
“I slept with the former owner for a year. Blow jobs twice a week, and even let him do anal once a month.” I tuck my hair behind my ear as his hands fist, and his eyes narrow menacingly. “Worked like a charm.”
He grinds his molars together, and I hold his gaze with my own for about ten seconds, then I can’t stand it anymore.
I double over in laughter.
“I can’t do it. Oh God, that was funny. Your face!” I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye as Connor reaches out, clasps his hand over the back of my neck, and closes the gap between us. He makes me look him in the face.
“You’re going to pay for that, mo rúnsearc.”
“Oh, I hope so.” I pat his chest and grin, practically glowing. “The owner was an old friend of my dad’s and decided to retire. I offered him fair market value, and he took it. No sexual favors required. But he was stubborn about it for a while. I don’t know how I’m going to get the owners on the side of me to sell when I’m ready to do it. They don’t live here and use it as an investment property.”
“There’s always a way,” he says before turning and taking the finished steak off the grill. He passes me the plate, then turns off the propane, and we make our way inside, fill our plates, and sit at my small table.
As we eat, I keep watching him, looking for any signs that he’s uncomfortable in my simple house, but he looks at ease, which makes it easy to chat about everyday things.
When we’ve finished eating, Connor helps me put the leftovers away and load the dishes in the dishwasher, and then I show him to the door.
I want to ask him to stay.
I want to talk him into breaking the no-sex rule for today, make me go crazy with lust and need, and then hold me while I sleep like a baby, the way I do when I’m with him.
But I don’t have the guts.
He made it clear that nothing more is happening today, and I refuse to be that needy girl who begs him to hold her while she sleeps.
“You’re quiet,” he says when we reach the door.
“I was just thinking that I had a nice time today.” I smile up at him and let my hand rest at his waist as he cups my face and bends to press his lips to mine. This one is a sweet kiss, loaded with promises of more for later.
“Me, too. Thank you for dinner.”
“Thanks for everything else.”
He pulls me to him for a hug, and then the door is open and he walks through it to the waiting Jeep.
“Lock your doors, bumble.”
“Yes, sir.”
His jaw ticks at that, and I send him a sassy grin. Once he’s backed out of my driveway and driven away, I close the door, lock it, and let out a long breath.
Holy shit, Connor Gallagher just swept me off my feet.
Chapter Ten
CONNOR
Ihad one whole day with her, and now I fucking miss her.
It took everything in me, every ounce of self-control, to walk away from her after dinner yesterday. Being with her is as easy as breathing. I wanted to stay, to ask her more questions, to simply hold her.
Sleep beside her.
And that’s not something I usually think about. No other woman, not even my ex-wife, made me contemplate the idea of curling up in bed to simply be with her. To fuck? Of course. But to hold and show affection?
I’ve never given it any thought.
Until my bumble bee.
“Sir, did you hear me?”
I drag my hand down my face and turn to Lyle, my site manager, then push my glasses up my nose.
“So the main lodge is here.” I point at the plans before me and look up and point at the land. We’re on-site today, and I’m approving phase two of the build.
Phase one is already under construction. The condos were the first to break ground because private investors own those. Some owned them previously and chose to stay. Others took the insurance money and ran, selling to others.
I’ll own the penthouse that I had added to the plans.
“As you know,” Lyle continues, “other buildings will be over there. Shops, restaurants, and equipment rentals. You’ve added downhill bike rentals in the summer.”
Among other things.
I nod, scanning the area and picturing it perfectly in my head. Of course, the renderings we’ve had done make it hard not to see it clearly. This resort will be stunning.
And it will make me a lot of money.
It’s hot today, and I’m in a suit, so I shed my coat, roll my sleeves, and take off my tie. For the next several hours, we tour the mountain, making sure everything is in place to begin the next phase of construction.