Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem. What’s wrong with it?”
Dawson gave him a hug as she walked by. “Not sure. It’s not running. I’m going to check and Flora is coming by later to take a look. We’ll get it up as soon as we can. Until then, she has access to my Acadia and I’ll take my bike.”
He nodded. Flora was one of Dawson’s best friends as well as a mechanic at Laroche’s dealership. “Nonsense. I’ll drive her where she needs to go.”
“Right. Your fiancée.” Tully smacked him on the shoulder.
“Not now, Tully.” He glanced over his shoulder and stared at the door to the small home that housed the woman who’d been a major player in his dreams all night. Not giving himself a chance to think about it more, he headed that way.
Linc experienced a highly unpleasant flutter in his gut as he approached her door. No reason for him to be nervous. Right?
He knocked and waited, pushing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. Linc held his breath as he waited for her to answer. When the knob began to turn, his breathing picked up.
Then she was there.
Emma.
Standing before him. As her eyes widened at the sight of him, he hid his smirk.
“What are you doing here?”
He forced himself to remain where he was instead of moving closer to her. “What kind of man would I be if I didn’t make sure my fiancée got to her first day at the new job safely?”
When she leaned around him, Linc didn’t doubt that Tully and Dawson were watching. Emma’s lips flattened into a thin line before she stepped back. “Get in here.”
“No good morning kiss?”
She flushed and he almost felt bad for teasing her. Almost. But damn it, she was so adorable.
“You can’t show up at my house whenever you like.” Her words escaped on a low growl.
Closing the door behind him, he leaned against it. “Why not? We’re engaged.” A shoulder shrug. “I’m here to make sure you get to your job this morning…with me, not that fuck who I still want to beat into nothing.”
“And what am I supposed to do when you decide you don’t like my secretarial skills? How then do you propose I feed and clothe my daughter as well as keep up with the bills on this piece of shit house?” She shook her head and pushed her hands through her brown hair.
Her stress about this was palpable. The need to protect her, reassure her, ran over him with the force of a semi-truck convoy. And he reacted on instinct, reaching out to tug her closer to him. He settled her between his legs and skimmed his hands up her arms before cupping her face.
“I’m not going to put you in a bad position, Emma. I’ll fucking deposit two years’ salary into your account this morning if that will make you feel better about it. Yours free and clear just for coming to work today. I’ll give you a salary on top of that.”
God, her skin is soft.
“That’s a flat-out bad business practice.”
He smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. “Look at you, protecting me already, even though it’s at the expense of your bank account. You’re not the kind of person to take advantage, Emma. And I’m not a man who lies.”
She lifted her eyebrows.
“Okay, generally. I don’t like it and I’m working on a way to tell Stevenson the truth.”
“It’s simple, you open your mouth and tell him.”
Linc liked that she wasn’t pulling away from his touch and allowing him to play with her hair. That same evocative scent floated around her.
“You know, he said that he was impressed with the proposal and wanted me to congratulate the man who had put it together.”
Her blue gaze hardened. “Why would he assume you didn’t do it?”
“Look at me.”
She blinked, not saying a word.
Linc gave her an odd look. “I’m a sports player and the wrong color.”
Anger sparked in her gorgeous gaze, burning hot and pushing over his skin like living flame. For a taste, he was willing to risk the burn.
“Then why do you want his money?”
He gave a small shrug. “Because we can build a hockey rink with it. And my pride shouldn’t get in the way of what I’m trying to do for the children in the area.”
Her mouth made a small moue before she placed a hand on his chest.
“Why is this place so important to you?”
“The center?”
She nodded.
“Mama? Why are you so close to Mr. Conner?”
Emma jumped and her skin flushed. Linc smiled at Greer before dragging his fingers along Emma’s arm before letting her step away, the moment between them broken.
“Talking, Greer. We’re just talking.”
There were questions to be answered. Later. Right now, he had a schedule to keep and two ladies to deliver to the community center.