Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
There was a scratch on the door that saved him.
“I think Luna needs a trip outside.” He eased out of bed and grabbed his pants. “Why don’t I take her out and grab us some dinner at the café? Unless you changed your mind. I’ll still take you out for a steak.”
For a moment she looked like she was going to argue with him, but then her expression softened. “No. I think I’d like to stay in. Especially now that I know you bought condoms today, which means everyone in town will know we had sex.”
He buttoned his pants and pulled a T-shirt on. “They’ll still know tomorrow.”
She shifted, her legs dangling off the bed. “I’ll be okay with it tomorrow. I’m a bit raw tonight. It’s been a while since I had a . . . I don’t know what to call you. It’s too early to say ‘boyfriend.’ ‘Lover’ is a weird word. And I wouldn’t say that was a booty call.”
“It was not.” He moved into her space, reaching out to tilt her head up so she had to look in his eyes. “I know it’s early, but I like you, Jayna. I like you far too much for how little time we’ve known each other. I don’t have any interest in seeing anyone else. So call me whatever you like, but know I’m serious about this relationship for however long it lasts.”
Her lips curled up but there was something wary in her eyes that made his heart clench. “And that’s why I’ll be okay tomorrow. Get me some onion rings while you’re out. Do you mind if we watch a movie tonight?”
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Lucky for them he’d had his father’s old TV replaced with a smart one. “Pick whatever you like. I’ll be right back.”
Luna barked, proof that she was ready to go, regardless of whether or not the humans were done.
He shoved his feet into loafers, not bothering with socks, and opened the door.
He was a coward for not talking to her about Paul, but it didn’t matter. His relationship with his brother wasn’t the problem. Paul would be gone soon. His brother wouldn’t surface again for a year or two, and by then his relationship with Jayna would be on solid ground or completely dead because she would be in New Orleans or Houston or Dallas.
He clipped the leash on Luna’s collar and started toward the stairs.
“And pie, Quaid.” Jayna stood in the doorway of his bedroom, leaning her gorgeous body against the frame without a stitch on.
She was going to be the death of him. “Pie it is, then.”
He was rapidly discovering he would do just about anything to keep her.
chapter eight
“Your Honor, this is not a case about private property laws.” Jayna faced the judge, not looking her opponent’s way at all. Quaid looked far too hot in his tailored suit, and she would remember how he looked even hotter without the suit on, and then she would stare at him and maybe drool a little. It was better to pretend he didn’t exist. “This is a case about what we owe to our neighbors. This is a case about community and kindness.”
One full week of living with Quaid and she was already getting used to how nice it was to have an actual partner. The last few years of her marriage, she and Todd had barely been roommates. They’d talked about nothing beyond the firm and how to get another step up the ladder—usually with her being the one making the sacrifice to help him up.
Quaid took Luna out on walks every day so Jayna could sit and quietly have coffee in the mornings or read her book in the evenings. He’d bought groceries without her when she had a meeting, carefully getting everything on her list and then cleaning up the kitchen because she’d cooked. He hadn’t brought up the fact he’d bought everything or that she was living rent free in his house. He’d simply taken the dishes and done them after refilling her wineglass.
“There are social contracts,” she continued. “And Geraldine Oliver is breaking her social contract to her neighbor Jimmy Abbot.”
The judge held up a hand. “Wait, I thought you were Geraldine’s lawyer and Quaid was Jimmy’s. I’m confused.”
Britney looked up from her stenotype. “They changed, PawPaw. Now Quaid is representing Geraldine and Jayna is here to present Jimmy’s case.”
“Why?” the judge asked.
“I think Quaid wanted to charge Jimmy too much and Jayna was willing to be paid in chips or something, and Quaid didn’t want to get left out, so he agreed to take on Geraldine’s case pro bono,” Britney explained.
Geraldine raised a hand. “I’m paying him by knitting him a sweater, Your Honor.”
“And I’m paying her in gas, too,” Jimmy interjected. “I’m not being cheap or anything.”