Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I make a mental note to brainstorm with Monroe later. My best friend is team Emerson and Roman, so I know she’ll be happy to toss out what I’m sure will be ridiculous, over-the-top ideas, but skating around each other at work isn’t working.
It’s doing nothing to diminish the chemistry between us.
I still want him.
He still wants me.
We’re at an impasse.
“Don’t you have a client to get back to?” It takes acting skills I never knew I possessed to pretend as if his touch doesn’t affect me.
“Do you know what I want to do to that sassy mouth of yours?”
“Show me.” My words bring him back to the present, and he pulls away.
“I mean it, Emerson. If he comes in again, you get one of us and let us handle it.”
“You’re the boss,” I say, waving him off.
He disappears back into his room. I hear him asking his client if he’s ready to go again, and I slump against the counter. I can still feel his front pressed to my back and his arms wrapped around me. I can feel the ghost of his kiss on my neck, and it makes me want to scream in frustration. Reaching for my phone, I text Monroe.
* * *
Me: I need a plan.
Monroe: For?
Me: Roman.
Monroe: Finally. I have so many ideas.
* * *
I chuckle at her reply. I expect nothing less from my best friend.
Me: My place or yours after work?
Monroe: Mine. We can’t risk being overheard.
Monroe: Just stay here tonight.
Me: I’ll run home and grab a few things. I should be there by eight-ish.
Monroe: I’ll start making a list.
* * *
I laugh as I place my phone face down on the counter and get back to work.
At fifteen minutes after eight, I’m pulling into Monroe’s driveway. I’m barely out of my car when the front door opens, and she waves me inside.
“How was your day, dear?” she asks sweetly, making me laugh.
“I have so much to tell you.”
“Well, before you start, Mom made this taco hashbrown stuff in the Crock-Pot. I don’t know what all is in it, but it’s so freaking good. Go change into your suit. I’ll make you a bowl and meet you outside at the pool.”
“Thanks, Roe.” I give her a hug.
“What are besties for?” She heads toward the kitchen while I make my way up to get changed in the spare room I use when I stay over.
“Here.” Monroe hands me a bowl of something that smells fabulous as I take the lounger next to hers. “Tell me what happened.”
So, that’s what I do. In between scarfing down the delicious dinner, I tell her about my day and Roman going all protective.
“He wants you.”
“I know!” I place my empty bowl on the table next to me and take a drink of water. “He told me so, but he’s not doing anything about it. Monroe, he called me his. I mean, I know he was just saying it to get his point across to the creepy guy who was leering at me, but my heart doesn’t know that.” I reach up to rub my chest. “I want to be his.”
“So we need to step up our game.”
“We?”
She waves her hand between us. “We. Best friends, package deal. No exceptions.”
I smile and laugh. “I love you.”
“Love you too. Now, I think we should start with how you dress at work.”
“What’s wrong with how I dress for work?”
“Nothing, but there are a few things that you can do to entice him. You know, like choosing the jeans that look like they’ve been painted on, or the shorts that are a little too short, oh, and low-cut shirts and tank tops. Oh, and I think you should start wearing your hair up more. He kisses your neck, and when he sees it, that’s all that he will be able to think about.”
“So you want me to dress more provocatively? That should be great for all the creeps that come into the shop.”
“You have five big brothers. Okay, make that four big brothers and one Alphahole who’s too damn stubborn to take what he wants from you. Not a single one of them will let you get hurt.”
“It’s not that I’m worried about getting hurt. I just don’t want to give them more ammunition.”
“It won’t be forever. My guess is that Roman will crack sooner rather than later.”
“I don’t want to manipulate him, Roe.”
“It’s not manipulation. Consider it an incentive.”
“Either way, I just want to be me. I want to dress how I want to dress, and if that’s not enough, then I’ll just have to find a way to move on from him.”
“I made a list on my phone, but I’m afraid you’re going to shoot them all down.” She laughs.
“Let’s hear them.”
“Seduce him, lock him in his room and strip for him, show up at his house naked in nothing but a trench coat, you know, things like that.” She barely contains her laughter.