Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“This cat’s not fat,” I say to the others. “She’s pregnant.”
“Good,” Sebastian says. “She’ll have plenty of rats here to feed her kittens.”
I flick off the phone light. “Are you kidding? We can’t leave her here. She needs medical attention.”
“Riv,” Alex says, “animals have been breeding in the wild forever. You of all people know she’s fine.”
I can’t argue with Alex’s logic. He’s right. I’ve watched cows calve without intervention for all of my thirty-five years. Sometimes we need to call in the vet though. What if this is one of those times? I have a vet on my staff. I can easily take the cat back to my ranch and get her looked at.
I reach toward her, but she hisses again, this time clawing at me and scratching my hand.
“Leave her alone, Riv,” Seb says. “She’s fine. She thinks you’re trying to hurt her. She’s protecting herself and her babies.”
“I’ve been scratched by meaner cats than this one.” I try again.
Get scratched again.
Hands grip my shoulders. I turn and look up into Brett’s face.
“Come on, buddy. This is her home. She’s fine.”
Brett’s the only one who gets through to me in times like this. I don’t always agree with him—I sure didn’t twenty years ago—but he and I have known each other the longest, and we understand each other.
I nod, rise, and walk away from the cat.
But a thought lingers.
I can walk away from this cat. I can force myself to do it.
But I can’t walk away from what this place signifies. I can’t walk away from its hissing.
None of us can.
Present Day
“Let’s head back,” Sebastian says. “I’ll get Evangeline to talk.”
“I’ll give you twenty thousand bucks for your underwear,” Alex say to us.
Sebastian throws his boxers at Alex. “No charge. The fact that you’re holding my skivvies is payment enough.”
“Not my best moment.” Alex holds Brett’s drawers in front of his crotch, covering himself.
I pull mine over my thighs, and once we get to the pathway, Sebastian and I put our jeans back on.
I look back out toward the ocean and again take in the sheer beauty of this night.
I can pretend I’m in paradise. I can pretend nothing else exists.
But reality is the hissing cat that weighs me down.
I can’t walk away from it.
None of us can.
EPISODE 21
CALLING IT A NIGHT
Emily
“Don’t keep us in suspense.” I splash warm water toward Misty after she claimed one of the men had already chosen his potential mate.
I don’t for a minute believe any of the men have made a choice, but I’ll let the heiress have her say.
“Yes, please,” Ginger gushes. “Who has picked who?”
“Whom,” Sienna says. Then, “Sorry. I’m a grammar geek. This is another reason why people hate me.”
“No one hates you, Sienna,” Rachel says. “None of us really know each other.”
“True enough.” I grab my water and sip the last bit, draining it. I set the empty bottle back down on the edge of the tub. “Where do you suppose the others are?”
I know very well where Ariel is, and I’ve no doubt she’s getting it on with handsome blond Brett. But where are the other men? Sebastian in particular?
Alex and Sienna disappeared, and Misty went off with Sebastian and River, last I saw.
But Sienna and Misty are both here now. And Sienna’s not talking.
“Good question.” Rachel stretches her arms above her head, making her large breasts float on the surface of the water.
Ginger nods, stealing a glance at Rachel’s ample bosom. “Isn’t this evening supposed to be about getting to know the men? We can’t very well get to know them when they’re not here.”
“Which brings us back to…” I turn to Misty, who’s sitting next to me. “Who has picked whom?”
Misty smiles deviously, giving me a side-eye. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
“It must be either River or Sebastian,” I say. “You were with them, weren’t you?”
I’m pressing for information about Sebastian, of course. He couldn’t have picked Misty. If he wanted a spoiled heiress, he could have gotten that in Hollywood.
“I’ve been with all the men this evening,” Misty says innocently. “I’ve made it a point to talk to each of them. That’s the only way to get to know if we have rapport with them.”
She talked to all of them? Not that I saw. Then again, I was in Sebastian’s room for twenty mind-blowing minutes.
“What would you do if all four of them chose you?” Misty continues. “I know who I’d choose. Do you?”
I don’t reply.
Earlier in the evening, I’d have said Sebastian. Now? I’m not so sure. I may go home alone, and I was okay with that at the beginning. Sebastian Tate and his kisses, though… His lips on my nipples…
Damn him.
“Who cares?” Sienna says. “Just tell us what you think you know.”
“All right. Now listen carefully. I’ve known Sebastian Tate for some time now, and…”