Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“I see Mr. Arrogant is back. Is he joining Mr. Tattletale?”
“Sweetness, he never left. And you need to get over me telling Jenner about Lauren hurting you.”
“I told you not to tell him.”
“She hurt you,” Tobias said in a dark voice. “No one hurts you. It was either tell him or take care of her myself. I figured this option was the better one.”
She swallowed. Maybe so.
“Fine, I forgive you. He’s being so overbearing at the moment. He’s fussing over everything I eat. He hid my candy jar! Thank God he didn’t take my handbag M&Ms.”
He shot her a look. “You have a candy jar?”
“I think the question should be, why don’t you have a candy jar?”
“Immy,” he said warningly. “Why did he take your candy?”
“Apparently, I’m no longer allowed a candy jar because I can’t be trusted not to overindulge. It happened one time! One. Time. I was trying to get the taste of that icky smoothie out of my mouth with candy. I just happened to eat a bit too much and got a tummy ache. What sort of person takes another person’s candy?” She threw her hands into the air.
“Sounds like he was in the right to me.”
“I knew you’d side with him. It’s a conspiracy!”
“Sweetness, calm down. You’re going to make yourself sick.”
“I’m not weak”
“Look at me. Hey, look at me.”
She turned in her seat as he pulled up in front of a nondescript building. He faced her after turning off the car. Reaching out, he cupped her chin. “Jenner cares about you. He might be a bit overprotective and overbearing about it, but it isn’t because he thinks you’re weak. It’s because you’re important.”
Darn it.
Way to eradicate her annoyance.
She huffed out a breath. “That’s annoying.”
“What is?” he asked.
“You being right.”
How was he right so much? And now this would just add to his arrogance.
To her shock, he suddenly threw back his head and laughed.
“That wasn’t supposed to be funny!”
“Sorry,” he told her. Although he didn’t sound like he was actually sorry.
Rude.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
“The guys won’t be happy when they find out I’m not at home.”
“They know you’re with me,” he reassured her. “And you need this. I need it too.”
“You need it?” She turned her head toward him.
“I need to see you smile again.”
“Oh. Okay,” she said. “If you need it.”
He undid his belt and turned to her. “My Immy. Always worrying about everyone else. You need to let me look after you for a while.”
“Everyone always looks after me,” she pointed out.
“Don’t start that,” he warned. “Remember, any self-deprecating remarks will be met with swift punishment.”
She could feel her cheeks growing red. He’d been threatening things like this for a while now.
And she didn’t think he was joking.
Immy waited for him to walk around to her side of the car. He opened the door and helped her out. Then he held her hand as he led her up to the large door.
Opening the door, he stepped inside first and she followed. Where the heck were they?
“What are we doing?” she asked. “What is this?”
“I’ve booked a private session for us,” he said. “So there shouldn’t be anyone else here.”
“But where are we?” she asked as she glanced around.
The inside was far lighter and nicer than the outside. There was a woman behind a desk in front of them. She looked to be in her sixties with white-gray hair that was cut short.
There were four doorways and above each door frame was a sign.
One said ‘Littles’, the next one said ‘Middles.’ Then there was ‘Pets’ and ‘Play.’
What was this place?
She tightened her hands around Tobias’s, uncertain that she really should be here.
“Hello, welcome to Penelope’s Playground. I’m Evelyn,” the woman said warmly. “You have access for the next hour. I really hope you enjoy yourself. I’ll remain here and there’s an intercom system if you need anything.”
She should probably say something in return, but her mouth had gone all dry.
“Remember the rules while in public with me,” Tobias said as he led her through the door that had ‘Littles’ written above it. “We have the place to ourselves, but I still want you to stay with me at all times. I don’t want you to be more than arm’s length away.”
They stepped into a tunnel-like area with glass cases on either side filled with toys.
“I don’t know that I can do this,” she told him, nerves filling her stomach. Was she ready? Could she do this in front of Tobias?
“Look at me. Hey, look at me.”
She sighed and glanced up at him. “You’re very big on having me look at you.”
“That’s because your eyes are so expressive,” he told her. “I know when you’re lying because you do the potty dance. But your eyes can tell me what else is going on in your head.”