Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 83800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
"Excuse me?" I snap.
"Listen," he says as he pulls up to the gate and waits for it to open.
He turns his eyes toward me, and I hate being under his gaze.
"You don't have the best track record where men are concerned."
I should probably be offended that he knows anything about my dating history, but Robert was very open about the research he did on me.
"I really like him," I confess. "I have no plans on doing anything with any of the other guys in the house. If Twisted has said something—"
"Twisted is a grown man capable of handling rejection," he interrupts, telling me that there has probably been at least one conversation between the two of them about me. "I'm not saying any of this in an effort to make you pump the brakes, but just be considerate of your actions."
I want to argue that if he took a complaint from Twisted about what he walked in on yesterday, then he may need to put his energy into letting his teammates know that a closed door is closed for a reason. Twisted walking into that room like he owned the place was a violation against Robert and me, not the other way around.
"We're a new team," he continues. "I don't want any bad blood between any of the guys."
"I'm not trying to start trouble," I assure him, annoyance growing inside me.
"That's all I ask," he says as he pulls the vehicle into the massive garage alongside several identical black SUVs.
I climb out of the vehicle and don't give him a second glance.
His warning makes it even more apparent why Robert was a little standoffish in the beginning. My reputation is all that these guys have to go on, and as much as it annoys me, I guess the only thing I can do is prove them all wrong.
As close as Robert and I were in the kitchen earlier, I know it says something about how he might've handled the situation with Twisted. He didn't back away from me. If anything, he was the instigator this time. He pressed his lips to mine, not the other way around.
Something had to have been settled between those two for him to move forward, and I have to trust that he's aware of everyone's feelings and will act according to the best way he sees fit.
Instead of searching for Robert, I head straight for the stairs and lock myself inside my room.
There has been a lot said between the two of us, but those messages today took things in a direction I've been wanting to go all along, and getting there makes me pause for a moment.
It's commendable that Robert wants to go slow and is interested in seeing if we have some sort of emotional connection before taking things in a more physical direction. As frustrating as it has been for me up to this point, I can fully understand the reasoning. Instead of wanting to keep feeding that part of me that's desperate for the feel of his skin touching mine, I decide it's better to take a little time to myself.
I have no doubt we're to the point after the kiss in his bedroom and the continued playfulness in the kitchen this morning, along with the things he typed out today, that the man may be very ready to move onto the next step, but I can't stop the echo of Bandera's words in my ear.
I wasn't lying when I told him I wasn't here to make trouble, but that doesn't mean that Robert and I moving forward won't do exactly that. If Twisted can't let go of his crush or whatever it is that he feels about me, then it may still impact his and Robert's working relationship going forward. It's something I have to consider. My intentions aside, if something goes south here, all the fingers are going to be pointed in my direction, and that was never my desire.
I crank the shower on, making sure it's as hot as I can make it without it peeling my skin back, before slowly undressing.
I left work with a pep in my step, and now all I want to do is crawl in my bed and sleep. It's insane how one conversation can leave you completely drained and unable to face the world.
I spend a long time in the shower washing my hair and shaving despite not really having the energy for either. The scalding hot water eases some of the tension in my shoulders, and I spend a long moment after rinsing, just letting the stream hit my back.
Stepping out of this shower is like stepping back into a reality I don't know that I want to face, but when the water begins to run cold, I can just imagine someone else in the house complaining that I've used it all up. It would be just one more reason for others to wish I wasn't here.