Page 81 of Dark Endures

“Dinner tomorrow then.”

I can hardly say no after that. Not to mention, I really don’t want to. “Sounds good.”

“Maybe we can try another game tomorrow night.”

So you have a chance at winning? “Sounds good.” I lean back and push my plate away. Even though I want to clean off every speck of food from it and then lick it clean, I can’t fit another bite in my all-too-full belly. A yawn escapes.

“Time to take you home.”

“Are you sure? I can work for a few hours—”

“No more work for you today. And I’ll send a car for you tomorrow at ten in the morning to bring you to work.”

I open my mouth to respond.

“None of these are optional.”

Ten! I can sleep in until ten! Don’t think about the lost hours. “Okay.”

***

“Mindy. Time to wake up. You need to enter the codes to get into your apartment.”

Apartment! My eyes pop open. “I fell asleep again, didn’t I?”

“Sure did. Remind me to never let you drive. Cars seem to put you to sleep.” Maddox is squatting down next to the open door of his sports car.

Who drives a sports car in the city? Someone who owns a jet and could care less about how much it costs to park the things. “I’ll have you know I’m a great driver.” That might be a tiny exaggeration. I’m a fair to okay driver, but I haven’t managed to kill us on any of our road trips.

Maddox’s half smile, half smirk says he doesn’t believe a word of that nonsense. “You okay to walk, or do you need me to carry you up?”

That’s the second time today he’s offered to carry me. And each time I want to say yes even more. Does he have any idea what the thought of a man like him carrying a woman does to my system, to any woman’s?

Probably not. He’s just a nice guy… a scary, sexy, nice guy. With incredibly muscular thighs, that I’m probably failing to not stare at. “I can walk.”

Maddox stands up and holds out a hand to me.

He’s chivalrous too!

Why couldn’t he be my one divorce? Because men like him don’t date, let alone marry, the girl next door. They marry supermodels and produce supermodel kids for the next generation to be jealous of.

I take his hand and step out.

He shifts that hand to my side as we walk through the doors.

My brain imagines all sorts of impossible things for a man who just wanted to see me home safely. We stop outside the door to my new apartment, and I turn to face him, ending up way too close to his chest again. “Thank you for today. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all that you and Canyon did to help me.”

Maddox stands there, silently staring at me. What do I do? “Well, um, thanks again.” I unlock the door and open itto find Adonis sprawled across the couch in just his pajama bottoms.

Life hates me.

My Boss

Mindy

I haven’t had this much sleep in forever and a day. It’s positively decadent rolling out of a magnificent bed into a bathroom with both hot and cold water working at the same time. I take a few minutes to put a little makeup on, which is something I only do when going to my nine-to-five job or out dancing. The snakes don’t care if I wear mascara.

But it makes me feel stronger and more human. That must be Mom’s influence. A lady never leaves her room looking anything but perfect. I’ll never be perfect, but for the snakes, I’m good enough. There’s no way I’m thinking about dinner with Maddox.

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