Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Pizza’s probably getting cold,” Ben joked, and I chuckled. It hadn’t been too long of a journey, but we’d developed a warm rapport. As I was giggling, Jonathan abruptly pressed the button to shut the window through which I’d been chatting to Ben. When I glanced at him in question, he simply ignored me, pulled out his laptop and began working.
Huh. That was rude. Did he not want me talking to Ben? Maybe he liked to maintain a professional distance with his driver. I studied him a moment then asked directly, “Why did you do that?”
His gaze flicked to mine. “Do what?”
I stared him down. “You closed the window without even saying anything to Ben. It was a little rude.”
“Ben knows I like to work on the drive. He’s not offended.”
His statement was uttered in a tone that said he had no more time to talk as he returned his attention to his laptop. I wanted to point out that Ben was hardly going to mention being offended to Jonathan since he was his boss and paid his salary, but I bit my tongue. He could’ve had a long day, and I knew what it was like to be grumpy when work was exhausting me. Still, it didn’t cost anything to be polite.
When we arrived at the apartment building, we exited the car and quietly ascended in the lift. Jonathan walked me to my door and said goodnight, though he was still being weird and reserved with me. I put it down to the fact that he’d probably had a busy day at the office and was tired.
The next morning, I didn’t plan on riding to work with Jonathan again, especially after how off he’d been with me on the way home. So, I checked the train timetable and set off for the station.
I was partway there when a car stopped on the footpath next to me, and the window lowered. “What are you doing?” Jonathan asked, his brows drawing together in annoyance.
“Walking to the train station. What does it look like?”
In response, he glowered and threw open the door. “Get in the car, Ada.”
“Really, Jonathan. I’m fine taking—”
Before I could finish, all six feet something of him emerged, both powerful and graceful in his dark suit. My breath caught when his arm came around my waist, and he guided me inside the car. I was too stunned by the gentle yet bossy way he manoeuvred me to protest. I’d never been manhandled so carefully. Once I was safely inside, Jonathan leaned over me, buckling my seatbelt in silence and causing my skin to heat, his actions quietly dominant. His knuckles briefly brushed my sternum before he withdrew and stood, walking around the other side of the car and climbing back in.
Again, silence prevailed, and I was lost for words, only managing to breathe properly when the car pulled back out into traffic.
12.
Jonathan
I’d been in a bad mood ever since I got into my car yesterday and found Ada getting up close and friendly with Ben. I felt off in a way that was unrelated to my grief. It wasn’t an emotion I was familiar with. All I knew was I didn’t like her smiling at him and laughing at his jokes.
The man had been a perfect employee for almost five years, and now I was considering firing him simply because of the way Ada had looked at him.
I definitely wasn’t myself.
Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hasty ending things with Lissa. All my attention was now focused on Ada, which certainly wasn’t something I should indulge in. I’d been in many relationships over the course of my forty-one years, but I’d never been around a woman who managed to get under my skin quite like she did.
She currently sat next to me in the spacious back seat of my car, her arms folded and her lips pressed together like she wanted to say something but was holding her tongue. She probably wanted to chew me out since I’d more or less manhandled her into the vehicle. Ben sat in the driver’s seat, having witnessed the whole thing, and, I was pretty sure, currently questioned my sanity.
“It’s below zero out there. You shouldn’t be walking,” I muttered gruffly when she still didn’t say anything.
“The station isn’t far,” she replied, her eyes questioning, and I found myself growing even more irritable. “You didn’t have to—"
“Why isn’t your car fixed yet? Surely, a new battery is an easy job.”
“It’s going to be a couple weeks before I can afford to take it to a garage. I’m fine using public transport until then.”
“Out of the question,” I said, my annoyance reaching boiling point as I produced my phone. “I’ll have my mechanic stop by and take a look today. You can pay me back whenever you have the money.”