Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Need a ride?” It was a fair question since she’d been playing chauffer to Granddaddy over the past few days, which the man hadn’t stopped talking about.
“No,” I laughed. “I’m offering one, actually.”
Another moment of silence passed before Suzie’s laugh sounded. “That’s not a good idea, Gavin. I seem to remember my last ride quite vividly and you weren’t exactly quiet then. Plus, it’s only been three days.”
I could hear the smile in her voice and it put a smile on mine. “Are you keeping count, Suzie Q?”
“Aaron has been giving me updates. Regular updates. How’s the stubbed toe coming along?”
“Dammit, Granddaddy! What other lies has he been feeding you?” The old man had no filter and no shame.
“Lies? I can’t be sure since he does have quite the flair for the dramatic. He’s a great storyteller.” Suzie’s laugh sounded down the line and the sound was beautiful and feminine and real.
“Does that mean you’re coming over for dinner tonight? Seven o’clock?” I held my breath and waited for her response with a smile on my face, wondering when the last time was that I had so much fun with a woman. “You only have to bring yourself. Please?”
She gasped. “Well, if you’re begging for my company, how can I say no?”
“I’m hoping you can’t. I have been told that I’m irresistible.”
“Modest, too,” she shot back quickly, tinkling laughter sending heat flooding my body. “So very modest.”
I barked out a laugh and shook my head. “That’s the downside of dating a rock star.”
“Does one overnight stay and one cafeteria meal constitute dating in Hollywood?” Her tone was playful, but I could hear the curiosity in her voice.
“Hell no. No one dates in Hollywood, but you and I seem to be having our third date tonight. At seven.”
She laughed again and the sound sent shivers up and down my arms. “Seven, then.” The loudspeaker let out a muffled message and then Suzie sighed. “See you tonight, Gavin.”
“I can’t wait,” I told her honestly before the call ended. There was something about Suzie that was just irresistible. I couldn’t get enough of her. The past three days had felt like an eternity without her melodic laughter and her wit. She didn’t try to massage my ego or worry about hurting my feelings with her words, which made her even more intriguing.
“What, or should I say who, has put that gooey-eyed look on your face?” Granddaddy stood behind me, laughter in his voice.
“You can’t even see my face.”
“Maybe not, but I can see your cheeks puffing out in a goofy smile so I assume you’ve been gabbing with Dr. Wright?”
“I invited her for dinner tonight.”
“Finally decided to give the old friendship a kick in the nuts?” Granddaddy laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. I was startin’ to wonder if you’d hit your head with all that people-surfing you get up to on stage.”
“You mean crowd surfing?”
“Yeah, whatever. The point is, I like Suzie and I think she’s just the kind of woman you need. Soft and curvy, smart as hell, and only a little bit impressed by you.” He clapped me on the shoulder and dropped down on the sofa beside me with a sigh.
“That’s what I like about her, too.” I hadn’t looked forward to spending an evening with a woman in a long time. Sex was easy to come by in my business, and most of the time I didn’t even have to look for it. Women were just there, willing to do whatever I wanted just to say they fucked Gavin Ross. “She’s cool.”
Granddaddy snort-laughed. “Be damn hard to do better than her.”
I nodded my agreement. “I need to go shopping.”
“Gnocchi Bolognese?”
I nodded. It was one of the few dishes I made well, thanks to my sweetheart of a grandmama, and I planned to make it tonight for Suzie. If she wanted to keep things between us quiet, that was fine, but I would make damn sure that I was always on her mind. As loud as can be.
Suzie
“We ran the Cheeky Bugger Diner for more than thirty years before my Elsie went on to the next dimension, rest her soul.” Granddaddy Aaron, as he insisted I call him, had lived a thrilling life filled with adventure. “When I lost her, I didn’t have the heart for the mundane business of inventory lists and paperwork. And the lack of grab-ass in the kitchen.” The older man laughed until he was breathless and red-faced.
“We should all be so lucky to have what you two did,” I assured him and lifted my wine glass. “Everything was delicious, thank you.”
Aaron shook his head. “That wasn’t me, it was my boy. Isn’t that right, Gavin?”
I turned my gaze to the quietest of my two dinner hosts. Gavin had taken the doctor’s orders seriously, which I was glad to see even if I missed hearing the sexy timbre of his deep voice. “You made this?”