Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

get that teasing tone back into my voice. “Maddie. Come on. Wake up. I gotta get ready for work and so do you.”

She rolled her hips back, and her ass pressed against my erection again. Her body stiffened. “Uh…” She rubbed at her face then tipped her head back and saw me. “Nathan. But…”

I waited, but she didn’t say anything else. “Morning, sunshine.”

“Hey.” She blinked up at me like she wasn’t sure where she was or how she got here. “What time is it?”

I craned my head to read my watch. “Six thirty.”

“Right. I, uh—”

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by her ringtone.

She closed her eyes with a wince but didn’t move to answer her phone.

“Are you going to get that?”

She shook her head. “That’s my mom’s ringtone, and I’m not awake enough for that.”

I laughed as her phone continued to ring. “Well as much as I love holding you, I gotta get ready for work.”

“Right.”

The ringtone stopped playing then immediately began again.

“Crap.” Maddie struggled to get out of my arms and off the sofa. “Something must be wrong.”

Snatching her phone out of her purse, she stood up with her phone pressed against her face. “Mom?”

I couldn’t hear the other end of the call, but I had to stay and make sure Maddie would be all right.

“What’s wrong? You never call me this early.” She paused then slumped at whatever her mom said on the other end. “No, Mom. I’m okay. I’m just staying at Dylan’s until I sort out my lease with the landlord.”

She paused.

“Yes, you were right. The place is a dump. I never should’ve moved in there.”

Another pause.

“I’m sorry you had to hear about it from Wendy. I should’ve told you first.”

Pause.

“No, I’m not going to move back home. Yes, I know you’d love it if I did, but I’m an adult; I don’t want to move back into my childhood bedroom.”

I should leave and give her some privacy. Shifting forward on the couch to do just that to do just that, I froze when her voice rose in agitation.

“Well, I’m sorry it embarrasses you that I’m staying with Dylan and not you guys, but I’m not moving back home. Because I don’t want to. Last I checked, I’m still an adult and get to make my own decisions no matter what you think. Mom. Mom! Right, call me back when you’ve calmed down. Tell Dad hi for me.”

She punched the red button and shoved her phone back into her purse.

I felt like I was watching someone else. Maddie covered her face with her hands and gave a muffled scream.

After a few deep breaths, she dropped her hands and flinched when she saw me still sitting on the couch. I felt like an ass. I knew I should’ve given her privacy for her phone call, but I’d been worried for her. And then it’d all happened so fast.

“Sorry.” Maddie’s lips twisted in a frown. “I should get going. Let you get ready for work.”

“I want to ask if everything is okay, but I kinda already know the answer.”

“Yeah well, it’s my fault for not telling her. I was waiting until I had better news for her, but it’s just shitstorm after shitstorm here lately. With my mother’s embarrassment being the cherry on my shitty sundae.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I think I mixed my metaphors there, but you get the idea.”

Reaching out, I pulled her into my arms. She was still at first but after a few beats she gave a shaky sigh and rested her chin on my shoulder.

I nudged my nose against her cheek. “We still good for a date night tonight?”

“Of course.” She tipped her head back and smiled at me. “It’s my turn to plan, right?”

I had to smile back at the renewed sparkle in her eyes. “You being so excited to spend time with me is gonna turn me into an arrogant son of a bitch.”

“Turn you into one? And here I thought you already were one.”

I had to laugh at that. After a beat Maddie’s laughter joined mine. She smiled up at me with her sparkling doe eyes and my breath caught. I leaned forward and kissed her.

“No.” She pulled back, holding a hand in front of her face. “Morning breath.”

“Like I give a fuck.” I kissed her again just because I could.

And she kissed me back.

* * *

An hour later I walked into a scene straight out a Hollywood cliché. Gorgeous women lined up from the front door all the way down the street. They were all stick thin, big tits, perfectly coiffed hair and makeup, and all clutching binders.

“What the fuck is going on?” I murmured to myself. Wanting to avoid whatever the fuck that was, I snuck around and headed for the rear roller door.

The scene I found inside wasn’t much different from the one out front. The same type of women were lined up while James was stationed with a camera crew in front of the cereal company bike we’d been working on.

“What the fuck is going on?” I asked everyone and no one.

Sure I was a little late coming in today, but I had to’ve missed a big fucking memo about James setting up interviews today. Was it legal to ask a woman’s chest size on an application? I didn’t think so, but he must have gotten around that little detail somehow.

James swung around and gave me that annoying fake smile of his. “Good, you’re here. Now we can really get started.”

“Started with what? I have a bike to build. You all can fuck right off outta here with your interviews. We don’t have time for that today.”

“Ooooh,” the blonde with James groaned. “He’s just like he is on tv—all gruff and just—” She growled like a tiger.

James’ smiled deepened as his eyes jumped from the blonde to me and back again. “I’m detecting a little chemistry here, hmmm?”

“James, seriously. What the fuck.” If someone didn’t get this