My Unexpected Vow: California Billionaires Book 2 by Harlow James (top 10 inspirational books txt) 📕

reaches for the whiskey that he refilled, takes a drink, and then levels me with his stare. “You’re hired.”

“What?” My jaw drops to the floor as my hands clasp over my chest. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. This is so much better than what Abigail presented. Ian and I were in agreement after she left and I actually contacted her yesterday and voided our contract with her.”

“Shut the front door!” I squeal before proceeding to jump up and down a few times.

“This is perfect, Waverly,” he says on a smile. “I’m really fucking impressed.”

“Oh my God, Hayes! Thank you!” I jump in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck as I hug him. And holy hell, does he feel good. The hard lines of his chest press against my breasts, his breath tickles my ear, and after a moment I feel his hands slip around my waist—hesitant at first, but then followed by a deep inhale coming from his nose.

I push back reluctantly, peering up into his eyes as he stares down into mine, and it seems we both come to the realization at the same time that things just got way too intense between us way too fast. And this was way too much touching in a situation that didn’t warrant it in front of other people.

“Uh, you’re welcome, Wave. I look forward to seeing it all come together.” He stutters a bit but finds his footing again once we create some distance from each other.

“I really appreciate this, Hayes.”

“Yeah, I know. Well, I think I’m done for the night,” he states before moving around me awkwardly, clearing his plate from the table and then draining his glass of whiskey.

“Oh. Okay. No problem. I’m just going to clean up a bit then.” I start to make stacks of paper, and a pile of my pens and colored pencils.

“Uh, are you gonna put the caps back on those pens?” I shift my eyes up to see Hayes standing above me, watching my every move.

I pick up one of the pens, holding it in front of his face. “Are you the pen cap police or something?”

He huffs out a laugh. “No, but… why would you leave the caps off if you’re done writing with them?”

“I never put the caps back on. I like the pen to be readily available to write with.”

He widens his eyes at me as if I just told him the Easter Bunny isn’t real. “You’re fucking with me, right?”

“No. I’m sorry. Is this a problem?” I tilt my head to the side, watching his eye twitch in frustration. Who knew that Hayes Weston had OCD tendencies with pens?

“Yes, it’s a problem. How can you not see that?”

“Why does it matter? They aren’t your pens.”

“No, but then the ink will dry and it won’t write when you want to use it.”

I shrug but still squint at him as I register his total freak out right now. “I can’t believe you look like you’re on the verge of a nervous breakdown right now over this.”

He throws his hands in the air. “I can’t believe I live with a monster!”

A cackle escapes my lips as I tip my head back. “I’m a monster? What about you and leaving drawers and cupboards open everywhere you go?”

His mouth drops open. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Do you know how many cupboards I closed this morning after you left for work and I came down into the kitchen?”

“How many?”

“Three.”

“You’re lying,” he declares, crossing his arms over his chest again.

“I should have taken pictures so I could show you and have proof.”

“Well, then I’ll take pictures of your caps off of all the pens you leave around,” he fires back in a child-like manner.

“O-kay, because people will be concerned about that,” I mock.

“And I’m going to start keeping a collection of all of your hair that you leave around, just in case you start to go bald and I have to make you a wig.”

I smirk at him. “Never gonna happen. I’ve been losing hair my entire life and still have this head full of luscious locks.”

“By the way, I thought I had another spider crawling on me today. This time it was on my arm, though. Somehow, your hair found its way into the sleeve of my shirt.”

I chuckle. “Are you sleeping with my hair now? Is this some new fetish you’ve developed since we got married? I mean, I know you were obsessed with me before, but apparently, now that we’re living together, the proximity is giving you even more reason to press your obsession further.”

He scoffs and then moves in closer, hovering over me as I glare up at him. His gaze holds me captive, yielding my need to fight him, especially as his eyes dip to my lips just briefly enough that he doesn’t dawdle, but I don’t miss the move either.

“Don’t act like you haven’t been taking advantage of our living arrangements either, Beaverly. I see the way you look at me, the way your eyes linger on my chest when I change into my workout clothes, the way you’ve checked out my ass when I walk away. You’re not innocent in this either, sweetheart.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Hayes. I’m just debating whether your muscles come from your workouts or all of the jerk-off sessions you’re racking up now that you can’t go out and fuck everything wearing heels.”

“You worried about my dick, babe? Is that what it is?”

I narrow my eyes even further. “I could give two shits about your dick.”

His smirk grows exponentially slow. “Nah, I think you’re curious. You secretly wonder if the rumors are true, don’t you?”

“What? That you have syphilis?” I shake my head. “No confirmation needed, Hayes. I’m positive I’m correct.”

“You have no idea how much I want to spank you right now,” he grates out as a rush of arousal travels straight to my core and I feel my vagina clench at the thought.

What the hell is that about?

“I’m not a child that needs to be