Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Liking it so far?”
“Yeah. Everyone has been pretty welcoming.” Then his face clouded over. “Mostly. It’s fine. So…today? What’s the plan?”
“Nothing. As far as I know, the Pershings have no campaign events to attend, so we can just hang out.”
Not that she had much choice. She wasn’t allowed to leave the apartment without Todd or his permission except her one day a week. God, she hated that he was making her life hell. But she wasn’t surprised.
“So if we’re not going to bang…” He leaned in with a hopeful expression “Last call.”
She loved the way he teased, but thanked god he wasn’t serious. “Not happening.”
He sighed. “Then what is there to do in this place?”
“I can make breakfast.”
“Already eaten. Want me to make you some while you shower?”
“That would be nice. Thank you.”
“Then we can swap spit on the sofa?”
“You’re such an incorrigible flirt. No. We can watch TV.”
His expression turned serious. “You know I just want to make you laugh, right? You’re in a rough spot.”
“I appreciate that. I’ll be back in thirty or so.”
“Cool. Eggs and bacon? Waffles? Something else?”
She would love comfort food…but Agatha would only harangue her if she gained weight. Besides, the stress had unsettled her stomach since she’d returned to DC. She’d eaten almost nothing during that exhausting dinner last night. And after a few sleepless hours of wondering how she could get out of this trial in one piece with Matt by her side, she still wasn’t hungry this morning.
“How about an English muffin with peanut butter?”
“That’s it?” At her nod, he sent her a swaggering smile. “You got it. Then maybe a horror movie marathon?”
“I was thinking Jane Austen.”
He visibly shuddered. “You’re not just trying to take my man card. You’re trying to run it over, then back up, run it over again, then pulverize it in a chipper-shredder before you dump it in the garbage.”
“I’m not. Think of this as me broadening your horizons. There’s more to life than blood, guts, and sex.”
“Nope. I refuse to believe that.”
Madison rolled her eyes. “Okay, let me know how that works out for you. I’ll be back.”
When she returned after a shower, she let herself out of her suite, only to find both Matt’s and Todd’s bedroom doors still shut and the smell of peanut butter in the air.
“Breakfast, sweet pea.” Ethan served it on a plate he settled on the table in front of the TV, along with a banana and a glass of juice. “Coffee?”
“Sure. Two sugars and cream.”
“Coming right up.”
“Thank you. You know, if this badass operative thing doesn’t work out, maybe you could try being a kept man. Or a husband.”
“Bite your tongue.” He laughed as he settled the coffee near her plate and reached for the remote.
Ten minutes and a whole lot of complaining later, Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen filled the big screen. Madison ate, surprised when Ethan asked questions about the lives of the Bennett family and the mores of the time. He joined her dislike of shrew Caroline Bingley. And some of his observations were hysterical.
“Lizzy and Darcy just need to fuck already.”
“None of that before marriage in this time period.”
He grimaced. “No wonder all these dudes are wearing lace and look constipated. And I’m sorry, but I can’t buy Rosamund Pike as the sweet sister. All I see is the psycho from Gone Girl.” He glanced at the screen again. “Aww, seriously? Bingley is going to propose to her? Dude, mayday. Mayday. Bail now before she cuts off your nads.”
“What the fuck is this?” Todd barked at the opening of the hallway, startling her.
The coffee cup almost slipped from her hand. “A movie.”
He scowled. “Turn it off.”
“No.” The flick was almost over, but she refused to let him boss her around. “You said we didn’t have any plans today and I can’t leave here, so I’m doing what I want.”
“I said we didn’t have any campaign stops today. But we have work to do. We have a rally scheduled the first Saturday in August at a mega community center. We need to rehearse.”
“We don’t have any work to do, Todd. You’re just trying to be an asshole and ruin whatever fun I can find because you take particular joy in making me miserable. All I have to do at this event is smile and nod. You won’t let me speak to reporters or constituents except in the most basic of ways like, ‘Senator Pershing’s education platform is the best’ or ‘my father is improving, thank you for asking.’ So don’t try to BS me.”
Todd stomped across the living room toward her, looking like an infuriated son of a bitch on a mission.
When he reached out to grab her wrist, Ethan stepped between them, towering over her husband, and batted his hand away, all hint of levity gone. “Don’t do it.”