King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) Marie Johnston (books to read to get smarter .txt) 📖

the salon for chemical treatments had probably killed young, budding environmentalist Savvy. “So, in college, I almost got arrested.”

I sat back and crossed my arms. “I haven’t heard about this.”

Pink dusted her cheeks. “I was out with some friends I’d met through Brady. They dragged me to a football game our senior year and it’s so not my thing.” She bit her lower lip. “You played, didn’t you?”

“My brothers and I made up half the team.” It wasn’t much of an exaggeration.

“Well, I wasn’t a sports kid. No big shocker there. So, the girls latch on to these guys and they’re drinking.” She huffed out a breath and lifted her gaze to the ceiling. “Drinking six-packs, right?”

“Okay?”

“With the rings?”

I couldn’t stop my grin. “With the rings we’re all taught will strangle the sea turtles and penguins?”

She squeezed her eyes closed. “Let’s just say, I tried to provide some education.”

“They called the cops on you for informing them of the dangers of six-pack rings?”

“They were making fun of me and started tossing their cans and bottles at me instead of the trash. So I threw them back.” Another hard breath blew out. “I may have ruined a vehicle paint job or two.”

“Holy shit, Savvy.”

“It was bad. Chief had to come down and deal with things, which included claiming self-defense and threatening to sue all of those involved. That’s when he told me to move home after I graduated and look for a job in DC. I was in no position to argue. I was glad I couldn’t see Mother’s face when he told her.”

“I can’t believe Opal Abbot is such a hard-ass.”

“About coddling me, yes.”

“Then why Davis?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I think she’s trying to spoil you, or she thinks that’s what you’re accustomed to and she wants you to stay.”

“I’m more accustomed to tractors than drivers.”

“She only knows her little part of the world.”

“Regardless, what happened in college was passion, not impulsiveness.” What she described was the Savvy I’d met in Vegas.

She lifted a shoulder and her eyes dimmed. “Either way, it ends with my parents saving my ass. They tried to warn me away from Saving Sunsets.” She winced. “I hate how right they were.”

“We all make mistakes.”

“I’m ready for a success.”

“We’re working on it.” I meant it. Even if I didn’t have the trust, I’d want to build on what Savvy and I had. Our attraction was a lightning bolt with enough electricity to power a lifetime. “I want to take you to that hotel, Savvy.”

Chapter 11

Savvy

We nearly ran out of the cafe. My legs quivered, my belly fluttered. It’d been weeks since Xander and I had been intimate.

Xander clutched my hand and we hurried toward the hotel. He wove between people, towing me with him, and not letting me go.

A giggle escaped and he grinned down at me, his eyes twinkling. I was ready for a win, and at the moment, he was my prize. With him, I reverted to the old Savvy. The one who took chances. The girl who shrugged off the college threat and moved to North Carolina to go to school. The girl who stood up to strangers for what she believed in.

We reached the door and he stretched a hand out to open it. My phone buzzed. I stopped, yanking on his hand. He whipped his head around. “You okay?”

“My phone,” I said lamely. No one called me other than robots and my parents. I dug it out. “Chief.”

Xander shoved his hands in his pockets and waited. The decision to answer was mine. Since I was technically on the clock, I flashed Xander an apologetic smile and answered.

“Sapphire, where the hell are the summaries for next week?”

“I have them written up. I’ll send them when I get home.”

“Home? Where are you?”

My teeth ground into my lip. “I went to lunch with Xander.”

“It’s three in the afternoon, Sapphire.” The disappointment I was used to dripped from his voice.

“I’ve been working, but I know how you feel about public Wi-Fi—”

“Then get home and finish your job.”

“Won’t tomorrow work—”

“Do your job, Sapphire. I hired you for a simple position.”

I met Xander’s steady gaze. His mouth was set in a line. He could hear Chief’s boom through the phone. “Sorry, Chief.”

“You know what we’ve told you about apologies.”

“They’re useless words if you don’t follow up.”

“Get it done.” He hung up.

I tucked the phone into my coat and raised my nervous gaze to Xander. “I need to get home.”

“A hotspot won’t do?”

“He barely tolerates me working from home.” A simple position. The last month working for Chief had been hell. He was a demanding boss. I didn’t understand how some of the assistants he hired could tolerate working for him. Was he only a tyrant to me? Was it another life lesson for me? “I’m sorry.”

Tears burned the backs of my eyes and I blinked rapidly. I would not cry in front of my new husband because my dad was a hard-ass. Xander stepped close and wrapped me in his strong arms. His warmth closed around me and we could have been the only two people on the sidewalk.

“It’s not your fault,” he murmured.

“I really wanted . . .”

“I know. Me too.” He gave me a squeeze. “But you know, we do sleep together every night.”

“It’s so weird.” My words were muffled in his flannel.

“It is.”

I tipped my head back. “I suppose it’s time to get past that.”

His lips lifted. “How quiet can you be?”

Xander

I didn’t have a chance to find out how quiet Savvy was. Her dad had come home late, found her in the library wrapping up work while I was in the shower, and then kept her pinned in his office discussing impromptu travel plans.

She’d been in Boston the rest of the week, helping Chief evaluate the organizational security of a new client. But as she’d informed me while packing, He usually travels a lot this time of year . . . through the summer and fall.

Perfect.

I’d prepared for her return tonight. A new restaurant had