Page 26 of Second Chances with my Billionaire Bosses

Rhett held me as he leaned forward and pulled the pie closer. He used one of the forks already sticking out of the pie pan to cut off a bite and offer it to me. When I took the bite, he grunted and shifted me on his lap. I wasn’t sure why until I felt it. He was hard under me. I was sitting on his erection.

I must’ve stiffened because Rhett immediately fed me another bite of pie and whispered into my ear.

“Ignore it.”

I wanted to snort. Easier said than done. I’d never sat on a man’s lap and felt an erection grow against my butt. It was natural to shift, to try to adjust the hardness under me, but I didn’t dare move. I wasn’t sure I was even breathing. He felt so big. And hot.

“She’s gotta eat something more nutritious, too. Pie isn’t going to help her get better.” Arlo pulled a plastic to-go container fromthe new fridge and read the label. “Chicken noodle soup from the diner it is.”

I paused. “From the diner? They don’t sell chicken noodle soup.”

His grin was mischievous. “They do if you ask them very, very nicely.”

I’d asked for chicken noodle soup once and I’d been told to order off the menu like everyone else. For some reason, it made me want to pout that Arlo had managed to order off the menu. He was brand new to town. I’d lived in Devil’s Den my entire life.

“Are you pouting, Maxine?” Shep knelt in front of me, his smile bright. “That’s adorable.”

CHAPTER 19

Maxie

The next time I woke up in their guest room, I knew where I was and I felt mostly human again. I sat up and looked around, noting it was dark out. My stomach clenched with nerves at how much time I’d been asleep. I’d missed so much that I could feel peoples’ disappointment oozing over me. I had commitments I was blowing off and the longer I slept, the worse it was. I’d never taken so much time to just sleep. When Mom was sick, towards the end, I’d learned to operate on less than five hours of sleep a night.

I stood up on shaky legs but after a second, they were fine. I went to the bathroom and even found an extra toothbrush and toothpaste waiting on the counter for me. Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help wincing. I was a mess. My hair was matted at the back and sticking out everywhere else like I’d stuck my hand in a bathtub while holding a toaster. Despite all the sleep I still had dark circles under my eyes. I was in a t-shirt that was at least two sizes too big for me and, I nearly swallowed the toothpaste, no panties.

Where the hell were my panties?

I looked around both rooms I’d been in and found no other clothing. The t-shirt went to the middle of my thighs but I’d never been so exposed in someone else’s house. I was scared to leave my room for fear of flashing someone. Except I had to leave because my stomach felt like it was eating itself.

Slowly creeping out of the room, I tripped over Shep’s stretched out legs. I would’ve gone down hard but Shep managed to reach up and catch me. With his hands on each of my thighs, he lifted his brows at me.

“Falling for me?”

I stepped away from him, letting his hands fall back to his own legs, and tried to awkwardly stand so the shirt was covering more of me.

“I just need some food. Then I can go home and get out of your way. Why are you here anyway?”

“I was making sure I was close enough to hear if you fell. But now, I’ll switch to chef duty. What would you like?” He stood up and lightly gripped the back of my arm. “You seem a little clumsy so I’ll help you down the stairs.”

I wanted to ask for my panties. I wanted to call one of the two cabs in Devil’s Den and go home to my cabin. Mo’s Yellow Taxi was so slow I could’ve walked home faster but Rudy’s Uber had banned all Hellstone’s after a particularly drunken night shared by my older brothers, Gray, Owen, and Keaton. I thought maybe Rudy would make an exception for me but I wasn’t sure enough to risk it.

“The inside of your head has to be as loud as a tornado siren, sweetheart. What are you thinking about?”

“Leaving.” I nearly choked trying to get the word back in my mouth. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “I mean… I’m sorry.”

He led me through the darkened house and into the kitchen where he sat me down at the table before turning the light over the oven on. It cast the kitchen in shadows and made Shep seem even larger.

“Why are you sorry?”

I sat up straighter and winced as my back ached. Just how long had I been in bed? I called on all my manners and tried my best to put some distance back between us, despite the fact that I wasn’t wearing panties.

“Y’all have been taking care of me and I’m really grateful for everything. I didn’t mean to come off as rude or unappreciative. I do need to go back home as soon as possible, though. I have to get back to work.”

Shep remained silent as he put a bowl in the microwave and waited for it to heat up. After enough time passed for me to start feeling itchy with nerves, he looked at me over his shoulder and shot me a devastating grin.

“What don’t you understand about house arrest?”

A flush worked its way up my neck.

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