Page 31 of Until Kendal

His eyebrows rose, but he handed his phone to me. “Here.”

Good. I shook my shoulders to get centered, then I answered in my best work tone, “Kendal speaking. How can I help you?”

A young man who sounded like his voice hadn’t broken said, “I need to talk to Joel.”

I was sure the boy was a child, but I tugged my ear. “Of course, sweetie. He’s in a meeting. Can I help you at all?”

“Who are you? What’s your job?”

“Client relations.” The title was on the contract. “And I work for Joel.”

Joel kissed my shoulder and cupped my breast. Awareness grew as he tasted my neck, but I listened on the phone.

“I wanted to know if Joel and Arman were willing to renegotiate the pay rate,” the kid said.

Joel tugged me back and sucked on my nipple. My entire body hummed, but I persevered, “I see. What change do you want?”

“I’d prefer cash now.”

Joel’s attention went to my other breast. My eyes started to roll, but I tried to focus on the call. “Can I ask why?”

“My mom’s in the hospital.”

I pressed on Joel to stop, and he did immediately. My pulse zipped. “Let me talk to Joel and see if we can cover medical expenses as an advance payment against future royalties.”

“That would be amazing,” the kid said.

Joel nodded.

I closed my eyes to find a way to focus. “He’s close. Hold on and let me run it by him.” I then put my hand on the speaker and pretended we were in an office. “His mother’s in the hospital. Can an advance against royalties be granted as a hospital bill?”

“Sounds fine,” he said, loud and clear. Then he whispered, “You’re a natural at this.”

I swallowed. Solving a problem was good. “He agreed, and he’s sorry about your mom.”

“Thank you. She was worried about the hospital bill as we don’t have insurance.” The boy squealed.

“Please send him an email for confirmation and have a great day,” I said.

I handed him the phone then curled into him, wishing I believed even for a second that we would end up together. Sex had only made our time sweeter. My lips curved higher. “My mother will be back soon. She’ll want to see me.”

“We can be fast,” he said, and our hands held each other as lust filled my brain.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Joel

Kendal was sweet and beautiful, and I wanted to keep her safe. However, on the street, her face had been white, and I still didn’t know why.

My stomach twisted. I needed to do a better job at keeping her safe, though the truth was even heavier. In my gut, I knew we weren’t on the path to a stable relationship, not if she didn’t explain what was happening to her. She headed to the en suite bathroom, but at the door, she said, “Let me know when my mom arrives.”

Every part of her naked body was like art, and I needed to be the only one who had her. The possessiveness was new for me, but I held my inner caveman in check. “If you agree to move to New York, we can have her moved right now and be ready for when you get there.”

She pivoted, and her eyes were bright. “That’s a brilliant idea. Your bodyguard will take her?”

“Yes. And my mom can meet her if you want.” I would call the team to ensure Valerie was protected on the way to the private airport, but I was working blind without full understanding.

She took both my hands. “And my mother will be protected the entire time?”

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