Hard Time (Hard as Nails #1) by Hope Conrad Read Free Book Online Page A

working this tired-ass job.”
    She whips around, her face flushed with pangs of anger. “You are such an asshole, and you’re beyond wrong.”
    “Am I, babe?”
    “I told you not to call me that,” she spits the words off the edge of her tongue with venom. It only serves to drive me into pushing her further, just to see how far I can.
    I walk toward her, backing her against some shelves, and brace my hand near her hip. She doesn’t fight back. She just stands there with her eyes locked on mine, and my cock hardens as her breasts begin to heave.
    “I think you want me here because you’re lonely, and you’re bored. I think you want me here because you know I can fuck you like nobody on this earth can.”
    Her jaw tightens, and her lips purse. “Really?” she questions in a husky whisper.
    “I’ve seen the way you look at me with your fuck-me eyes.” I push myself tighter against her body, and shift one leg between hers so that my jean-restrained cock pulses against her thigh. “You know I can take you to the highest point in heaven. You know that I can make you scream and satisfy you and fulfill you in a way you’ve only ever dreamed.” I crane my head and glare at her with a crooked smile. “What do you think about that, Princess? Am I getting warm?”
    She forces a smile. “If you don’t let go of me and back up, I’m going to knee you in the nuts.”
    “Feisty, I like it.”
    “Five… Four… Three… Two…”
    “Fine,” I say and take a step back, motioning my arms to the front of the shop, so she knows she’s free to walk away.
    But she doesn’t. Not right away at least. She glares at me, and for the shortest of moments, I think I’m about to get everything I’ve dreamed of.
    I lower my hand to my zipper, and her eyes follow my rough fingers.
    And then she chuckles. “You’re going to have to try harder than that.”
    Laughter bursts out of me and I’m filled with admiration. “You’re such a tease.”
    “Let me tell you something,” she says with a brush of her finger against my nose. “We’re not fucking. Not here. Not elsewhere. I need this job to take care of my family.”
    “Your family,” I interrupt her with a curious tilt of my head, pretending I don’t already know.
    “My daughter.”
    “My curiosity is piqued.”
    “She’s my entire world. Everything I do in this world is for her. If you fuck this up for us, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
    I never thought a mother’s protectiveness would turn me on so much, but hers does. Apparently, everything about her turns me on. “Is that so?”
    “When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you were back in prison. Being a prisoner’s bitch would be a cakewalk compared to what I’d do to you.”
    “Damn, girl! You’ve got a fire in you.”
    “You have no idea,” she says as she pushes herself away from the shelves and past me. She looks over her shoulder with a flat expression on her lips. “Now get back to work.”
    “Just answer my damn question.” It comes out as a command, but it’s more of a plea. I want—no, need—to know why she went to bat for me. I have a guess as to why, but I need a solid confirmation.
    “I’m not looking for a companion,” she reminds me. “I just got out of an abusive relationship, and I’m not exactly in a loving mood. I did what I did because on occasion, it’s rewarding to do something nice for someone else. It’s part of being a decent human being. You should try it sometime.”
    I want to say something cocky, but my lips don’t move. I stand there in awe as she turns the corner and she’s out of sight.
    She’s got attitude.
    She’s got sass.
    She’s fucking perfect, and I succeeded in getting to her. I pushed her until I got a reaction, but even I couldn’t have predicted the kind of reaction she’d serve me back.
    I hope I made her wet when I whispered in her ear.
    She’s going to be my greatest challenge, and my greatest prize.
     
     

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