Read Online Pure Lust Vol. 3 by M. S. Parker, Cassie Wild - Free Book Online Page B

laptop. She grimaced a little as she held it up, letting water and petals fall away. A pale peach bloom clung to it and she put my other things down next to me so she could pluck the bloom away.
    “Wait here.”
    I frowned at her retreating back and then got up, moving over to the small closet concealed under the stairs. I came out with a couple of paper towels and a small garbage bag. When she came back, I was already picking up the largest slivers of glass.
    “Miss Gabriella, if you do my job, Mr. Edward will think he has no use for me,” she chided gently.
    I looked back at her and saw a glint of humor in her eyes. I managed to smile, but it was weak. “Yeah, I’m sure I know everything there is to know about taking care of a house like this. I can’t even make it to the door without being destructo girl.”
    “Why don't you sit down and we'll check your computer first and then I’ll clean up the mess. You have things to take care of today, I’m sure.”
    Things. Yeah. Job hunting. Wedding plans with the event planner from purgatory and the soon-to-be mother-in-law from hell. I went back to the stairs and sat down, watching as she picked up the laptop. “What’s your name?” I asked.
    “It’s Mila.” She opened the laptop and started to dry it off
    My stomach clenched when I saw the screen. There were cracks in it. No, not cracks. The thing had spiderwebbed out from where the vase must've landed. There was hardly a section more than a couple inches wide without damage. More water dripped out from the bottom of it as she went to dry the underside off and I buried my face in my hands.
    “Mr. Edward has another computer he keeps around the house. It’s his backup. I can get it for you.”
    “The way my luck is going today, I’ll break it.” Shaking my head at her offer, I took the carcass of my old one. “I’ll take it to a repair shop. Maybe they can pull off a miracle.”
    She started to protest, but something on my face must have told her she’d be wasting her time. She just sighed and nodded.
    Because I’d already gotten in her way enough, I shoved the computer in my bag, scooped up my damp phone and slid out the door. Fate must have been feeling sorry for me because I found the right key on the first try this time.
    I made it down two of the steps and sank down, staring down the curved driveway and wondering what I was going to do. It wasn’t like there were coffee shops on every corner here. I hadn’t thought of that. I hadn’t realized just how different life would be living with somebody rich enough to own real property in New York, property that meant coffee was more than a couple blocks away.
    My phone buzzed.
    Managing not to groan, I looked down.
    Edward’s message was sweet enough. Except he had just called. I would have called him back shortly, but he couldn’t even wait ten minutes. Instead of trying to text him back and explain, I just returned his call.
    “Good morning, beautiful.”
    I’d heard once that if you smiled, it echoed in your voice, even if people couldn’t see you. So I tried to smile. It felt flat. “Hi, Edward.”
    “I tried to call you earlier…”
    “I know,” I said when he paused for just a moment. “I was uh…well. I kind of broke something.”
    “Broke something?”
    “Yes. Of course. I’m really sorry. That pretty vase by the front door? Crystal?”
    “Vase…oh, that.” His tone was dismissive, then concerned. “You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?”
    I swallowed, rubbing at a small nick near my ankle. It was probably from one of the small shards that had gone flying. “No. I’m fine, but the vase is toast. I destroyed it. My laptop is probably busted. The vase is nothing but a million little pieces now.”
    “It’s just a vase. What’s wrong with your laptop?”
    “I dropped it before I crashed into the table and knocked the vase over. The vase landed on it, and there was water...” I shrugged lamely, forgetting he couldn’t see it