Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Animals didn’t know malice. Yes, they killed to survive, but only to survive. They didn’t taunt their prey. Drag out the fear and pain for their own enjoyment. Sacrifice a creature to advance selfish ambitions. They just lived their lives in the only way they knew how.
On my worst days living Rainey’s life, I came here to be surrounded by innocence.
Legend and I passed by the panda habitat, spotting the fluffy, lazy creatures laying on a rock slab and watching us go by. He let me hold onto his arm, my chin propped on his shoulder. I loved being this close to him after weeks of him keeping a football field’s distance between us.
“Are you hungry?” I murmured. “Afterward, I was thinking we’d eat lunch in the café. They’ve got a perfect spot on the balcony that overlooks the giraffe habitat. We can eat chicken wraps and shortbread cookies while we watch them graze.”
“Watch them? How closely do you watch me? How do you know I like shortbread cookies?”
I poked his side. “Don’t act like I’m some kind of stalker. We do live in the same house. The only thing sweet or sugary I’ve seen you eat are shortbread cookies. Not too big a leap to guess they tickle your sweet tooth.”
He grunted something in response.
“My favorite are white chocolate strawberry cookies,” I went on. “You never see them in stores, but Gran made them special and she taught me. I’ll bake you some one day.”
“Why?” He was genuinely asking. “We just confirmed I only like shortbread cookies.”
“You’ll like these too. Trust me.”
“I won’t,” he dismissed, turning to the tiger exhibit.
I sighed. “How did you and Roan get together? Is it because your stubborn refusal to give in to him brought out his devil imp side? Every no just made him work that much harder to have you.”
I didn’t imagine it that time. A definite lopsided grin teased his soft lips. “Would it surprise you that I pursued him? I decided I wanted Roan, so I had Roan. The one who didn’t get to say no is him.”
“Hmm. Actually, that doesn’t surprise me. Roan wouldn’t give me anything until I took it from him too. So, was your seduction routine the same for him as it was for me? Did you chase him through the woods and paddle him until he came screaming on your couch?” I was very glad there was no one else nearby on our walk.
“A hunter doesn’t use the same tactics on different prey.”
I eyed him. “Do you truly see me as a different person now?”
To my surprise, he turned and gazed at me head on. “Do you see yourself as the same person?”
“I...” Looking into his eyes, I tried to say something, anything else. “I don’t. The person I was the last two years wasn’t me.”
Vindication curved his lips.
I quickly added, “But the way I feel about you and the guys hasn’t—”
“You said there’s something you want to show me,” he sliced in. “Where the hell is it? I’m getting bored.”
Swallowing my annoyance, I led him right on a forking path, heading for the exhibit that had seen a lot of me since I received Cavendish’s letters. Legend unwound his arm from me and followed behind. The mood shifted between us, but I would get it back. Legend knew what it was to play a part. If anyone should understand that didn’t make the person underneath it any less real, it was him.
The path narrowed, bringing the leaf canopy close enough to block the sun—shading us in cool and mist. A small, darkened tunnel entrance loomed at the end of our path. I reached behind, lacing my fingers through Legend’s. “This, baby, is what I want you to see.”
We stepped out of the gloom into a vibrant, living paradise.
Birds of all colors zipped through the trees, flitting from the greens, purples, pinks, and reds of the flower-filled paradise. The sweet scent of honeysuckle blanketed the space, filling me with calm as I gazed up at him.
Legend looked around, his face unreadable, but something—the tiniest flicker—shone in his eyes. “They’re hummingbirds. You brought me to a hummingbird habitat.”
“Some of the rarest species in the world live here. They started a program three years ago to ensure their survival. They’ve got glittering starfrontlets and royal sunangels. Hummingbirds get the most beautiful names,” I said. “They’re free to roam the whole habitat, so there’s no guarantee we’ll see one, but we can try.”
Legend flicked to a bird flying overhead. “I didn’t realize you thought I was this sentimental.”
“You did get a hummingbird permanently inked on your body.” I bumped his shoulder. “You don’t have to say I nailed it. I know I did.”
Legend let me link our arms again. He didn’t say much while I led him down the winding paths. Actually, he didn’t say anything at all. He looked at the birds I pointed out, and nodded a few times at the things I said, but otherwise, I didn’t have a clue what was going on behind those brown eyes.