Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
The bell on the shop door rings, and I nibble her bottom lip then pull back. “I’m getting this rope.”
“Good. I can’t wait.” She licks her swollen lips.
I kiss her forehead, then stride back to the paint counter, my cock throbbing.
“Almost done. Just need to mix one more gallon.” Roger hurries around and grabs some stir sticks and a few carpentry pencils, putting them on the counter for me. “Say, the young lady you–”
“She’s none of your concern.”
He winces. “I get it. I was just wondering if she was Edith’s granddaughter.”
“Why would you wonder that?” I pick up one of the stir sticks.
He shrugs. “My mom used to say that Edith’s son had some sort of dark past and that maybe he passed it on to his daughter or something like that. It wasn’t really clear, just village gossip. That’s all. She looks perfectly normal to me, though.”
I snap the stick between two fingers. “Look at the paint, Roger. Not my girl.”
“Oh, she’s your girlfriend then?” He grabs the last paint bucket. “You’re a lucky man.”
I am, but that doesn’t mean I want him saying a single goddamn thing about my Bunny. I just glare at him as he grabs the buckets and takes them up to the register.
When I turn to look for Bunny, I don’t see her. She must be looking at power tools. Oh, shit. I hurry down the aisles until I see her bending over and inspecting a circular saw. Double shit. She reaches out to touch it. I’m about to call out to warn her when I notice someone standing in the aisle to my left. His arm is moving as he stares at Bunny’s backside.
I know instantly what he’s doing. Rage like I’ve never felt before washes through me, lighting my veins on fire as I rush the guy, knocking him into a display of sandpaper that goes flying.
“Bastard!” I rear back and slam my fist into his face. Once, twice, a third time and the bastard is out cold.
“Rowan!” Bunny runs up behind me. “What’s happening?”
I stand up and consider kicking the guy. His hand is still in his pants, his nose is bleeding, and I’m almost certain he’s going to have a concussion. I fucking hope he does, anyway.
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
“But he’s hurt.” She goes to kneel beside him.
“Nope. With me, Bunny.” I grab her elbow gently and lead her to the front counter.
“The guy in the aisle back there, let him know if I see him in here again, I’ll be the last thing he ever sees,” I tell Roger.
He blanches. “Oh no.”
“Put it on the tab.” I grab the buckets of paint and the bag of supplies, then lead Bunny from the store.
“What just happened?” she asks as I help her into the truck.
“A pervert got what he deserved.” I fasten her seatbelt for her, then give her a hard kiss on the mouth. “You’re safe whenever you’re with me, Bunny. You can do whatever you want and not worry.”
“Except flirt with you?” She tangles her fingers together.
“What?”
“You told me not to flirt when–”
I kiss her again, a smile on my face as I do it. “I meant I didn’t want you to flirt with anyone else.”
She smiles and puts her palms on my cheeks. “I don’t want to flirt with anyone else, silly. Only you.”
I kiss her once more and bite her bottom lip. “Keep it that way, Bunny. That’s my good girl.”
“I want to be your good girl.” She smiles, her eyes lighting up, but then she whispers, “But I kind of want to be punished too.”
“Oh, you already bought yourself a punishment.”
Her lips turn into an adorable pout. “How? I didn’t do anything.”
“You touched the circular saw. Could’ve hurt yourself.”
“So I’m going to be punished?” There’s a devious glint in her eye.
“Absolutely.”
“Wheeee!” She squeals and pulls me in for a kiss.
Something in my heart seems to break free and beat at triple speed, bringing me to life in a way I didn’t know was possible. Not until Bunny.
12
CHARLIE
I lie back on my bed, wondering if Rowan is going to be at dinner. Why didn’t I ask him? I guess I could go over and invite him. We parted ways when we were done working on the tiles for the day. Thankfully, I didn’t cause any other disasters after we got back. It was only three when we finished up, but Rowan said he had a few other things he had to check up on.
It took everything in me not to beg to go with him. I’m trying to have some level of cool. The last thing I want is to come off as clingy or desperate. Would it be clingy if I went and asked about dinner? I guess I could wait to see if he shows up. That could chance him not, and that would super blow. My time here is limited. Being clingy might be my only option.