Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I spread the heavy blanket over her, tucking it tight against her. When the hell had I last tucked somebody in? I wasn’t sure I ever had.
Then I added the comforter, but it was light, like cotton candy and wasn’t likely to help her feel warm.
Hailey had her eyes open, but she stared straight ahead, seeming to be in a daze. I knelt down next to the bed, and she eventually looked at me. “Can I get you something?”
“No.”
“Water? Another blanket?”
“No.”
Then I thought of something. Something I really, truly didn’t want to say—but I did it. For her sake. “Do you want me to go get Theo or Ian?” I should have thought of that in the first place. I knew from how I’d seen them interact that they were far less intimidating to—and far better at dealing with emotions and shit.
But she shook her head.
“Okay.” I slid down to the floor, my back to her as I leaned against the side of the bed. I’d sit here, like a tall guard dog, for as long as she needed me.
Things were silent in the room as we stayed that way for five minutes. Ten. Fifteen even. I gave her space—well, not literal space since I was sitting so close. But perhaps mental space to process what had happened.
The bed shook slightly—I could feel it as I leaned against it. Shit. Id’ never known what to do when a woman cried. I turned around, ready to try to stop the flow of tears, but her cheeks were dry, her expression still numb, but she was shivering all over.
“Stay right there,” I said softly. “I’m going to get you so many blankets you’ll need five minutes to dig yourself out.”
Hailey reached out and clutched my hand. “Don’t leave me.”
“You’re going to shiver to death.” I frowned, looking around the room. Should I start piling the clothes from her closet on top of her? If only there were a hot water bottle.
Then I realized that there was a hot water bottle. A 6’5”one. My body always radiated heat from the sun. But would she let me? Would she want me?
I kicked my shoes off and assessed the scene. I didn’t want to make her move, so I walked to the foot of the bed. The other side was flush against the wall, so I climbed on and crawled rather awkwardly toward the headboard. It wasn’t graceful, the way I had to lift and manipulate the covers to get under them, but she never complained.
And then finally, I was in the right spot to be her own personal hot water bottle.
Or a big spoon.
I gathered her in my arms and pulled her to my chest, her back pressed against me. I draped my arms over hers, careful not to squish her, but leaving no way for any cold air to get through to her.
She sank against me, her trembling eventually stopping. Her hair tickled my neck, but I didn’t care. Besides, it smelled great.
I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, but at some point, I realized she’d fallen asleep. “Hailey?”
No answer.
Extracting myself from the bed without disturbing her was as hard as climbing in had been, but I managed. I rearranged the covers, tucking them around her shoulders. I took one long look at her, and then I couldn’t resist. I leaned over and planted a quick kiss on her head. It was completely sappy, but I did it anyway. Then I stepped out into the hall, pulling the door shut behind me.
I had Ian on the phone two seconds later. “Call that hotel on the far side of campus and book a room for Hailey. Then meet us out front in an hour with your car.”
“What? What’s going on?”
“And find Theo. Send him over here. He’s going to be on guard duty.”
“To your suite?” Ian said, clearly trying to keep up.
“to Hailey’s room.”
“All right. Where will you be?”
“I’m going to go have a word with my cousin.”
27
HAILEY
I didn’t feel truly warm until several hours afterwards, even though the guys checked me into a nice hotel where I could crank up the heat in my room as high as I wanted. Ian had even grabbed the weighted blanket before I left.
It had made me feel safe last night.
So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. I’d learned so much about Ian. And a little about Grant, too. Not so much Theo at least not yesterday, but he’d been so gentle when he found out what happened to me.
The room was lovely with a queen bed and a little living room. It was much nicer than the one I’d stayed in at the beginning of the summer. I’d stayed there the day I took the job, and now I was in this one the day I left it.