Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“I don’t know how that got in there.” Lies.
He smirks. “You should use it, you know. My number.”
“No, thanks. I’m trying to get rid of you, remember?”
“I’m not going to go away that easily. In fact, you should give me your number so I can check on you.”
“You’re still here.” My voice is raised. I’m not yelling, but the irritation he’s causing is definitely showing through.
“I’ll leave, but I want your number. I want to be able to check on you. You live alone, and I feel bad leaving you like this.”
Something about the look in his eyes tells me it’s more than that. But I find myself relenting just to get rid of him. I need him out of my space. “Fine. It’s in your phone. I didn’t delete the call. Don’t be blowing me up.” I huff and he grins. I hate that I like that he’s concerned.
He pulls out some pajamas and makes a show of shoving the little white envelope back in the drawer. He tosses the clothes to me where I sit on the bed and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I glare at the handle, wishing there was a lock. I’ve never needed one before now. Hell, knowing his cocky ass, he’ll just take the door off the damn hinges. Not wanting to be caught with my panties down, literally, I quickly slip out of my bra, and slide the pajama shirt over my head. I leave my leggings on. I can slip those off after he leaves. I’m sliding under the covers when he knocks on the door.
“Ready or not, here I come,” he sings-songs and slowly pushes the door open.
“Gimme, and go.” I hold my hands out for the bottle of Advil and the water.
“So testy,” he taunts.
“Landon,” I growl. I actually growl. That’s what this man has brought me to. Growling at him like some wild animal, and not from pleasure, I might add.
“Here.” He shakes out two tablets, screws the lid off the water, and hands them to me. I toss them back and watch him as he plugs my cell phone into the charger and places it on the nightstand. “You need anything else?”
“No. Just go home.”
“All right. I’ll see you in the morning. You get to the shelter at nine, right?”
“How do you know that?”
He shrugs. “Aubrey.”
“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth. She’s on his side, so I know her coming to pick me up in the morning is a long shot. One more encounter with him and then I’m done. He’s testing my patience and has me horny as hell all at the same time. My body and my mind are at war with one another.
“I have to be at the field at nine, so I’ll have to drop you off at eight thirty. That all right with you?”
“Fine.”
“Need anything?” he asks. This time his voice is softer, and it reminds me of how he was treating me when I first fell today.
Kind.
Gentle.
“No. Goodnight, Landon.”
My breath stalls in my chest when he leans over and kisses the top of my head. “Night, Em. I’ll lock up.”
And just like that, he’s gone. I listen as his heavy footfalls carry him to the front door, and hear the door close. The handle jiggles as he tests the lock. Finally, I fall back onto my pillows just as my phone pings with a message.
Unknown: Night, Em. Door’s locked.
I save his number. I have a feeling I’ll need to know who’s calling or texting me in the future and reply.
Me: Thanks.
I don’t want to give him the idea that we’re going to be texting back and forth all the time. I’ve thanked him several times today and this evening. He knows I appreciate it. It’s done. Time to let it go. Placing my phone back on the nightstand, I turn off the bedside lamp, and surprisingly, I fall right to sleep.
Chapter 6
Landon
I’m staring at the alarm clock when it rolls over to six twenty-nine. One more minute and it will blare at me to wake up. Reaching over, I turn it off to prevent the annoying buzzer from sounding. I slept like shit last night. I kept replaying my day with Emma over in my mind. This thing between us started because she turned me down. And there is still part of me that wants that satisfaction of knowing I changed her mind. However, she’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met.
I love the banter, but more than that, I love that I’m just Landon when I’m with her. She doesn’t seem to care about my career, or my bank account. Is she just putting on a show? I really don’t think that she is, but I don’t really know her well enough to form that kind of opinion. That’s why I want to get to know her. Yes, I want her to agree to go out with me, one date, but at the same time, is she really who she presents herself to be? This beautiful woman, who is unapologetically who she is? A woman who loves animals and isn’t afraid to eat a juicy burger no matter who’s watching?