Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
They packed up everything while Carlie fixed her make-up for her. Then Josie and Carlie took off with waves goodbye. Melody hung back and took hold of her hand, squeezing it. “You feel safe with Raid?”
“Yeah. I do.” She swallowed heavily. “I have moments, but I’m coming to trust him. I want to believe in him . . . in us.”
Lord, she still couldn’t believe there was a them.
“Then believe it.”
She gave Melody a worried look. “I’m so much work, though. What if he decides I’m not worth it?”
“You listen to me, Hannah McLeod. You’re acting like he’s doing you a favor. He should get down on his knees and thank God that you’re interested in him. He was blind as a bat before, then he woke up. Thank fuck. But you aren’t some charity case. You aren’t less than him. You’re a fucking queen and he should bow down.”
“I don’t want him to do any of that. I just want him to care about me, to want me, to love me.”
“You’re worthy of love, Hannah. And unless I’m wrong about him, Raid knows all of this. Sometimes, you just have to take a chance and leap. Then pray like fuck that someone will catch you.”
There was a knock on the door.
“I’ve stayed too long,” Melody said. She moved to the door and opened it. “Hey, Raid.”
“Hi, Melody. You good?”
“Yep, just leaving.” She turned to look back at Hannah. “Remember, leap and believe. And if he doesn’t catch you, I have a very sharp knife and I’m not afraid to use it.”
Raid stepped in so Melody could leave, and the door shut behind her.
“Do I want to know what that was about?”
Hannah shook her head. “You really don’t.”
Then his gaze moved over her, taking her in. Her heart raced, waiting to hear what he thought.
“Jesus, Hannah. You are so fucking beautiful.”
She blushed. “I am? The girls bought me this dress.”
“Then I owe them thanks because you look gorgeous in it. But the dress is just the icing on the cake, baby. Because you would be beautiful wearing a sack. Or better yet, nothing at all.”
She could feel her face growing even hotter as he said that, and she choked on her words. “Raid!”
“Come on, we need to get going. Do you have a jacket?”
“Uh, it’s not that cold out, is it?”
“It will get cold later. You need a jacket.”
She shrugged and grabbed one from her bedroom. She didn’t think it would get that cold to really bother with one, but if it made him feel better, then she’d take one.
He held out his hand, and she gave him the jacket. Then he held it for her to get into.
Wow.
No one had ever done that for her before. Then he took her hand and walked her to the door, shutting it behind them. He kept hold of her hand as he led her down the stairs.
“I don’t like you coming up and down these stairs in the dark,” he grumbled.
“Uh, I don’t, really. I mean, I never really go anywhere at night.”
“The days get shorter in winter. It will be dark when you get home from work on those days. You need more security lights.”
It was only the end of summer. Ages until winter hit. And he was worrying over nothing.
“I’m sure the security lights here are good enough.”
“Good enough isn’t enough,” he told her, pausing and pressing her back against the building wall. She waited for the panic to hit. But all she got was a wave of arousal.
“What?” she asked faintly.
“When it comes to your safety, good enough isn’t enough,” he told her, cupping the side of her face. “I want to know that you have the best.”
Her knees weakened. “You’re a smooth talker, cowboy.”
He grinned. “That’s nice you think so. But it’s just the truth.”
Such a smooth talker.
Was he going to kiss her? Please let him kiss her.
“I’m going to keep you safe, baby. From everyone who might hurt you.”
“What if . . . what if the person I’m most worried about hurting me is you?” she whispered.
He took a step back, his face shutting down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you afraid.”
“You didn’t! Shit, I didn’t say that right.” She looked around, but there wasn’t anyone around. And she had to be brave. This wasn’t all on him.
There were two people in a relationship. They both had to make it work.
And she had to fix what she’d just broken.
So she pushed down her nerves and stepped into his space, pressing her breasts against his chest.
“I’m falling for you, Raid Malone. A little bit more every time I’m with you. And that makes me so scared. Because the more time I spend with you, the harder it will be for me to ever say goodbye if you decide to walk away.” She pressed her face into his chest after that admission.