Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Who the fuck is she?
"We're going out," I say, a note of finality in my voice. "Unless there's a reason you'd rather people not see us together."
"What? Why would you think that?"
"You tell me, Sunshine."
"There's no reason. None at all." She hops up from her chair like her legs are on fire and her ass is in danger of catching. "I'm going to get dressed."
"You do that, baby."
"He's so bossy. Why does it make me so wet when he's so bossy?"
I chuckle, shaking my head. She hasn't even seen bossy yet, but I doubt she even realizes she said that out loud. She has a habit of saying things without even knowing she did it. It's fucking adorable.
For years, I convinced myself that I didn't want a woman or the chaos that came with one. But Sutton is exactly the kind of chaos I need in my life. She's bright and loud, and I fucking love every minute we spend together. Going home after spending time with her is too quiet and lonely. My house feels empty without her. I hate it. I want her rambling to herself or yelling at Koda, or the crazy little dog running around our feet and yapping at everything.
She and Koda have become such an integral part of my life, changing my perspective on everything. I'm so in love with her, and it's overwhelming. All I want is for her to trust me completely, to share whatever she's hiding from me. That's the only way I can guarantee a future with her by my side. And I'm not willing to settle for anything less than a lifetime with her in my arms.
"Everyone is staring at us," she hisses as we stride across the town square toward Angelo's, a cozy Italian restaurant situated on the far side of the square.
She isn't wrong. Everyone is staring at us.
"They've never seen me with anyone before, Sunshine," I murmur, trying to soothe her nerves. I place my hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer. My eyes narrow on a group of older women standing around outside the boutique, gaping like they're witnessing the Second Coming. "And you look fucking beautiful. They're probably wondering how the hell an asshole like me got so fucking lucky."
She snorts indelicately.
"You don't believe me?"
"No. You're hot."
I grin down at her. "Hot, huh?"
She rolls her eyes at me. "Don't even pretend you don't know how good you look, Caleb."
"Frankly, I never gave a shit," I say, tipping my head to the side to avoid bumping into a stiff, navy canopy covered with bird droppings hanging over a shop door. "I don't get paid to look good. I get paid to sweat. And before that, I got paid to point and shoot."
If I have muscles, it's not because I spend time in the gym. They're from years of backbreaking work. Construction is physically grueling. But when I first got back from overseas, I found solace in the exhaustion that came from the work.
"Do you like what you do?" she asks, genuine curiosity peppering the question.
"Yes. It's fucking exhausting most days, but I enjoy it. We've got a good crew, and it keeps me busy." I shoot her a look out of my peripheral as we near the restaurant. "What about you, Sunshine? Do you enjoy what you do?"
She immediately goes quiet. I expect her to shut me down like always, sidestepping the subject like avoidance is her job. But she surprises me.
"Yes," she whispers. "I love it."
"You ever going to tell me about it?"
"Yes." She swallows, her gaze flickering up to mine.
I read the uncertainty in her eyes, hear the hesitation in her voice. But there's also a flicker of something else there—a glimmer of trust, a desire to share her secrets with me. And that's all I need for now.
"I'm not in any hurry," I assure her, squeezing her hand gently. "We've got all the time in the world, Sunshine. There's not a clock ticking. So when you're ready, just let me know. I'll be here, waiting with open arms."
She nods, her gaze still locked onto mine. "Okay," she whispers, the word barely escaping her lips.
I can see the relief in her eyes, the burden of keeping her secret finally starting to lift. I don't know why she's so hesitant to tell me who she is or what she does, but the pieces are rapidly beginning to fall into place. At this point, I'm pretty fucking certain that she's famous. It's the only thing that makes sense.
But on the off chance that I'm wrong, I place my hand over hers, drawing her eyes back to me. "You'd tell me if you were in danger, right?"
"Of course." Her brows furrow, her eyes shifting across my face as she tries to follow my line of thought. Her expression clears as realization dawns. "It's nothing like that, Caleb. I promise."