Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I tend to do that.” He leans back in the chair once more. “Now tell me. Are you all right?”
“No,” I whisper.
“You're running from something?”
“Kinda.”
“Kinda?” Now he’s the one repeating my words.
“I escaped, but I have to go back.”
“Escaped.” Garrett is on his feet. “Escaped who?” The concerned expression that he was wearing only a moment ago has disappeared. His jaw is now tight, and I can tell he’s trying to hold it together.
“My family.” I lick my dry lips. “My fiancé.” I hate calling him that, but he laid claim to me. Could I just break it if I was no longer there? I’m not sure how these things work.
“Fiancé?” Garrett fists his hands against his sides.
“Supposed to marry him in a few days.” That was before the storm rolled in. Things might have been delayed, but I couldn’t risk it.
“You ran from him?” I nod. “You don’t want to marry him?”
“Gosh no!” I wrap my arms around myself. “But it’s not really my choice.”
“You’re twenty. It’s your fucking choice, Snow.”
“Winter.” Did he forget my name already?
“I know, but I found you. My little snow angel passed out on my porch.” I swear there is a possessiveness to his words. It warms me deep inside in a way I don’t understand. But I’m finding I want to.
5
GARRETT
With those big green eyes of hers, Snow watches me. I'd imagined they were green in my mind. I think most would have guessed blue, but I get the sense that my little snowflake is always full of surprises. What I didn't expect was that they'd be filled with such innocence. I can't remember seeing that in many years. It makes a protectiveness rise up inside of me.
Her eyes follow me as I double-check the front door. After grabbing the bag she dropped, I made sure to lock it, but my mind was slightly scattered. I’m not used to that. In fact, the world could blow up around me, and I could still always stay on target. Not having that control is filling me with a sense of uneasiness.
I take out my phone, check that all my alarms are turned on, and also activate the ones outside. I installed them a few years ago but kept them off for the most part. Animals could trip them up, and I wasn't worried about someone trying to sneak up on me out here. Now I am. If this snow angel was my fiancée, I’d do whatever I needed to get her back. So I need to take every precaution I can to protect her.
When I see everything is secure, I grab the girl's bag next to the door. I carry it over to the coffee table and dump it out.
“Hey!” She scrambles to grab some of the things as they land on the table.
“Stop.” I snag her around the wrist with a gentle but quick hold. When she reels back as if I’m going to strike her, I release my hold on her and hold my hands palms up. “Shit, Snow, I’d never hit you.”
She clutches whatever it was she grabbed off the coffee table to her chest. I can see she’s unsure. Her expression is like a hot blade slicing through me. I kneel in front of her so that I don't tower over her. The last thing I want her to be is scared of me. The thought alone is enough to fucking kill me.
“Hey.” I try to gentle my tone. I’m not sure if I did it right. I've never tried that before, but I'll do whatever it takes right now to put her at ease. The last thing I want is for her to run away from me. I don’t want to imagine how that might go. Not with some of the shit that’s been swirling in my mind since I found her, watching her sleep for the past few hours. “Has someone laid hands on you before?”
“Laid hands?” Her nose scrunches.
“Hit you.” Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, answering the question without words. “I swear on my life, Snow, I’ll never strike you.”
“Ever?” she whispers the one word with uncertainty. I want to rage, but I shove that shit all the way the fuck down. God help whatever motherfucker touched her. I’ll kill them with my bare hands when the opportunity arises.
“Ever. Even if you hit me.”
“I wouldn't hit you.” She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind for even suggesting it.
“Maybe you should learn.”
“To hit you?”
“To defend yourself if someone ever does try to hurt you.”
“I could do that?” Her body starts to relax again. I feel myself starting to do the same.
“You can do anything you want.” I extend my hand toward her. She doesn’t flinch away. Slowly, I cup her soft, round cheek in my hand. Snow leans into my touch. “Now what do you have in your hand?”