Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
I laughed then, surprising myself. This man was not at all what I had expected. He was at least six feet tall, muscular but leaner than King was. His lips weren’t as full, but his face was handsome. He was clean-shaven, and his square jaw made the rest of his features more masculine.
I realized he was grinning at me, and I covered my mouth, feeling bad about laughing. “I’m sorry.”
“No. You can laugh. I’m secure enough in my masculinity to handle it. Just make sure you keep this our little secret. The guys would use it as a weapon for their entertainment.”
I nodded and held the books to my chest. “I swear to never tell a soul.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Now, you read that, and the next time I’m back in town, I’ll take you to the stables. When your ribs are better, I’ll teach you to ride. You can ride Malta. She’s a sweetheart and perfect for learners.”
The thought of getting to ride a horse was exciting and terrifying, all at once. Although I shouldn’t think about it too much. There was a good chance I would be gone by the time he visited again. I nodded and said nothing more. I didn’t want to get into my having to leave soon. He’d have questions that I had no answers to. Not yet.
“Sebastian,” a familiar voice said in a deep timbre that made my heart speed up.
Swinging my gaze to the door, I saw King leaning against the frame, looking at Sebastian.
“Hello, King. What brings you to the library?” he asked cheerfully.
King shifted his gaze to me. “I came to see if Rumor would like a ride back to the cottage.”
Getting to be around King was too appealing to turn down. It was also concerning that I had become so happy about seeing him. It had been three days since I’d seen him last, and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about him every one of those days. Wondering what he was doing, where he was, if he thought of me at all. None of those being healthy things for me to be focusing on, but I couldn’t seem to stop it.
“I, uh, yes, that would be nice. Thank you,” I replied.
He cut his eyes back to Sebastian and gave him a smirk before straightening his stance, then walking over to me. “I’ll carry the books. I was glad to see you back in here, but Maeme said you walked. You could have called me or texted. I’d have come to get you.”
Don’t look him in the eyes. Don’t do it. I blinked and caved as I met his gaze. Those eyes of his made my stomach feel funny.
“I didn’t mind the walk. It was a nice morning.”
The softness in his expression made me want to curl up against him like a cat. What was wrong with me? I had to get a grip.
“It was nice to meet you, Rumor,” Sebastian said, reminding me he was here. I had forgotten so easily.
How was it that King could walk into a room and immediately become the center of attention? Everyone else seemed to fade away when he was there.
Turning my gaze back to his, I smiled. “It was nice to meet you too. And thanks for the book recommendation.”
He nodded his head, and King’s hand touched my lower back. It was a miracle I didn’t shiver under his touch.
“Later, Sebastian,” King called out to him as he led me to the door.
“You sure you were ready to go? I could wait for you if you wanted to look some more.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s okay. I was about to leave and give Sebastian alone time, deciding on what he wanted to read.”
“That was nice of you, but Sebastian can go do actual work. Like he’s supposed to be doing. He doesn’t have time to be reading.”
I tilted my head back and looked up at King. He leaned forward then and opened the front door, not taking his hand off my back in the process. I did the best I could not to try and smell him because that would be weird.
“Can’t say you’re wrong about it being a pretty day,” he said once we were outside. “Feels like spring.”
We had another week before it was officially spring, but he was right. It did feel as if it was already here. I loved spring. The green trees, the flowers, the new life. It had always made me happy, growing up.
“As a kid spring, seemed like a hopeful time.” I said the words without thinking.
“What kind of hopes did you have as a kid?” King asked me.
I hesitated, not sure how much I should share, but decided saying it to someone would feel like a release of sorts. And I trusted King. It had been a very long time since I had trusted anyone. Even Hill had worked to gain my trust, and I’d been cautious. Never telling him too much. Afraid if he knew, he’d never accept me. Want me.