Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
She’s panting, sucking in deep breaths. It would only take a slight movement from her, and I’d close the distance. I’d kiss her like I’ve been dying to do since she showed up at my place.
But I can’t be the one to make that move. Not after what she said earlier about not sucking my dick. I don’t want her to think for a minute that’s what I’m after. Well, I don’t want her to think that’s the only thing I’m after. Truth is, I want to protect her, slay her demons, then carry her back to my bed.
Something clatters on the floor behind us, and she nearly jumps out of her skin.
I turn to see Princess chasing a green anole, a type of lizard common to the area, around the workshop floor. She looks like she’s having a grand time while the poor fellow is running for his life. “Princess, stop tormenting the guy.”
My words don’t deter my cat from her mission, and I glance back at Molly. Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s avoiding my gaze. Damn, I really read that shit wrong. She doesn’t like me.
I shove down the disappointment and go to distract Princess. At least, I can keep one of us from causing trouble.
It takes another three hours to unload all the junk from the back of my truck and put it in the storage area of my workshop. By the time we’re finished, it’s nearly dark.
She doesn’t need to be wandering the mountains alone at night. Courage County is safe. It’s mother nature I’m concerned about. The thunder continues to sound, teasing us with the possibilities of storms.
“Why don’t you crash at my place tonight? Then you can leave in the morning,” I say as I glance between my truck and the darkening sky.
Something flickers across her features, but it’s gone before I can tell what it is. “Yeah, in the morning.”
“Unless...” I start then stop myself. There’s no way she wants to stay with me for longer. I’ve already made her uncomfortable once. I won’t do it again tonight.
“Unless?” She prompts.
There’s hope in her gaze. I know I haven’t mistaken it. That’s what gives me the courage to say, “Unless you helped me out with my place. Cleaned out the junk with me, maybe give it a bit of a makeover. You said you were good at the housekeeping stuff. I’d pay you for all of it.”
My heart is about to pound out of my chest by the time I stop talking. There’s easily a week’s worth of things she could do around my cabin, and the thought of getting her to spend another seven days with me is irresistible. Actually, I want her to spend all of her days with me. But that’s not on the table. No way will she go for that, so I offer myself the next best thing. A taste of what life would be like with another person, with her specifically. A woman that feels like mine.
“But you’re still not a serial killer?” She asks. “Because at this point, I’d be really disappointed in you. I sort of consider you my friend. My first real friend. Sorry, that’s lame.”
My first real friend. Something about the statement hits me in the gut. I think my girl has spent her life just as lonely as I have. I can’t think of that. It makes my chest hurt too much to imagine her alone and sad. Instead, I quirk an eyebrow. “You’d be disappointed in me?”
She puts her hands on those thick hips and nods again, looking so damn cute. “Extremely.”
“Then I’ll try to repress my darker urges.” I meant to tease her, but my voice comes out too deep and too growly. I remind the beast in me to calm the fuck down.
I open her truck door now that we’ve settled our agreement, and she climbs inside. Maybe it’s my imagination but I think I hear her mutter under her breath that I shouldn’t repress all of my urges. But that’s just my stupid heart hoping for something I’m never going to get.
“You’re sure about giving me first shower?” She asks again as I shove a clean set of clothes at her.
After some reheated lasagna for dinner, her eyes are drooping, and she looks like she’s about one second from hitting the floor. But then she asked if she could use the shower after me.
“I might take all the hot water, and I most likely won’t even say sorry because I’m pretty grimy and it’s been such a long day,” she explains all in one breath before biting down on that plump lip again. I want to see it wrapped around my cock, want to feel her teeth graze along my shaft.
Since I can’t say anything that’s not filthy, I just nod at her request and gesture toward the bathroom.