Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Not that Alexei was ever likely to stick to a plan. He was forever going rogue, which was annoying.
Except for when he saved your sister.
“What did you do?” he demanded.
“Gave her a massage,” Alexei explained. “Cool your jets.”
Oh. A massage. Why hadn’t he thought of that? She looked so young lying there with her thumb in her mouth.
“It didn’t take much encouragement to get her to suck on her thumb.”
“It’s probably not good for her to sleep this close to bedtime,” Salem pointed out.
Alexei raised an eyebrow. “It’s not even six.”
Wait. Did games usually play at this time? He turned to look at the screen.
“It’s a pre-match,” Alexei explained.
Salem nodded. He was torn. Did he want to wake her because he thought she wouldn’t sleep tonight? Or because he wanted her with him?
No. He couldn’t be that selfish.
“I’m going to make dinner now. We’ll wake her up when it’s ready.”
“Sounds good.”
But he didn’t want to leave. He liked seeing her like this.
She appeared so soft and young.
“You really want to do this? You’re sure?”
Alexei met his gaze with his piercing blue ones. “I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. And I’m not ever going to give her up.”
Salem sucked in a deep breath. He got it.
He felt exactly the same way.
17
Urgh.
She really didn’t want to wake up, but someone was shaking her.
“Nooo! Go away! Sleeping!”
Then she realized what she’d just said.
Fuck.
Rolling to her side, she put her arms over her face to protect herself as she landed on something hard. Glancing around, she saw a coffee table that she could likely fit under.
Sure, she should probably just take her licks. Delaying them would only make them worse. But her instincts screamed at her to get somewhere safe.
So she slid under the coffee table.
Don’t show fear.
Right. Because hiding under a coffee table was such a normal, well-adjusted way to act.
Well. Like she’d know what normal and well-adjusted was.
“Tamsyn? Hey, what are you doing under there, Little one?”
Wait.
That wasn’t what she’d been expecting. That sounded like . . .
Oh. My. God.
A groan of horror escaped her.
She was an idiot. She’d woken up and moved instinctively. How had she not realized where she was?
And how was she going to explain this?
“I didn’t mean to give you a fright,” Salem said carefully. “Can you come out from under there?”
Had she really fallen asleep?
But where . . . it started to come back to her.
Holy. Heck.
She’d fallen asleep on Alexei? That should have been impossible. She hadn’t thought she could ever fall asleep with someone else in the room . . . let alone on top of someone.
“I don’t think I can ever come out,” she groaned miserably.
“No?”
“Nooo. Just let me move under here, will you? Bring me some snacks and maybe a blanket. I’ll be fine. I’ll just live out my days down here . . . under the coffee table.”
“She’s not serious, is she?” Roman asked.
Oh no.
“She won’t,” Alexei said. “She’s just embarrassed. She’ll come out as soon as she needs to pee.”
Well. Great.
The whole flipping gang was here.
That was just awesome. They were going to think she was an absolute nut job.
“Oh good,” Roman replied. “I did wonder how she was going to pee.”
She groaned again.
Then two eyes appeared in front of her. They were attached to a face, thankfully.
A face that was filled with concern and no small amount of amusement.
“You can’t stay there forever, Little one,” Salem told her gently.
“I can and I will. There are ways around the toilet issue.”
“That’s true,” Roman said, joining them. “We could go buy you diapers.”
“What?” she squeaked.
“True,” Salem said, looking thoughtful. “That is a way to solve the issue.”
“No, it’s not!” she cried. “I’m coming out. Just give me a minute.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that, Little one. Dinner is ready. Don’t raise your head.”
Huh?
Why did he say that?
Suddenly, she felt someone grasp hold of her legs and tug, they were careful not to touch her sore ankle. A cry escaped her as she was dragged across the carpet and out from under the coffee table.
She winced as she stared up at the light. Urgh.
“It’s too bright. Too bright.” She placed her arm over her eyes dramatically.
Alexei snorted. “Two minutes under the coffee table and suddenly she likes the dark.”
Actually, she didn’t like the dark.
And she also wasn’t fond of small spaces.
However, she’d trained herself to ignore her discomfort and carry on.
Still, living under a coffee table just really wasn’t a viable option for her.
As much as she might wish otherwise.
To her surprise, Salem drew her in close. Then he licked his thumb and reached out for her. She shied back. What was he doing?
“Easy,” he murmured. “Still half asleep, huh?”
Sure. That’s what was wrong.
Also, her instincts were kicking in.
Act normal.
Whatever that means.
“You’ve just got a bit of something here.” He wiped his thumb over the corner of her mouth.