Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
"You play?"
She jerked her head around, staring at the guitar as if it was a ghost.
"Oh. Not really. I'm not very good."
He narrowed his eyes at her back. Now she was really lying to him.
"As good as you sing?"
She shrugged and went back to making the coffee. She turned around and smiled at him while it percolated.
"I've had five cups already. I should be bouncing off the walls."
"Late night?"
She shrugged again.
"I couldn't sleep."
He nodded. He hadn't slept much either. She looked pretty as a picture though.
A picture that was lying through her teeth.
He stood up and crossed the kitchen.
"Sally."
She looked alarmed as he took his jacket off and pulled his t shirt over his head.
"What are you doing, Donnie?"
"Relax darlin' I just want to show you something."
She looked ready to run as he turned side ways and showed her the tattoo on his shoulder. He could tell the moment she saw it. It was the face of a pretty young girl. Underneath it said 'Marie.'
"She's beautiful."
He nodded gruffly, turning the other way.
"That's my sister. And this-"
He showed her his other tattoo. This was another woman, older but still lovely. Underneath it said 'Mom.'
"Is my mother."
"They'r beautiful Donnie. But I don't understand why-"
"Because."
He leaned toward her and put his arms on the counter, boxing her in.
"They are the reason my arms exist. To protect them. I couldn't do it at first. He was too big. But by the time I was fifteen I started fighting back. He never laid a hand on either of them again."
Her mouth opened. He could see tears forming in her eyes.
"I won't let anyone hurt you again, Sally."
She drew in a ragged breath. When she lifted her eyes again, the pain in them nearly broke his heart.
"How did you know?"
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then pushed off and went back to the table.
"Let's just say you remind me of her. My sister. She was always jumping at shadows."
"Oh. What happened?"
"To my dad? I finally beat him so bad that he took off, never to be seen from again. Marie though, she was too little. She took too many knocks in the head. Now she's… not the same."
He glanced up at her.
"Tell me who did this to you. Who hurt you bad enough to make you hide yourself away like this?"
She took a shuddering breath and turned away to pour their coffee. For a minute he thought she wasn't going to answer. When she did, the words came out broken, like they hurt coming out.
"My road manager. Carl. He ran my crew at first and then he was my fiancé."
"He hit you?"
She nodded, not looking at him.
"He did lots of things. Hitting was one of them."
Donnie saw black. Then red. Then black again. He forced himself to stay calm. He didn't want to scare her.
"Where is he?”
"I don't know. Back in Nashville probably. He said he'd come after me, but maybe he didn't mean it. I don't know. I keep meaning to get a dog. A big one."
"I don't want you to worry anymore. You have a big dog. Right here."
He made a fist and thumped it against his bare chest.
"No, Donnie. If he does find me, he'll kill you. He said he was going to kill me too, if I ever ran off or if I ever…"
"If you ever found yourself a man?"
She nodded. Well, no fucking wonder she was so skittish. He felt like a giant ass for kissing her outside the other night. She'd been looking for this Carl bastard. He almost hoped he did come looking for her. He'd be in for a big fucking surprise.
"Do you want sugar?"
He was on his feet again before he knew what he was doing, his hands reaching for her, spinning her to face him and taking her mouth in a kiss that scalded both of them. He could not stop kissing her, could not stop his hands from molding the curves of her body to his, could not stop wanting more.
He wondered if he took her to bed a couple of times if this unquenchable thirst for her would be satisfied. He doubted it. It would take a thousand times and he'd still want her. But maybe he'd be able to think about something else for five minutes.
Donnie knew he was in danger of falling for this girl. Hard. But he didn't care anymore.
He had her leg around his waist with his huge palms cupping her round little cheeks when he finally came up for air. They were both breathing heavily.
He stared at her, wondering how he’d even mistaken her for pretty. With her flushed cheeks and tousled hair, she was fucking beautiful. The most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.
One of her tank top straps had slipped off, revealing a smooth golden shoulder. He kissed her there, lightly. Then moved up her neck with small deliberate kisses until he reached her ear.