Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Nope.
Eliot wasn’t having that. She was already carrying an injury; he wasn’t allowing her to hurt herself. Reaching out, he took her hand and drew it away before she could hit herself again.
“No.” He made the word firm so she would know that he meant it. He wanted to treat this girl like she was made of spun glass. Because there was something infinitely fragile about her.
However, that didn’t mean she could be allowed to harm herself. To put herself at risk.
“No?” she whispered.
“No. Do not hurt yourself.”
“I wasn’t hurting myself. Just—”
“She was probably worried that I was going to get Marcus Junior out. I have a habit of doing that.”
He stared at Marcus in shock. “You what?”
“I like being naked. At home, I used to often walk around naked. It helped me think. Of course, I didn’t pay much attention to whether I was alone or not. We went through a lot of housekeepers before Isla.”
“You won’t get naked in front of other people,” he barked.
What the hell? Where had that come from?
They stared at him in shock. He had no right to make that demand. As he opened his mouth to apologize, Marcus spoke.
“See, La-la, isn’t that hot? I swear I nearly came in my pants.”
Good lord.
If he didn’t watch out, this boy would run rings around him.
He needed to take control back.
But only if you’re staying. Because stringing them on would be cruel.
He swallowed heavily. “I, uh… I…”
Spit it out.
Isla reached out with a sad smile and cupped the side of his face. “You’re not ready. It’s all right. Really.”
“Yeah, it’s my fault for pushing,” Marcus added with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Or sad. It’s obvious you loved your wife a lot.”
“We’re so sorry you lost her,” Isla added. “We know how special she was to you.”
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“Because you said so earlier and you’re so special too” she told him.
Chapter 12
Because you’re so special.
Those words kept rattling around in his head as he stood in his room. He’d asked for a different suite than the one he’d always been given when he and Anna visited. It was still a two-bedroom suite. One bedroom looked like a normal hotel room.
The other, though, had been set up as a playroom nursery. There was a single bed and a crib as well as a changing table and rocking chair. Nothing much else could fit. But it was enough.
He could see them taking a nap in here. Isla in the crib. She’d blink up at him with a shy smile while he rubbed her back to soothe her. Marcus might be standing in the corner with a red bottom, because Eliot could see him complaining over having to have a nap.
He’d pop the pacifier into Isla’s mouth before calling Marcus over to him so he could hug him tight.
A huge sigh escaped him.
“Anna, what am I doing? Why did I come back here?”
Rawhide Ranch had been one of her favorite places. Their favorite places. And it was a promise he’d given her… to one day come back here. To perhaps find someone else.
But he’d sworn to himself that he wouldn’t. No one would replace his Anna-bee.
But he couldn’t help but worry about who was going to look after these two.
Who was keeping them safe? Making sure they had everything they needed?
You could do that.
A knock on the door had him walking over to open it.
Derek smiled at him. “Hey, Eliot. I’m sorry it took me so long to come see you.”
“You’re a busy man.”
“May I come in?”
“Actually, I kind of have somewhere to be.”
“You’re leaving.” Derek sighed. “I can’t make you stay, but I had hoped you would. However, I understand—”
“Actually, no. I’m not leaving. I have to go to make a lunch date.”
“A lunch date? Uh, Eliot, you realize it’s closer to dinner, right?”
It was? Shit. Where had the day gone?
“All right. A dinner date then. I’ll talk to you later?”
“Sure.” Derek looked weirdly pleased. “Have a good date.”
“I will!”
“My tummy hurts.”
“Oh, no.” She rolled over toward Marcus. “Well, you did eat your weight in chocolate.”
“I’m sad. My big sexy teddy bear rejected me.”
“He didn’t reject you.” She slid her arm around his waist. They were lying on the bed in their suite.
Eliot had helped them tidy up all the stuffies she’d knocked over, but he’d been quiet the entire time. He’d insisted on seeing them back to their room before he’d left them standing there, empty-handed and sad.
“Feels like it.”
“Oh, Marcus.” She hugged him tight. Marcus didn’t do well with losing people. He’d lost his mom when he was just five. He and his dad had been extra close, so when he died along with Cullen’s father, Marcus had been devastated.
But they were talking about a man they barely knew. Sure, Eliot was nice and caring, and he seemed like the ideal Daddy. However, there was no way either of them should be acting like their heart was broken.