Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I’d love to see him, but I can tell by the energy around me that King isn’t here. There’s just a vitality to the air when King is nearby. Without him, it’s sad and empty. I’ve got it bad for him. Before, my head was full of chaotic thoughts and confusion. Now, I can’t summon it up at all. All of the sudden, I’m certain. King’s a good man. If he wasn’t he wouldn’t have cared for me during my headache. He would have taken his anger at Thomas out on me. Instead, he handled me with kid gloves and worried about my safety. I need to stop letting my past color everything I do.
After the mental pep talk, I slide my feet carefully to the floor and make my way to the bathroom. I feel gross and sweaty after having the warm towel on my head and blankets wrapped around me. I take a quick shower and wash away the grime. After brushing my teeth and finger combing my hair, I feel almost like a new woman. Even my stomach is growling, reminding me I haven’t had anything to eat since Mason called and upset me.
I make my way to the kitchen to see what I can find to eat. My hopes are dashed as I stare into a practically empty fridge. There’s not much you can make with cheese, ketchup, yogurt, and pickles. I really need to go to the store. I’ve been living on takeout, or just eating at work because I’ve been putting in a lot of overtime. I close the door and glance around my kitchen, finding a banana on the counter. I grab it, leaning against the counter about to peel it when I cry out. The front door opens. My body locks into place as I prepare to deal with Mason.
“You okay, Shelby?” King asks, his hands loaded down with bags. I blink to make him come into focus—the past getting confused with the present. Mason’s image fades away and I pray I never see it again.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, holding a hand to my chest as my heart beats frantically inside.
“Trying to take care of you,” King says, shutting the door behind him, setting the food down and locking it before walking into the kitchen. “You’re supposed to be sleeping. What are you doing up?”
“I woke up feeling better, so I took a shower and now I need to eat because I’m starved,” I tell him, eyeing the bag. He leans down to place a soft kiss on my lips making me smile.
He’s a good man…
“You were going to eat a banana for dinner?” he asks, quirking his eyebrow.
“I haven’t had much time to go to the grocery store,” I explain with a shrug.
He shakes his head, setting the diner bag on the counter. “Good thing I brought supper.”
When he opens the bag to show two containers the smell of the food hits me.
“Oh my god, is that my grandmother’s corned beef and hash?” I ask, excitedly.
“Yeah.” King laughs. “She said that would make you feel better.”
“You have no idea,” I groan.
“You know, beautiful, a man could get jealous of the way you react to food. I’d rather I was the one to drive you wild.”
I look up at him and don’t even try to hide my blush or the way his words affect me. He has no idea how he makes me feel. Just staring at him now sends shards of hunger through my body—hunger that is all for him.
“Your food didn’t look like something I’d eat. So, I had Billie pack me up the special of the day.”
He opens his container to show off a crispy order of fish and chips.
“You don’t strike me as a fish kind of guy, King.”
“It’s not my favorite, but when I told Billie I was staying with you, she wasn’t too happy with me. I’m lucky she gave me food at all so, I’ll take what I can get.”
“My grandmother doesn’t want you here,” I acknowledge. She doesn’t want me involved with a man like King. She’d rather I find the boring accountant I was thinking about yesterday.
“She thinks I’ll bring trouble your way,” King admits.
“Grandma Billie is smart, especially when it comes to men. If I had listened to her, I wouldn’t have dated Mason,” I tell him. “You’ll never know how much I wish I could go back and follow her advice.” I let out a heavy sigh.
“I’m not here to hurt you, Shelby. Your grandmother is wrong this time.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“I’ll just have to prove it to you,” King compromises. “Now eat so I can give you your surprise.”
He pushes my food over to me with a plastic fork on top of the container. He hands me a soda and I take a drink gratefully. My stomach growls again as I take a big bite, moaning. My grandmother’s food always makes me feel better.