Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
“What pain?”
She didn’t want to answer that. Instead, she rolled away from him. “I think it might be best if you left.”
Brody stared down at her in frustration.
Once again, she was shutting him out. And he had no idea what to do. How to get her to talk to him. But there was one thing he could do . . . something he should have done from the beginning.
Prove to her that he wasn’t going anywhere. Not let her push him away because of her fears.
Fix this.
“No,” he said firmly.
He saw the way she stiffened. “What?”
“I said no. I’m not going anywhere.”
“This is my house.”
“You’re going to kick me out, are you?” While he might not be a huge guy, he was much bigger than she was.
“Maybe.” There was some fight coming back into her voice.
Good. He didn’t like that she sounded down and defeated.
“Then get up and do it.”
She rolled over and stared at him incredulously. “What?”
“Get up and kick me out, Tutu.”
She glared. “I could call the police. Tell them a crazy man is in my house and won’t leave.”
He nodded. “Yep, you sure could.” He glanced around. “Where is your phone? Why isn’t it charging?”
“I don’t know. I was drunk last night.” She sounded slightly sulky.
“I’ll go find it for you so you can call the police.”
“Oh, stop. You and I both know I’m not calling the police.”
He couldn’t stop the smile from escaping.
“But I’m still not happy with you.”
And just like that, his smile disappeared. “I know, sweetie. And I don’t blame you.”
To his horror, more tears filled her eyes. Brody liked to think he was fairly immune to tears. Having grown up with a bunch of women, he’d seen a lot of tears over the years. But her tears were a punch to his gut. Especially because he knew he’d caused them.
His sisters would kick his ass if they knew what he’d done.
And he’d deserve it.
“Tutu, don’t cry. Please. I’m so sorry.”
“You left.”
“I know. I know.” He moved, crouching by the side of the bed so their faces were level. “I’m so sorry about that. I had . . . I had some thinking to do.”
“What thinking? About whether . . . about whether you wanted to be with me?”
He shook his head. “No. Nothing like that!”
“Then why couldn’t you do your thinking here?” she asked. “I thought you’d given up on me. That you didn’t want me anymore.”
“Tutu, no,” he whispered. “Truth is, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. I’ve never told you this, but, uh . . .” He rubbed at the back of his head. “You know how I told you I tracked you down because I wanted to know whether you received money from the same company as Millie?”
“Yes?”
“I already knew the answer.”
“What?”
“I’d found it out months beforehand. But I was just . . . I researched you, and I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I even, uh . . .” he groaned. “That wasn’t even the first time I’d been to your place. It’s just that the other times I chickened out before I got to the door. So, you see, I was stupidly infatuated with you from the moment I saw your photo.”
After she carefully sat up, he handed her the electrolyte drink he’d gotten from her fridge. She took a few sips.
“Drink more, please? You’ve got to have a killer headache.”
“I do. And a really disgusting taste in my mouth. My teeth feel fuzzy.”
Yuck.
“Want me to help you to the bathroom?”
“I do have to pee. I can make it on my own, though. You, uh, you don’t want to get close to me. I stink. But just . . . you wanted me all that time? Before you knew me?”
He nodded. “I’m sorry if that seems stalkerish. You seemed sad and alone and scared. And I just wanted to make you smile. I know that sounds stupid.”
“Actually, it sounds really sweet.”
He stood and held out his hand to her. She slipped her hand into his, letting him draw her up onto her feet. “So you didn’t stay away because you were sick of me?”
He cupped her face between his hands. “Tutu, no. I’m sorry I disappeared like that. I promise, it won’t ever happen again. You’re going to have to get used to me being in your life all the time because I’m not going anywhere ever again.”
After showering, she dressed in a onesie. Today was the sort of day where regular clothes just weren’t going to cut it. It had long sleeves so she could pull it over her scars. Walking out into the kitchen, she still felt off.
Something kept tickling her memory. Something about last night.
The smell of food cooking made her stomach turn. She headed over to where Brody was standing in front of the burner. Bacon and eggs were sizzling in the pan.