Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Right.
She could have done that.
“Yes, well, you were freaking out about Hayes’ butt,” she said before thinking better of it.
“We are not talking about Hayes’ butt.”
Uh-oh.
He looked like he was about to reach level three and start pacing. Lord help her if he crossed his arms over his chest. At least he couldn’t order her to come to him.
“Ever?”
“Ever. You are not talking about anyone’s butt.”
“Not even yours?” This was a confusing conversation.
“Well, I, um . . .” he trailed off and ran a hand over his face. “I think I need some more sleep.”
Guilt filled her. “I’m really sorry I woke you up.”
“Don’t say you’re sorry.” He studied her with those piercing eyes and she realized he wasn’t wearing his glasses.
“You aren’t wearing your glasses.”
“No. I can still see without them; it’s just that some things are blurry. And I raced in here when I heard you screaming. Hayes did, too, but he left me to it. We, uh, didn’t want to crowd you.”
That was nice and also really embarrassing.
“I’m still sorry. This isn’t exactly in your job description.”
“I don’t care about my job description. I care about you.”
Lord.
Those words.
They hit her hard. Made her want to lean into him. To let him take care of her all the time.
You cannot fall for pretty words.
But it was more than that. He followed his words up. Every. Time.
She’d been fooled before by lies. Deceived and used by those who were supposed to take care of her.
So she should be more careful.
She’d known him ten days. That wasn’t enough time to trust in him.
“Will you tell me what the nightmare was about?” he asked. “You sounded so scared and you’d stopped breathing. It was terrifying.”
“Sorry,” she whispered again, her gaze dropping.
She felt so guilty for waking him up. For scaring him.
Always causing trouble, aren’t you, Belle?
“Hey, Bebe.” Corbin touched his hand to hers and she flinched.
Fuck.
She really hadn’t meant to do that.
“Sorry.”
His gaze narrowed down on her hand, which she had moved away from his. Something strange filled his face.
“You know I’d never harm you, right, Bebe? And I’d kill anyone who did.”
Wow. That was rather dark.
And it was also a salve on the wounds in her heart. Even if it was just words . . . it meant a lot.
“I know you wouldn’t. Sorry. I just . . . I was thinking about something.”
Someone.
“Hmm. You need to stop apologizing. I don’t like it.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Um, you’re the one who tells me I need to apologize, but now you don’t want me to apologize? You seem to be having some trouble making your mind up. Is that often an issue for you?”
“Now, there’s the Bebe I know and . . . um . . . well,” he said awkwardly.
“I think I’ll try to go back to sleep,” she said hastily.
He stood and looked around as though unsure what to do with himself.
He reached for his glasses, then seemed to realize they weren’t there. “Do you want me to stay until you go back to sleep?”
Yes. I really, really do.
“No, it’s all good. I’ll be fine. You go back to bed.”
He nodded before he started backing away toward the door. “Sleep well.”
Yeah.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t likely to happen.
16
Bebe swung the sledgehammer back.
Damn.
This thing weighed a ton. How the heck was she supposed to get it into the wall with force?
Just as she tried to swing it, something grabbed it and she let out a scream.
Looking over her shoulder, she cried out again as she saw Corbin standing there.
“You scared me to death! Shoot! I think I might have peed myself.”
Great.
That was the sort of sexy thing you wanted to say to the guy you liked.
No.
No, nope.
He tugged the sledgehammer out of her hold and handed it over to Hayes who she hadn’t even noticed standing behind him.
Uh-oh.
Double trouble.
This wasn’t good. Especially since they were both frowning.
Well, Hayes was always frowning. That was just who he was. But when Corbin frowned . . . yeah, she was really in trouble.
Then Corbin went straight to level four and crossed his arms over his wide chest.
Double uh-oh.
She drew off her goggles. Ahh, that was better. They were smudged with dirt and dust.
She plastered a wide smile on her face and took a step back. “Good morning. I didn’t know you guys were up yet.”
“Well, if we weren’t, we soon would have been when the house caved in on us,” Hayes grumbled.
She frowned. “What are you talking about? The house wasn’t going to cave in.”
Hayes glared at her, then at Corbin. “You explain it.” Turning, he walked off.
With her sledgehammer.
“Hey! I need that!” she told him.
“No, you’re don’t,” he replied.
“Where are you taking it?”
“Outside.”
“Why?” she asked, puzzled.
“To hide it.”
Her mouth dropped open as she heard the front door shut.
“Hey! He can’t do that! It’s my only sledgehammer!” She tried to get past Corbin, but he put out an arm to stop her. She froze as she felt his arm brush her stomach.