Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
He pushed me onto the bed, and I started picking items out of the basket as he slipped the ridiculously soft socks onto my feet.
“Oh, yeah, that can be cooled or heated up,” Detroit said as I lifted a heavy eye mask. “To help with the headache,” he explained. “There’s another bigger one for your shoulder too.”
“This is all too much,” I said as I pulled out a piece of chocolate, unwrapped it, and stuck it in my mouth.
“Not even close,” Detroit said. “There is one more thing. But we’re gonna give it to you in the morning,” he said as he moved the basket to the nightstand, so I could pick through it, but also get under the covers.
He flicked the new blanket over me, handed me the new Squishmallow, then joined me in bed.
“Tell me again,” he demanded, voice soft as we both settled in.
I didn’t need to ask what he meant.
“I love you,” I told him.
“Think I’ve been waiting my whole life to hear that outta the mouth of the right woman,” he said. “I love you too,” he added, pressing a kiss to my temple.
Not much was said after that.
It had to be closing in at one in the morning. Maybe even later. It had been a hell of a day. We were both exhausted.
Or, at least, I was.
I passed out quickly.
I didn’t realize he didn’t too until I woke up the next morning to find him red-eyed, like he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.
Like, maybe, he’d been up all night watching me to make sure I was okay.
God, if I didn’t already love the man, I would have fallen hard and fast with him at the first light of that morning.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked, brushing some hair out of my eye.
“Achy,” I admitted. “But the headache seems better.”
“Don’t be surprised if you’re a little dizzy today,” he said. “So try to move slow,” he told me.
“I’m not the most graceful on my best of days, so that is probably good advice,” I said. “What time is it?”
“Eight or so,” he told me. “You could go back to sleep.”
“I want coffee,” I said. “And breakfast. And to know what my other present is,” I added.
Admittedly, it was that third thing that was going to get me out of bed.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved presents and surprises as a whole. Even the littlest of things. My mom used to drop me off a muffin at the gym when she took a coffee break from work, and I swear my whole day was great after that.
There was just something to knowing people loved you and were randomly thinking about you enough to buy you something or bring you something.
“Luckily for you, Raff got up this morning and went to get French toast at the diner.”
“He didn’t,” I said, already salivating at the thought.
“He did. Should still be hot, too.”
“Then I better get a move on,” I said, throwing the covers off a bit dramatically with my good arm.
“Slowly,” Detroit reminded me as he got off the bed too, hovering over me as I got to my feet, like he might need to catch me at any moment.
I was a little woozy when I first stood, and when I looked too quickly to the side, but it faded pretty quickly.
Detroit threw himself together as I did, and he led me to the freight elevator and toward the kitchen.
Where Raff was standing.
In an apron that must have belonged to one of the girls because it was pink and frilly. A spatula was in his hand.
“I already told her you got it at the diner,” Detroit said with a chuckle as he eyed the plate of French toast.
“Man, come on,” Raff griped. “I was gonna get all the points for this.”
“Despite the fact that there are no pans on the stove, no syrup bottle, a to-go container sitting right on the counter, and the fact that she’s not an idiot?” Detroit shot back, smirking at his club brother.
“You’ve got me there,” Raff agreed, unbothered, as he brought me my plate to the table, then sat down himself with a to-go container of what looked like every breakfast food known to mankind. Still wearing the damn apron, mind you.
Detroit made us coffee, then got another to-go container, and brought it to the table to start eating.
“So, ah, can we give her the last gift yet?” Colter asked, ducking his head in from outside, face a little red, like he’d been out there for a while.
“You ready?” Detroit asked.
Was it so big that it had to be outside?
This was… odd.
“Absolutely,” I agreed.
“Okay. Come sit on the couch and close your eyes,” Detroit said, and I could feel him sit down beside me.
Honestly, I was kind of bouncing with excitement. Whatever it was, I was sure I was going to love it.