Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“About breakfast…”
Alanna turned with the sausage and waffles in her arms.
“Silas and all of us go to Waffle House to celebrate birthday mornings.”
“That would have been nice to know.”
Matthew glanced down at her ankle monitor. “We would have told you, but we didn’t want you to feel bad when we couldn’t invite you.”
“That’s okay.” Alanna went to the freezer and placed the sausage and the waffles inside.
“How about you go ahead and cook? I’m sure Fynn—”
“My breakfast is no comparison to Waffle House,” Alanna cut him off, smiling to show him that she wasn’t offended. “I don’t want to spoil Fynn’s birthday tradition.” Covering her mouth, she started to yawn, debating on getting started on Silas’ chores or returning to her trailer.
“Why don’t you take a nap?”
“I was thinking the same thing. I was just deciding whether to go back to the trailer or do the chores and sleep later.”
Matthew frowned. “Why not just take a nap here instead of going back and forth?”
“I couldn’t do that.”
“I don’t know why not,” he said firmly, taking her hand and leading her down a hallway to a door that was always closed when she was here. Matthew opened it then stepped aside to watch her reaction.
“Is the bed really hanging from the ceiling?”
He grinned. “Yes. Dad made it for Ginny and Leah to lie on so they could watch the stars at night.” The room was surrounded with curtained windows.
“You miss her very much, don’t you?” Alanna tightened her hold on his hand at the painfully sad look in his eyes.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. She was a beautiful child who had the most loving heart of any person I ever met. Until you.”
Blushing at the way he looked at her, she embarrassedly lowered her gaze to take in the outfit he was wearing. Not even ugly green camouflage could make him look bad. In fact, the tight green T-shirt emphasized his muscular chest.
Becoming aware that Matthew was giving her a knowing grin, she hastily tried to turn the heated atmosphere down a few degrees by giving him a threatening glare.
“Were you out there trying to kill Bambi’s mom?”
“Me?” Matthew put a hand to his chest in innocence. “No, I was watching my brothers trying to bag Bambi’s dad.”
“That’s just mean.”
“That’s just life.” He casually closed the door to lean back against it.
Alanna raised an eyebrow at his obvious ploy to keep them closed off if any of his brothers came.
“You have to take a few out so the population can remain healthy and thriving,” he explained.
“If you weren’t planning on shooting one, why did you take your bow?”
“Protection.”
She couldn’t help but giggle at his unrepentant smile. “How are you always in such a good mood?”
Matthew stepped away from the door to move closer to her. “Why wouldn’t I be?” he said seriously. “I have everything I could ever want on this mountain. The only thing that was missing was having a woman of mine to share it with.”
Alanna took a step back. There was no way she should be feeling the scope of emotions Matthew brought out in her so quickly.
“You want to go swinging?”
Before she could answer, she found herself falling back onto the bed, sending it swinging. Turning her head to yell at him for being sneaky, she felt it die in her throat at the laughter in his eyes.
“Have you ever heard the country song “Swingin’”?
“No, I can’t say I have.”
Matthew lay down next to her, sending the bed swinging again. “It’s an oldie but goodie.”
He started singing with an old-fashioned twang, which had her curling up in laughter.
“I used to come downstairs when Ginny and Leah were lying here and sing it to them then start swinging the bed. It drove them crazy.”
She winced. “I can sympathize. A singer, you’re not.”
Matthew rolled to his side to face her. “You don’t think so? I’m crushed.”
“Does nothing get you down for long?”
He braced his head on his hand. “No. Why should it? Life is too short not to make the most of every minute, and I refuse to give sadness more than five minutes of my valuable time.” He traced the line of her nose, and when he reached to the tip, he branched out to cup her cheek then slide down to place his palm over her heart.
How could he seduce her with one hand? Not to mention the warmth from that one hand extended to her whole body.
“I don’t think living to be over one hundred constitutes as being short.”
“No amount of time with you is ever going to be enough.”
“You might not be a good singer, but you would make a great songwriter.”
Matthew arched a brow at her.
“You don’t believe me?” She stared into his eyes, only to fall further under his spell. Unable to help herself, she raised her head and did something she had never done before. She kissed Matthew.