Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I fucked up years of sobriety in the middle of the band’s big break.
I wasn’t sure Jesse would ever forgive me, but he did. He even forgave me enough to let me be his best man when he married Brianna.
I didn’t deserve his forgiveness, and I certainly don’t deserve to be staying at Diana’s house.
But my therapist always says not to feel guilty when someone offers me something. That I’m worthy. That I deserve it.
I still don’t believe him, but I am taking it. I’m taking it for selfish reasons.
Because I want to be near Diana Steel.
She’s beautiful, of course, and I won’t deny my extreme attraction to her, but that’s not what this is about.
This is about me surrounding myself with good. It’s about me having a place to stay so maybe I won’t be tempted to go to a bar…or worse.
I finish my breakfast, grab my duffel, and head to Diana’s.
Chapter Five
Diana
I have two spare bedrooms in my penthouse. One is a little bit larger, so I like to save it for when family members come to visit.
The other is smaller, but it still has an en suite bathroom and a queen-size bed. The problem is the bedspread is pink, and Dragon Locke is decidedly not a pink kind of person.
I feel like I should redecorate it in black and concrete. Something that matches the color of Dragon’s aura, as my cousin Ava would say.
Luckily, the bedspread is the only pink thing in the room. The rest of the items are pretty neutral—light oak furnishings, including the headboard, and two off-white armchairs upholstered in velvet. This is also the room where I display my eclectic collection of art that I’ve collected during my travels.
There’s a beautiful painting of a carousel coming to life that I bought in Saint Louis, a bold print of a turquoise octopus I purchased in Virginia Beach, and an exquisite photograph taken over beach umbrellas in multiple colors that I got when I was visiting Sarasota, Florida. I doubt that Dragon has much of an eye for art, but—
I stop myself. He’s literally in a band. I caught him humming a tune of his own composition when he was having dinner here last night. If any man I’ve met would have an eye for art, it might just be Dragon Locke.
Not that Dragon is a man that I would…
I shake the thoughts out of my head. I remove the pink bedspread, fold it up, and store it in the linen closet. I’ll order a new comforter in some neutral color, but for now, I take a brown fleece blanket out of the closet and put it over the bed. I wish I had something black, but brown will have to do for now.
Everything else is in order. I even have shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste in the bathroom for guests.
Now I just have to wait until he gets here. I don’t have his number, so I can’t call him. I don’t want to call him anyway.
He’s so difficult to talk to.
I stand in the doorway and take a look around the room. At the oak nightstand, the driftwood lamp, the tall dresser, the walk-in closet.
It’s not perfect, but it will do.
Especially considering that Dragon is staying here for free. If he were staying with any other friend, he’d have a couch to sleep on at best.
Then I glance at the door.
It only has an indoor lock, which I think is fine for him.
But I’ll have a key lock on my own door by the end of the day. Anyone can open an indoor lock with one of those little tools, and it’s not that I don’t trust Dragon. I don’t think he’s a rapist or a murderer. I wouldn’t allow him to stay here if I did.
But the fact is that I don’t know him, so I’ll be cautious.
I head back to the kitchen and grab my phone from the counter to call maintenance for my building.
“Maintenance,” a voice says.
“Hi, this is Diana Steel in the penthouse. I’d like someone to come up today and install a key lock—no, make that a digital lock—on my bedroom door.”
“Of course, Ms. Steel. I can have someone there by two p.m.”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
I end the call and—
My intercom buzzes.
Can’t be Dragon already. It’s barely past nine a.m.
“Yes?” I say into the intercom.
“Morning, Diana. It’s me.”
His husky, low voice sends a shiver through me. I steady myself and lean into the intercom. “You’re early.”
“I can come back later if you want.”
“No, it’s okay.” I clear my throat. “Come on up.” I push the button to open the door.
Good thing I was up early and got his room ready.
I suppose the next thing is to call security and let them know I’ll have someone else living here. He’ll need a key that will work for my place and the front entrance.