Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
“I’m okay. I’m staying—”
“No. Don’t tell me where you are.” Winter’s words were a surprise. “I stopped by your apartment a few times and nobody answered, so I figured you’d left town.”
Nikki didn’t reply. She’d only planned to say she was staying with a friend because she wasn’t sure she could trust Winter… or anyone.
“I want to be someone you can talk to,” Winter said into the silence. “And if you tell me where you are and it gets out, you’ll never know.”
Nikki blew out a long breath. “Thank you for that.” She had such a deep longing for the kind of friendship Winter offered, just the sound of the other woman’s voice triggered hope they could one day be true friends. “I’m okay. Staying off social media helps, and I’m trying not to think about what happened.”
“I’m glad. The reporters cleared out from the street out front, if it helps to know that,” Winter said.
“It does, actually.” Though she hoped they hadn’t swarmed her parents instead. That was a hassle she didn’t need. “I appreciate you checking in on me,” Nikki said.
“And I’ll do it again. Take care, okay?”
Nikki swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I will. Thanks.” She disconnected and laid the phone down on the nightstand.
Tired, she glanced out the window. It had begun to rain, and she closed her eyes, listening to the soft taps against the house. Next thing she knew, she was startled awake by a clap of thunder and jumped up in bed. That noise had always scared her, and eventually sent her running into Derek’s room where she’d make herself comfortable on the floor.
As an adult, a lingering fear of storms remained but as she was alone on this island, she had to suck it up. Just as she did at home. She rose from the bed and pulled a sleep shirt from one of the drawers, then walked to the bathroom, where she washed up, brushed her teeth, and got ready for bed, this time for the night.
Back in the bedroom, she glanced at a digital clock. Eleven p.m. She’d somehow managed to doze for a long time and was worried she wouldn’t fall back to sleep. Which meant she’d be in for a long night.
Lightning flashed in the window, followed by a crack of thunder that had her jumping at the sudden sound. Shit. She climbed back into her bed and picked up her phone, opening a book she’d been reading and trying hard to get into the story.
When that didn’t distract her, she even googled things to do on the island. But the wind picked up, slamming the rain against the house, and her heart beat harder against her chest. God, why couldn’t she get over this stupid phobia? Nothing was going to happen to her. She was safe inside. She reiterated the words over and over but couldn’t calm down.
She’d packed so quickly, she’d left her soundproof headphones at home, and since those didn’t completely block out the noise of a storm, the ones she had with her, the small ones that went into her ears, wouldn’t work, either.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and rested her head on the pillow, trying to regulate her breathing. Another flash of lightning and immediate thunder broke her attempted in-and-out rhythm. The light and noise came more often now, almost on top of each other, and the windswept rain pelted the house even harder. They must be in the center of the storm.
She sat upright in bed, her fingers in a death grip around the comforter, wishing she had someone she could sleep near. She might not doze off, but she wouldn’t be so worked up or panicked. A little voice in her head reminded her she wasn’t alone.
Asher was nearby. He was downstairs, in the primary suite he’d taken her to after she’d been stung by the jellyfish. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, debating whether she was desperate enough to join him. At the next loud boom of thunder, she was out of bed and running from her room and down the stairs.
She didn’t pause outside his door, either. She pushed it open and tiptoed inside. The bedroom was dark, but at the next flash of lightning, she saw him asleep on his stomach. The covers were draped over his waist, his back bare. He didn’t move, not even with the next roll of thunder.
She walked around to the empty side of the bed, pulled down the covers, and slid beneath. When he still didn’t twitch, not even one of those strong muscles, she relaxed and moved in closer, feeling his body heat without quite touching his skin. She lay there for a while, listening to the storm but concentrating on Asher’s deep breathing, letting it lull her into a tranquil state she’d never experienced before.