Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
I hear a sob come from the doorway, and I know it’s my future wife. “Greta, you can come give me a hug too.”
Emily brings her close and I see her gown and let out a growl. “I’m sorry I ruined your night, Greta.”
“I’m sorry that you’re hurt. You could have died.” She leans in and gives me a gentle hug, but I need more. I slide my good arm around her waist and press her firmly to my chest.
“Then I would have missed seeing your beautiful face one more time.” She blushes and I want to drag her down to me and taste those parted lips. But a cough from behind her interrupts where my hazy mind was going. I loosen my grip as she pulls away.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Pamela Marsden, Detective Evans. How are you feeling?” Besides the growing ache in my balls, and pain on one side of my body I feel fucking fantastic. I don’t say that though.
“I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“You just woke up.”
“And I’m grateful for that, but I need to get moving.”
“You’re not going to be moving for some time. Although we were able to save your life and limbs, your femur broke in your leg and your muscles were damaged in your arm. So you’ll be resting and recovering in this room. Maybe in a day or two you can be released, but until then you have to be a good boy and rest.”
I don’t want to be in here, but I suppose it’s better than being six feet under.
Chapter Two
Greta
We step out of the room as they do their examination of Dean, except for Mr. Evans who stays for moral support. The hospital’s filled with officers waiting on news, including his partner Detective McKnight. Several of them look at me with questions in their eyes because they probably know I’m not family.
Still, they can stare and judge all they want because my mind is on Dean. My heart’s slamming against my chest as every nerve holds onto the memory of Dean’s possessive touch and tender words. The family is talking in a small huddle off to the side, but I just lean against the wall for all the physical support I can get. My knees ache to crumble as the weight of everything hits me, so I close my eyes and take several deep breaths.
The sound of heels comes closer and then I feel someone lean against the wall next to me. I open my eyes to see my best friend staring at me.
“Are you okay?” I ask her.
“I came to ask you the same thing.”
Does she think Dean and I have some secret romance going on? “Emily, I don’t know what happened in there.”
She rolls her eyes and scoffs, “Please. You enjoyed my brother copping a feel, but it’s still too soon for him to approach you.”
“You’re not bothered by it?” I question. Emily should be ticked. I don’t want her to think that’s the only reason I’m around. I’ve learned a long time ago that seeing Dean was a pipe dream, but I still love hanging with Emily. She makes me feel like I have a sister.
She pulls me in for a hug and then leans back, gripping my biceps. “Girl, you’ve been in love with my brother for nearly a year now.”
“It’s a year today,” I confess. Dean picked me up after midnight a year ago and I’ll never forget those gorgeous eyes with softness staring at me, begging me to trust him. I have and despite the past year of him avoiding me, I can’t stop the emotions I feel toward him. I gravitate to the man even to the point to pass by his condo on the off chance that he might see me. It makes no sense and yet, I can’t pull away. I’ve had several options for a prom date and decided I’d rather just go with Emily because a part of me felt like I was betraying a man I couldn’t have.
“Exactly,” she says, patting my nose. “You remember the exact date you two met.”
I huff, pulling away and returning to my post on the wall as I let my frustrations sink in. “So why can’t we be together? The state of Massachusetts law is sixteen.” I know most people would frown upon it, but I would sure as hell be happy. Hell, I’m nearly eighteen now.
“Yes, but he’s in a position of authority. There’s that little stipulation in there that means he can’t touch you until you’re a legal adult because it can be looked at as forced submission in fear of some sort of retaliation. Laws, you know they suck for people that follow them.” She rolls her eyes. Her eyes dart toward the other side of the room where a man I don’t recognize stands.