Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“Me in a number of body parts spread throughout the state.” He stops laughing when he realizes I am serious.
“I promise you this is not going to happen. Look how about this,” he reaches behind him and pulls out his wallet. “Take a picture of my id and send it to someone you trust. That way they know who you are with and how to find me. How is that?” Well they definitely don’t show this happening on the ID channel.
“Sure. I guess that’s fine.” Nodding, he hands it to me. I pull out my phone, take a picture and send it to my friend Tricia before putting my phone back in my pocket. “Alright now what?” I ask.
“Now I am going to print out this list for you and then you and I are going to go back to my house.” That brings me to a stop. He notices and chuckles. “Surely you didn’t think we would be doing all of this from here, right? I mean this is 300 names.” Crap he’s right.
“I guess you’re right.” He removes his jacket while he gets to work printing and what I am doing? I am drooling over his tatted-up arms. Have mercy I didn't know I had a type but hot dog, his muscle corded arms are making me pant. They are made up of intricate designs and mostly black but the ones that have color are begging me to lick them. Wait, what? Lick them? No. Get a grip.
“Are you alright? You look a little flushed.” Yeah, I bet I do.
“Yep. I think I am just a little overwhelmed, ya know.” He nods and grabs the papers from the printer.
“I can imagine. Well I am ready to go. Where are your bags?”
“Over there by the door in reception.” Walking toward the door, he grabs my suitcase and thus the adventure begins.
The ride to his house is casual and filled with basic questions and answers. He told me he loves honey buns and has to eat them heated up with a glass of milk. He despises hazelnut anything and prefers caramel based ice cream to anything else. All respectable things I say.
I told him my favorite guilty pleasure is seafood mac and cheese. I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches heated up in the microwave with the jelly oozing out and a glass of milk and if you say the word coconut to me I am walking out.
Suddenly he pulls into this massive house, and I almost ask him if he is sure we are in the right place. I mean don’t get me wrong it is completely not okay to assume anything about a person, but he does not look like a man who would have a family home unless… “Are you married?” I blurt out as we walk up the steps. Instead of answering me he ushers me inside and shuts the door. Whipping around, I turn and tap my foot waiting for an answer. “Well?” he stands looking at me unaffected, something dangerous and delicious passing over his face before he answers me.
“No. I’m not married.” I am not sure I believe him, so I walk around and look at pictures. There are a number of them, some within them some not. But I notice there is a young girl in most of them and I begin to assume when he comes up behind me, so close his breath skates down my skin like brand new roller blades. “That is my little sister, Natalie. She is thirteen. After my parents died, they left custody of her to me in their will along with this house, our family home.” Now I feel dumb.
Without thinking I turn to face him forgetting how close to me he is. Our mouths are so close together, if I licked my lips he could probably touch my tongue. “I’m sorry.” I tell him my voice is so low I almost don’t hear it. His eyes are on my mouth, and I am dying to wet them, but then the sound of keys in the door force him to move. He walks out of the room leaving me to greet this tornado.
“Oh, hello,” the girl I now know as Natalie, says. Before I can introduce myself she squeals and claps her hands. “Oh thank God! He got that maid I was asking for. Excellent. Did he show you everything that needs to be cleaned?” Huh. This is awkward.
CHAPTER
FOUR
OLIVER
I walk around the corner and hear Natalie and January talking. “Did he show you everything that needs to be cleaned?”
“Whoa!” I say, ready to nip this shit in the bud. “This isn’t the maid, Natalie, this is my friend January. January, my sister Natalie.”
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry. It was crazy of me to jump to that,” Natalie says.