Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“I remember your brothers a lot more from high school. That’s insane because they’re older.”
“You had a boyfriend and your friends. Besides, I was on a rival team. You probably didn’t pay much attention.”
“I said I remember them more. Not that I didn’t pay attention. I knew who you were. Everyone knew who you were. Then our dads became friends, and all my friends wanted me to ask you to hang out.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
She laughs again. “Are you kidding me? I was way too shy for that.”
“You?”
“Yes, me.”
I chuckle. “Okay, yeah, I remember that. You were.”
She looks at me through her lashes. “Do you still have a crush on me?”
I cup her face and run a finger over her lips. “Baby, I have way more than a crush on you. Come here, I’ll show you just how I feel.”
For the next few hours, I show her how crazy I am about her. How much I love her. My Rem.
Reminisce
I creep out of the bed on wobbly legs and pull on a silk robe. I need to pee first. Then I need to find my phone. I haven’t had it in hours.
I finish in the bathroom and shake my head as I leave Knight’s snores behind in the bedroom. My stomach growls reminding me that we opted not to eat dinner.
“Damn, I’m hungry,” I mutter.
I locate my phone and turn for the kitchen. I have to have some fruit or something to hold me over. I dig around in the refrigerator until I have fruit and the ingredients for an omelet.
I set a few things on the counter and go back for some cheese and scallions. When I close the door, I nearly jump out of my skin as I yelp at the top of my lungs. Knight catches the things that fly out of my hands before they can hit the floor.
“Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry,” he says in a sleep roughed voice. “I woke up and you were gone.”
“I went to the bathroom, and I needed my phone. I got hungry.”
“I’m starving too. I’ll make this. Go sit,” he says kissing my forehead.
With a smile, I round the counter and have a seat on one of the bar stools. My smile grows as I watch Knight move around my kitchen in his boxer briefs. His muscles move so fluidly as he goes about preparing the omelets.
“Thirsty?” he asks looking over his shoulder.
It takes me a minute to realize he’s talking about something to drink and not the drool his body has caused. He gives me a crooked grin and moves to get us both glasses of juice. I gulp mine down and he pours a second glass while the pan heats.
He makes quick work of slicing up the fruit and places the plate in front of me. I munch on the apples and pineapples, saving the strawberries because those are his favorite. I’m happily eating fruit while ogling him.
The wound on his back comes into view in the low light and my stomach turns. I place the pineapple back down as earlier comes back to me. Seeming to sense something is off, he turns to me with a worried gaze.
“You all right?”
“What happened earlier? You were upset about something before … before you had to help me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Please, Knight. Don’t do that. It makes me more anxious.”
He heaves a heavy sigh and turns fully to move closer to the island where I sit. I watch as a wide range of emotions cover his face.
“I think I’m done. I was offered a promotion today, and I couldn’t find it in me to take it. Not just because it was offered to me by an asshole. I just wasn’t feeling it.
“A few years ago, I would have jumped in headfirst. No matter the risk, I would have been all in. A lot has changed.
“The men they’re after, they have families, and they’re stand-up guys. Did they once have illegal ties? Maybe, but I didn’t see anything out of place while there. They run legit businesses to support their lives and their families.”
“Okay, so then the case should be closed, right?”
“Not when the head ATF agent has a hard-on for them. I built an airtight case on the biker gang that tried to extort them and force them into criminal activity, but that’s not enough for him.
“He’s looking for something not there. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those guys. They saved my life.”
“What happened?”
I swallow thickly. I’ve been wanting to ask for weeks. I hold his gaze, but he looks away quickly.
“I’m not ready to talk about that, nor can I.”
“Okay,” I say softly, hearing the emotion in his voice.
Forcing a smile and wink, he says, “Let me get you fed and back to bed.”