Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Mitchell shot me a look that dared me to say something. I forced myself not to laugh.
“It wasn’t that big,” Mitchell said.
“They couldn’t even see it on the X-ray,” I quickly added.
Lilly stood. “X-ray? They took an X-ray?” It was clear she was also fighting to keep in her laughter.
“Lil, I owe you big time,” Mitchell said. “You want me to walk you back to your place?”
She glanced down to his feet. “You want to put shoes on first?”
Mitchell held his head high. “I actually like these socks.”
“What if you step on something else? Two trips to the ER could be costly,” Lilly said with a huge smile.
“Fine!” Mitchell went to his room to get shoes.
“Please tell me there was an on-duty cop there tonight,” Lilly said.
I shook my head. “Nope. He’d just left.”
“Damn. News will get out fast with Bobby Jo there.”
I agreed. “I think she was on the phone with someone when we were leaving.”
We both busted out laughing. My stomach was going to be sore from the hilarity of this evening.
“Let’s go,” Mitchell bit out.
Lilly’s eyes widened as she followed Mitchell down the steps. “Someone is a grumpy bug.”
Once I got my giggling under control, I walked over to Chloe. “Chloe, sweetheart, do you want to sleep in my bed or in Uncle Mitchell’s?”
Sleepy blue eyes met mine. “Uncle Mitchell’s.”
I scooped her up and carried her up the steps to Mitchell’s room. It was the only room I hadn’t been in yet.
The moment I walked in, I smiled. I knew in an instant Mitchell had his hand in designing this room. It had a masculine feel, with gray-blue walls and a dark gray comforter set. The furniture was huge, yet had a classic look. Everything was clean and neat. Not even a piece of clothing on the floor.
“Totally opposite of me,” I whispered.
Lilly must have woken Chloe up to put her pajamas on. I smiled as I set her on the bed and looked at her Disney princess PJs. Pulling the covers back, I lifted Chloe’s legs and covered her up.
“Aunt Corina?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Will you lie down with me?”
My heart started beating twice as fast as normal. “You want me to lie down with you? Um, Uncle Mitchell will be back any second.”
“Please, Aunt Corina? I had a really bad dream and it scared me. I want to be between you and Uncle Mitchell.”
Her little eyes looked so scared, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her no.
“Of course. Scoot over, sweetie.”
I felt him the moment he walked into the room.
“Uncle Mitchell, I had a bad dream. I need a happy sandwich.”
“Oh no, pumpkin. We can’t have you scared.”
Peeking up, I looked at him. “She asked me to lie down next to her. She wants you on the other side.”
He nodded. “Let me get my PJs on.”
I realized I had yet to get myself into pajamas. Chloe looked at me and yawned. “Do you have PJs here, Aunt Corina?”
“Um, yes, I do. I’ll let Uncle Mitchell get ready for bed first.”
Mitchell headed into his bathroom. I couldn’t read him at all. Was his heart racing like mine? Was the idea of both of us being in the same bed making him think of the night we’d spent together?
When he walked out of the bathroom, I let my eyes travel over his body. He had on sweats and a T-shirt.
My gosh, he is so handsome.
“I’ll, um, be right back, Chloe.”
“Hurry, Aunt Corina! There’s a monster in the house.”
Mitchell sat down on the bed. “I promise you, squirt, there are no monsters.”
Chloe chewed on her little lip.
“Uncle Mitchell is a police officer, Chloe. No monsters would dare come in here. You’ll be safe with him.”
She nodded. “I still would feel better if you laid down with me. I miss Mommy and Daddy.”
My heart broke a little. “Why don’t you go get ready,” Mitchell said to me. “We’ll say our prayers.”
I swallowed hard. “O-okay. Be right back.”
In the guest room, I changed into the pajamas one of the girls had given me. Thank goodness they were modest! A pair of cotton pants with a matching shirt from Victoria’s Secret.
After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I headed back to Mitchell’s room. If I was lucky, they would both be asleep and I could sneak back down to my room.
I heard Chloe’s sweet little voice as I walked up the steps.
Dang it.
When I stepped into the room, Mitchell was lying on his side, singing a song to Chloe.
Boom. There went my ovaries. This man was going to test every ounce of strength I had. Just when I thought I had my emotions in check, he went off and did something like this. Never mind earlier, when I walked in to find him singing and dancing. If he asked me right now to sneak out in the living room and have sex I’d probably do it.