Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“What kinds of impulsive decisions do you make?”
“Ordering a peanut butter and espresso smoothie on an empty stomach, for instance.”
Burgess couldn’t hide his incredulity. “Jesus Christ, you ordered that? I thought it was on the menu as a joke.”
“It should be,” she breathed, feeling her forehead with the back of her wrist. “I feel like I’m leaning up against an electrified fence.”
He hummed. “Caffeine jitters.”
She looked around. “Is everything supposed to be glowing?”
A low laugh made its way free of his throat, a bit like an engine chug. The rusted sound caused her to look up, making eye contact. And they stayed that way for several seconds, hers curious, his rueful. Just this once, why couldn’t he have kept his fucking elbow to himself? “I wouldn’t have pegged someone who studied penguins in Antarctica for a year as impulsive,” Burgess said, knowing it was pathetic to try and prolong his time with her, but he couldn’t help it. “I’d call it adventurous.”
“You’d be surprised,” she responded.
“Would I? Try me.”
She tapped a finger to her lips, as if deciding whether or not she should cut their talk short and leave. Or stay and brighten his afternoon a little bit longer. “I do love an adventure. In theory, anyway. I used to love trying new things,” she started slowly. “But in the case of Antarctica, I was playing it safe. Living in an isolated research center in the cold, where I feel most at home. Seeing the same five faces every day. The familiar repetition of research. Documenting.” She paused, looking down at the table. “Before that, I lived on a boat for six months, interning on a coral reef conservation initiative in Mexico. Seychelles prior to that. If anything, I’ve been hiding.”
Knowing his voice would sound unnatural if he spoke right away, he swallowed hard twice before asking, “From what?”
“I think I should go.”
Burgess forced himself to accept her choice with a stiff nod. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind about taking the job, Tallulah?”
“No.” She pressed her mouth into a straight line. “Again, I’m sorry to do this on short notice. But like I said, I’ll help you find a replacement.”
Burgess chose to ignore that offer for now. He’d handle one problem at a time. “What is your plan from here?”
“Get a hotel room for the night. Go visit some apartment share listings tomorrow.”
Instantly, he was not a fan of the plan. Too much shit left to chance.
Burgess didn’t have any say in what Tallulah did. None whatsoever. She was a grown-up who obviously had no problem safeguarding herself. Unfortunately, there was a protective hum in his chest that grew louder the longer he looked at her. Tallulah was the best friend of his best friend’s future wife, right? An argument could be made that he was looking out for her safety.
As a favor.
Sure.
He’d lived in Boston for fifteen years and knew it better than anyone. And the idea of her settling for a place to live that was even one iota less safe than The Beacon wasn’t sitting well with him. At all. But he thought of his daughter. How he would want Lissa to be treated when she grew up and struck out on her own, vulnerable to the world. He definitely wouldn’t want some burned-out hockey player elbowing his way into her life as some kind of protector. Not unless she asked for it first.
Imagine this beautiful woman asking you to be her protector.
Burgess swallowed hard. “What is your ideal living situation?”
She seemed surprised by his question. “Um . . . well. In a perfect world, I’d be living with Josephine, but your grumpy golfer friend went and stole her out from under me.” His lips twitched at that. “Considering that’s not an option, I’ll look for another female student who is renting a room in a neighborhood that has good transit options. Being that it’s already late September, I might have some trouble locking down a decent place, but I usually have good luck with these sorts of things.”
“Do you have a budget?”
“It’s not exactly fat, because I’ve been interning for minimal cash. But I can float seven hundred a month for a room. For a while. Then I’ll need to find some lab assistant work in the near future to replenish my funds.”
When he wanted to wince, he nodded, instead.
Seven hundred dollars wouldn’t put her somewhere safe in Boston.
Even if she managed to find a room, it would likely be the size of a broom closet.
“What?” she prompted.
Burgess couldn’t quite stop himself from interfering, despite the fact that she clearly wanted to get the hell away from him. He shouldn’t question that. He should let her. But he couldn’t release her to the wilds of Boston real estate. Nor could he imagine a world where this was the last time he saw Tallulah. If there was a way to keep an eye on her without being in her face, shouldn’t he try? For her safety as well as his own peace of mind?