Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Oh.” I bite my lip, wondering if I should just let it go, let him think that’s what I wanted to talk about. No, I can’t. I don’t think I will be able to be around him if he thinks less of me, especially when I seem to need him as much as I do. “It’s not that.”
“Excuse me?” He looks at me once more, his hands on my foot pausing mid-wrap.
“It’s about what happened on the couch. I…. Well, I just want you to know I don’t normally…” My cheeks burn even hotter as his eyes roam my face. “Well, I don’t do that kind of thing, like ever.” I squeeze my eyes closed then open them back up. “I mean, obviously I do that kind of thing. I mean, I don’t… but I have done it.” My eyes narrow on his. “Why are you smiling?”
“A few different reasons. But please continue.”
“I don’t think I want to now.”
“I can wait.” He shrugs, going back to my foot.
I stare at him for a long time, expecting him to ask me what I was going to say. When I realize he’s not going to, I give in. “Fine.” I let out a huff. “I just wanted to say I’m not normally that slutty.” His hands pause again and his head turns toward me. When his eyes meet mine and the words I just spoke register in my own head, I know I’m officially past embarrassment. “I’m just going to shut up now.”
“You’re not slutty, and I would never think you are. What happened between us was good, so don’t try to twist it in your head into something bad, ’cause that will piss me off,” he growls, his eyes blazing with something I have never seen before. “We’ve got chemistry. It was bound to happen. Was it too soon? Maybe. Will it happen again? Fuck yes, it will.”
“I…” Holy cow. Why the heck did I open my mouth? “I don’t know if that’s smart, Cobi.”
“You don’t have to know, because I do.”
“You seem… umm… pretty sure.”
“Never been more sure of anything in my life.” He pulls his eyes from mine then finishes wrapping my foot, having no idea the effect his words have had on me. When he’s done, he leaves the mess on the counter and picks me up, carrying me to my bed. Stopping at the side of it, he holds me in his arms then grumbles something I can’t make out before carrying me to the living room and placing me on the couch. “Stay here, I’m going to clean up the glass. You got an extra set of sheets somewhere?”
Stunned, I nod then point him in the direction of the hall closet where I keep my towels and extra bedding. I listen to him moving around, and then hear the sound of my vacuum start up. I watch the clock on the wall as I wait for him to finish, wanting to get up and help but having no doubt if I tried he’d carry me right back in here. When he’s finished, he comes back to get me then carries me to bed, setting me down. I’m surprised at the way he made the bed; most men I know of wouldn’t bother tucking in the top sheet or folding down the edge of the blanket.
“Thank you, again.”
“It’s not a big deal.” He shrugs as he takes off his badge, dropping it to my bedside table then doing the same with his cell phone.
I glance at both items then look up as he’s unclasping his belt and sliding it from his jeans. “Are you staying in here?”
“Yep.” Well, okay. Now what the hell do I do? I should play the non-hussy and tell him to sleep on the couch, but offer him a pillow and blanket, since he’s been so nice. I should probably do that, but I don’t. I don’t, because the reality is I want him close. I feel better when he’s around, safer even from my own mind when he’s near me.
“Okay.” I scoot over to the middle of the bed, and he smiles a soft smile before rolling over to turn out the light.
When he comes back, he lies down then tugs me into his side, leaving me no choice but to curl into him. Then he picks up his phone and I watch him set an alarm.
“That’s just four hours from now,” I inform him as he clicks off his phone and drops it back to the side table.
“Yeah, but I gotta get to work in the morning. Before that, I need to head to my place to shower and change.”
“I’m really messing with your life.”
“Yeah you are,” he agrees, and guilt hits me hard and fast. I know he has his parents; I know he has a cousin, aunt, and uncle. I also know he has a place of his own. Still, he’s spent the last three nights with me, taking care of me and bringing me dinner. “Don’t twist that, Hadley.” His arm tightens around my shoulders. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. There is nowhere else I want to be.”