Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
“Do you still feel sick?” he asked. “Are you going to vomit again?”
“I-I don’t t-think so. Please.”
He set her down on her feet and she swayed, completely humiliated.
“Please leave,” she begged.
He peered down at her, shaking his head. “You aren’t steady on your feet. You might fall. You need help.”
“Please.”
“Why do you want me to leave?” he asked.
“Because I’m s-so embarrassed. I n-need to clean myself up. I c-can’t believe that I v-vomited all over m-myself. And it s-smells and it’s c-cold. And you sh-shouldn’t have to b-be here. I k-know you can’t w-want to be.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to be?” he asked.
She gave him an incredulous look. “Um, because I’m gross. I’m covered in vomit because I couldn’t hold on for a few more measly minutes. I stink. It’s disgusting.”
“You’re gross?” he asked. “You’re going to pay for those comments, Angel.”
She stood there, shaking and overloaded.
“What do you need from me?” he asked.
“T-to go.”
He shook his head. “I’m not going to do that. What else do you need?”
“S-Shower,” she said.
“Then I’m going to help you shower. Let’s get you undressed.” He reached for her clothes, pulling them off carefully.
Angie should probably try to help, but she wasn’t herself. She felt weak and numb.
“Wh-what’s wrong with me?” she asked him.
“You’re in shock,” he replied matter-of-factly. “The best thing is a shower and to keep warm.”
Okay. That sounded good.
He reached over and turned on the shower, then finished undressing her until she stood there naked and trembling.
“Who w-would do that?” she asked. “I d-don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“W-why not?” she asked.
“Because I’m going to take care of it. I will find who did this and I will kill them.”
The words shouldn’t have been soothing. She shouldn’t have let them calm her.
But she felt her panic starting to fade. Her shaking began to ease. And then he stripped off his clothes and a different feeling entirely filled her.
One that was warm and needy.
Was it wrong to feel like this when Rex was dead?
A whimper escaped her.
“Come on, Angel. Come with me.” He guided her into the shower.
“You didn’t n-need to come in w-with me,” she told him as she shook.
“Of course I did. You are close to collapsing. Jared would never forgive me if I let you fall over and you hurt yourself.”
“Is that the only reason you are d-doing this?” she asked as he grabbed some shower gel and started washing her gently.
“Because of Jared?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He stared right down at her. “No. That is not the only reason I’m in the shower with you.”
That was all he said.
But it was enough. Because he was also showing how much he cared as he washed her carefully. His touch lightly skimmed her skin as though he was afraid of breaking her.
“Shall I wash your hair?” he asked.
She shook her head even though she really wanted that. “It will take too long to dry.”
“I will dry it for you.”
“You will?”
“Of course. Turn around. I’m afraid it’s only Jared’s shampoo and conditioner, though.”
“That’s okay. There have been times in my life when I didn’t even have shampoo and conditioner. I’m happy with whatever.”
“From now on, you will only have the finest things in life.”
“North,” she said quietly.
“I mean it. The finest things. I know what it’s like to go without and as a child I promised myself that I would never go without again. And neither will you.”
“I’m sorry you grew up that way,” she told him as he turned her and squirted some shampoo into his hand.
“It was what it was. There is no changing it.”
No, she guessed there really wasn’t any changing the past. It still didn’t mean it was right. But she could also make sure that his future was far brighter. His and Jared’s.
And hers too.
North started washing her hair, he massaged her scalp, digging his fingers in and making her moan.
“You like that?” he asked.
“Yes, it feels amazing.”
“Good. Relax. Let me take care of you.” He kept massaging her scalp, then moved her under the water so he could wash the shampoo away.
Then he grabbed hold of the conditioner and started the massage again.
Lord.
That felt so good.
She closed her eyes and just let him take care of her. He washed out the conditioner and then turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her before he lifted her out of the shower and set her on her feet
He quickly dried her, wrapping another towel around her and one around her hair.
Then he picked her up, carrying her out of the bathroom.
“My dirty clothes,” she protested. “I should get them. Take them to the laundry.”
“I’ll take care of them later,” he told her as he carried her up the stairs. “By the way, don’t think I’ve forgotten that you came down the stairs on your own, either.”