Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104869 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
His lovemaking had been skillful, diverting, and ultimately—as she’d now realized—lacking in any real passion.
All these months, Smith had merely been going through the motions. She cringed and died a little inside as she recalled him implying that he’d gotten more pleasure from his own hand than he had from their so-called “lovemaking.”
She now understood why.
She traced her gaze over his features once more and turned away. So familiar to her, she knew them like she knew the back of her own hand.
She winced and froze when her cane hit the coffee table with a muffled thump. He snorted softly and shifted with a quiet groan.
When he didn’t wake up, she released the breath she’d been holding, took another step and slammed straight into the side table, sending the tall lamp wobbling precariously.
“What’s happening?” Smith’s sleep-roughened voice asked. He sounded groggy and confused.
Kenny screwed her eyes shut. She squared her shoulders and turned to face him.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Why are you on the couch?”
“Because you were on the bed,” he grumbled without a hint of irony. He sat up. “You okay? In pain?”
“I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt as badly today. I don’t think the painkillers have worn off yet.”
“Okay.” He paused as if trying to gather his thoughts and pushed his fingers through his already messy hair. “I’ll get breakfast started and—”
“No, Smith. Stop it. Please. You don’t have to do anything. It’s bad enough you…” She stopped abruptly and shook her head.
“Bad enough I what?”
“You’ve done too much for me already. You didn’t have to move me to the bed. Why did you do that?”
Her question seemed to discomfit him and his shoulders shifted restlessly, drawing her eyes to the play of muscles beneath all of that beautiful golden skin.
“You looked uncomfortable,” he said, sounding a little self-conscious.
“I was fine. Thanks to those painkillers I was out like a light. I could have been sleeping out on that porch swing last night and I wouldn’t have known it. There was no need for you to be uncomfortable in my stead.”
She stopped, considered her words and recognized how ungrateful they sounded.
“But thank you. It was thoughtful of you.”
His eyes flickered and he averted his gaze before nodding.
“The bed is free now. Why don’t you get some more sleep?” she suggested. “You still look tired.”
He yawned, as if her words had reminded him of his interrupted sleep.
“Maybe just a couple of hours,” he acquiesced.
He got up in one lithe movement and brushed by her on his way to the bedroom, one warm hand grazing lightly over her elbow as he turned sideways to scooch by her.
The brief touch scalded her flesh and she was still absently stroking her tingling skin when he retreated to the room and shut the door.
She sank onto the sofa that he’d just vacated. It was still warm and smelled like him.
Warm and spicy.
So painfully familiar.
She was ready to wrap herself in the abandoned blanket and envelop herself in that scent.
Yeah, because that’s totally healthy, she thought with a snort.
She removed herself from the temptation and shifted to the easy chair instead, sitting there quietly for a long while, just staring into space as the room lightened around her.
She jumped when her phone suddenly screeched out its signature falsetto dummieeeees tone reserved for her sibling chat. Her brothers had never heard it, and she was pretty certain they’d take exception to it if they ever did. But as the youngest of four and the only girl, Kenny had frequently been aggravated by her brothers.
She considered ignoring the chat, but the silly tone went off again. And again. And…
She glared at her phone, which was still on the coffee table where she’d dropped it last night.
She groaned and leaned forward to pick it up.
She checked the chat and made an exasperated sound. Didn’t these idiots have anything better to do on a Monday morning? Surely they should be getting ready for work or something? It was seven-thirty, for God’s sake!
And so much worse, Kenny was the current topic of conversation.
Crap.
Cade
Christ! Am I the only one in this family who doesn’t do a runner when shit gets too hard?
Gideon
What’s going on?
Cade
Kenny’s pulled a Nox. She’s disappeared to parts unknown.
Nox
Technically, that’s called Pulling a Gideon.
Gideon
Fuck off, Nox. Everybody knew exactly where I was.
I haven’t pulled a Nox.
Nox
Come on, guys! we’re not calling it that!
Cade
You left town, Kenny. Took extended leave without saying a goddamned word to anyone about it. What would you call that?
A holiday?
Nox
That’s not like you, Kenny.
Gideon
Come to think of it, you have been acting a little weird lately.
Nox
Weird how?
I haven’t. I’m just tired. Overworked. I desperately need this holiday.
Nox
WEIRD HOW!!?
Gideon
You’d know if you bothered to show up for family events.
Gideon never missed the opportunity to take potshots at Nox.
Cade
Gideon is right, Kenny. You looked on the verge of tears at Christmas. And then you left early.