Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
"Are you counting them?" He snatches them from me and winces at the quick movement. The mood swings lately have been giving me whiplash. I’ve been trying not to take any of it personally. It hasn’t been an easy task. Especially when I’m used to bantering back and forth with him.
“Yeah, I was counting them,” I say truthfully. I know he’s hurting, but I’m not going to apologize for being concerned for his well-being. “I know you’re angry and worried, but you directing it at me isn’t going to change the situation.”
“I’m not directing it at you. You’re the one counting my pills.”
“You’ve been drinking.”
“And I haven’t taken any pills in hours, Mom.” Ouch. I might just make a call to his actual mom. Wouldn't that be a lovely way for the two of us to meet? “It’s not illegal for me to have a couple of drinks.”
“All right.” I’m not going to fight with him. Not when he’s like this, and honestly, it cuts deep. I don’t usually let people in, especially men. Kaden has been so different from the start, but then again, we haven’t known each other long. This could be the real him, and the mask is slipping. The thought alone makes my heart ache. "I wanted to check on you and make sure you have food." I open one of the pizza boxes and discover that half remains.
I want to say something about the pizza. It's not that I care if he eats all the pizza in the world, but Kaden eats clean. He keeps a pretty strict diet, and it's not about cutting calories. It's about eating a lot of foods filled with the nutrients you need. So I'm told. I'll eat whatever, but I'm also not a million-dollar athlete.
"I'm good. If you don't want pizza, we can order you something else." Kaden holds his hand out to me. I take it. He gives a tug, pulling me down to straddle him. "I missed you." He places a kiss on my neck. "Are you hungry?" he asks, placing another kiss on me.
"Not really." His hands slip under the dress I changed into after working my ass off. I can tell where this is going. Kaden's hard cock presses into my sex.
"How about I eat you?"
"You're healing," I remind him.
"So?" His fingers dip into the front of my panties. I pull my hips back so they slide back out. "You're wet." Kaden brings his fingers to his mouth, sucking them clean.
Yes, I am wet. My body has gotten used to the things Kaden can do to it.
"How about I take care of you?" I shift back more so that I can reach for the string on his sweatpants. His hands grab mine to stop me.
"You don't want to have sex with me?"
"I didn't say that."
"You don’t have to say it. You’re dancing around it.”
"You're healing."
"You mean broken."
"Kaden! You're not broken."
"You were fine fucking me when you were sure I'd still be a star football player."
It's a sucker punch that lands exactly how he intended. I start to get up, but he stops me, gripping my hips. "Let go," I order.
"It's like that now. Right." He lets out a humorless laugh but releases his hold on me. I quickly get to my feet. "Why are you all dolled up tonight?" I'd picked the dress because I thought Kaden might enjoy seeing me in it. It's him, after all, that has let me be more open to embracing all the girly things I've run from my whole life.
"I have dinner plans."
"Since when?"
"I told you last night. It's for work."
"With Jasper?" I nod. It's with him and my boss. We are near closing this deal. "I'll come with you."
"That's not a good idea."
"Are you saying I can't go with you?"
"You should rest." I glance at the scotch. "Sleep it off."
"Right, I'll do that." He leans forward, grabbing the bottle and taking a giant swig. "Got nothing to say?" he asks, dropping it back down onto the coffee table with a loud thud that makes me cringe. Thankfully, the bottle is expensive, so the glass doesn't shatter.
"No, I've got nothing to say."
"That's a first." I fight the sting of tears that burn my eyes. I will not cry over a man.
"No, Kaden. That's the last," I say before turning to leave. I hear Kaden call after me, but I ignore it. I ignore him.
But I'm no longer going to ignore myself. I told myself to stay away from Kaden Gunner. I should have listened.
Chapter Twenty-Two
KADEN
“If I wanted to do stakeouts, I would have gone to detective school,” Graham complains. He checks his million dollar Rolex again to see how many seconds have passed since the last time he looked at the watch face.
“I didn’t know there was a detective school.”