Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
The smell of something delicious baking caused me to open my eyes. For a moment, I wasn’t sure where I was. Once I sat up and looked into the kitchen, I smiled. Harper was cutting up carrots.
“How long was I asleep?” I asked, scrubbing a hand down my face.
“Three hours.”
“Three hours?!” I repeated. “Jesus.”
She chuckled. “That walk up the steps must have tired you out.”
Slowly standing, I stretched. “Maybe. I’m starving. What is that I smell?”
“Roasted chicken, steamed broccoli, and a salad. Mom brought me some romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, and cucumbers from her garden.”
“Damn, that sounds good.”
Harper looked up and winked. “It will be good. I hope you don’t mind, but James and Gavin wanted to stop by to see how you’re doing, so I invited them to dinner.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
I walked into the kitchen and slipped onto one of the stools at the island. “Need me to do anything?”
With a shake of her head, she turned and opened the fridge, taking out a bottle of water and handing it to me. “Be sure you drink lots of water.”
“Yes, Doc.”
Harper rolled her eyes but smiled at the same time.
“Do you know where I put my phone?” I asked.
“It’s right here,” she said, snatching it up from a nearby counter. “It was in your bag, and I took it out because it kept going off.”
I grabbed it from her and said, “Let me guess, my mother?”
Harper shrugged. “I didn’t pay attention to who it was. Just silenced it and set it aside. You were sound asleep when I returned from checking in on my mom.”
“Yeah, I was fighting to keep my eyes open. I hope this tiredness goes away quickly.”
“It’s your body healing, Declan.”
“I know. I’ve never been good with just sitting around, though.”
“What about in the Marines? Did you ever get hurt badly?”
I nodded. “I did, but nothing that required a hospital stay. And we didn’t have time to sit around and baby our injuries. We had jobs to do, so we had to get back out there and get after it.”
Her eyes lifted to meet mine. “Well, there’s no getting after it here.”
I blew out a breath. “My mother called five times and left six text messages.”
Harper giggled. “She’s your mom, and she’s worried.”
“I called her when we were leaving the hospital.”
“She isn’t going to stop worrying about you overnight, Declan. You gave us all a scare.”
I nodded and reached for a carrot. I took a bite, and my brows flew up. “Damn, that’s one hell of a good carrot.”
“Freshly grown and all organic.”
Taking another bite, I glanced around the apartment before focusing on Harper. “She wants me to quit the force.”
She stopped cutting and looked at me. “What?”
“My mother. She wants me to stop being a cop.”
Harper tilted her head and regarded me. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her that I fully intended to return to work as a cop once I was given the all-clear. She was a tad bit upset and started to lecture me.”
Slamming the knife down on the counter, Harper folded her arms over her chest. “How dare she get you worked up about this? She was in the room when the doctor told us to keep you as calm and relaxed as possible!”
I nodded and jerked my head toward the knife. Harper looked at it, then blushed. “Sorry. It just boils my blood that she’s doing this to you. Why can’t your mother just keep her nose out of your business? No wonder Sean doesn’t want to stand up to her ever. She was a downright bully at the hospital when they came out and said you asked to see me. She insisted to the doctor that she should see you first, and he told her to push off.”
“He did?”
“Well, not in those words. But it’s her way or no way. I can tell you right now that she will not do that while you’re recovering. That I can promise you.”
I waggled my brows. “Seeing you all fired up like this is turning me on.”
“Oh no, mister. The doctor said no sex.”
I was positive my eyes nearly popped out of my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear that.”
She nodded. “I asked, and he said not for at least a few weeks. You need to keep doing your lung exercises and get cleared by a cardiologist.”
“Okay, so I can’t do anything strenuous, but I can still make you feel good.”
She pointed to me. “No. Nothing to get you overexcited.”
I frowned. “You’re no fun.”
Huffing, Harper turned and pulled a bowl full of salad out of the fridge and started to mix in the vegetables. “Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes. Do you need any help with anything?”
“If I can’t have sex, then the next best thing is going to the bathroom.”