Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 70488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Whoa,” I said as I took the stairs behind him. “You need an elevator.”
He snorted. “When I need an elevator, I’m going to be dead.”
“Getting groceries up here would suck,” I pointed out.
He hummed. “I guess you’re right, but it’s not often that I have more than one or two bags.”
“What if you had a girlfriend and then got married and had kids? What then? You’ll need a hell of a lot more groceries, then you’d have your new wife making that haul up the stairs.”
He grunted. “I guess that could happen.”
When we reached the top of the stairs, I was slightly breathless.
He studied my face with a serious expression, taking in my elevated breathing and the pulse at my neck, then said, “I’ll talk to my contractor.”
I blinked. “Why?”
He didn’t answer.
He also let me go finally, which I hated.
Not having his finger in the waistband of my pants anymore felt like I’d lost my soul.
What the heck was wrong with me?
We rounded the corner of the stairs, and I stopped at what I saw.
The apartment wasn’t an “apartment.”
It was a massive, wide-open space that had the dining room, the kitchen, bathroom, the laundry room and the bedroom.
“Whoa,” I said.
“There’s more beyond that door over there,” I said. “It’s getting finished out and everything. But for now this is livable.”
“Can I see?” I asked.
He nodded and led me to the door. “At first, I was just going to make it into a one-bedroom apartment, but the contractor, Koen, said that this place could be a home if I took the time to finish the rest out. For now, this is where I’ll be staying. When he has the other end done, then we’ll break out a wall to make the hallway, and I’ll probably move into one of the other bedrooms. The bathroom will eventually be enclosed, along with the laundry room and the closet.”
“Nice,” I breathed.
I was in awe.
This place was pretty darn cool.
Exposed brick. Wood on the ceilings. Dark-stained concrete floors.
It was my Pinterest board come to life.
The back would be even cooler, I knew.
He led me through the closed door, and I heard the hammering before I saw anyone.
“Great soundproofing,” I mused.
“The best,” Hux confirmed.
“When are you moving in?” I asked.
“When they’re done.” He shrugged. “Plus, I kind of feel bad, because Benz likes going outside, and she won’t be able to do that here.”
“She has a lot of room,” I pointed out. “It’ll be okay.”
“Maybe,” he agreed.
We came to a stop at the first bedroom, where I spotted Koen in the corner of the room talking to another man I didn’t know.
Koen was a part of the Dixie Wardens MC and a general contractor. He also owned several businesses in town, along with an RV park I’d briefly considered moving into when I’d first decided to move here.
In the end, I’d chosen to take Birdee’s place. Which sometimes I hated, because the Hubers made it damn near impossible to enjoy any time outside—or even inside sometimes.
I felt like I had eyes on me twenty-four-seven in my own damn neighborhood.
It felt slightly suffocating.
“Ah, Hux.” Koen pushed off the wall and came our way, his eyes briefly hitting on me before settling on Hux. “You got a minute?”
“Go on,” I said. “I’m just going to explore.”
Hux winked and stepped away with Koen, leaving me in the room as I stared at what was going on in the floor.
“What are you doing to the floors?” I asked curiously.
“Putting in new heated floors,” the man said. “Better ductwork and insulation, too.”
“Oh,” I breathed. “Heated floors. That sounds heavenly.”
“Heavenly, and pricey.” The man chuckled. “But it’ll be real nice in the middle of winter, that’s for sure.”
I left him there, wandering my way throughout the house.
There were six bedrooms in total.
There was also a back set of stairs that led directly to the outside.
But there was parking on the backside, which I recognized as where Hux usually parked his truck and bike.
“…elevator,” I heard Hux say.
I turned around and spotted him at the end of the long hall.
“Can easily add one to this end,” I heard Koen say as they continued to walk toward me.
I leaned against the door and watched them come.
Koen was wearing a Henley, jeans, and boots just like Hux was, but in a different color.
Koen’s boots were also covered in sawdust and he kicked up even more as he walked, not noticing.
I noticed, though.
But only because the sawdust in the air, paired with the sun that was coming in through the open doorways, were making them look kind of ethereal.
They finally reached me just as the door behind me was pulled open.
I would’ve gone ass over tea kettle had Hux not moved like lightning, pulling me into his arms and against his solid body.
“Shit, sorry,” I heard someone say.