Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Even his boots were sexy.
A pair of scuffed-up brown cowboy boots that were very well used.
I didn’t know what it was about the combination of authority and sex appeal he was exuding, but it was an intoxicating elixir that I wanted to drown myself in.
I’d kept an eye out the window for hours, thinking maybe he’d show up, but he’d never come.
Snow started to collect on me as I stood and stared.
“Are you going to stand there all night or get in the truck?” he grumbled.
I swallowed and walked toward him and his truck. “I guess I’ll get in.”
He opened the passenger door for me and helped me inside before slamming the door closed. His old truck didn’t have all the bells and whistles that his service vehicle did, but I found it more alluring. More real. More him.
The outside may not be much to look at, but the inside looked well-loved and clean. The motor purred like a grumpy kitten, and he looked much more comfortable in his personal vehicle than his work one. As if he was one with it.
“I have to head home and change out my personal truck for my work truck, then I’ll drive you back to your place,” he murmured as he checked his mirrors before pulling into traffic.
I didn’t argue, because why would I when he was being nice and giving me a ride?
I was insanely curious about where he lived, though.
This sounded like a dream come true to my nosy-natured soul.
“Sure,” I said a little too enthusiastically.
I felt more than saw him look toward me, and my heart started beating double time.
“How was work?” he asked.
“Great,” I lied.
Stacy had been on a roll today.
He’d been full of questions, and I hadn’t been able to get a moment’s peace until he’d gone home.
But then he’d come back…
“You did too much, didn’t you?” he asked.
I smiled. “I’m not sure if you’re familiar with what I do all day, but it isn’t all that physical. I spend a lot of time sitting in a chair.”
“Tell me about what you do,” he suggested.
The fifteen-minute drive to his house, I told him everything about what I did, starting with milking snakes, and ending with the more scientific side of it.
Throughout the entire explanation, he kept silent, nodding along at the appropriate times to let me know that he was indeed listening.
“I’ve got to say,” he said when I was done. “I never would’ve expected a chick to want anything to do with snakes. My sister would’ve straight up died if she even thought about having to hold a snake.”
“I can’t say that I was all that hyped about it,” I admitted. “When I started there, it was because my best friend’s stepfather got me the job. I was pretty desperate for anything at the time, and this one paid really good. For obvious reasons,” I rolled my eyes. “But it’s fun. And with my background in animal science, I slotted right into the scientific side of it. I didn’t realize I would be the one actually milking the snakes, though.”
“That wasn’t discussed in your interview?”
“I didn’t have an interview.” I laughed. “Best friend’s stepdad, remember? He would’ve given me the job whether I was qualified or not. But it works out that I was qualified. I do, however, think that the snake handling part of the job was actually something that was written into Stacy’s job description. I think that he’s afraid of snakes, so he just handed that job off to me.”
Before he could add much to the conversation other than what he had, he pulled into a driveway just north of Sawtooth and my heart skipped a beat.
Of course he would live here.
I stiffened, and he noticed the change in my demeanor almost instantly.
“What?”
I hesitated, wondering whether I should bother telling him what I was truly thinking.
“Nothing,” I lied, thinking that maybe this was something he didn’t necessarily need to know.
He eyed me suspiciously, but didn’t press me on it.
Which was good, because if he had I would’ve broken and shared with him just how much I disliked his home.
He wouldn’t have any clue how many bad memories were centered here.
I may have been young when I lived here, but I sure the fuck didn’t forget.
He got out of the truck, and I remained where I was, thinking it would be best to stay put.
But he had other ideas, and rounded his truck and pulled open my door.
“I’ll just wait…”
He didn’t wait for me to finish and unbuckled my seat belt for me.
I inhaled deeply, and the scent of pine and clean laundry invaded my senses.
“I…”
“Will come in because I’m not leaving you out in my truck while I get dressed,” he said as he all but lifted me out of the truck.
I winced, my body freezing up for a long moment as he placed his hand directly on a bruise.