Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
My mouth drops and then closes again.
“But, that’s ridiculous.”
“No, it’s convenient. So we’ll be shopping all the livelong day, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off because you’ll be in a lot of dressing rooms. Well, until we get your size nailed down, anyway, then I’m really good at eyeballing.”
“You’re way too excited about this.”
“If shopping were an Olympic sport, I’d be the world record holder. Besides, Xander said you like to shop.”
“Sure. I do.” I nod and sip my drink. “But this is a lot.”
“It’ll be fun. And we can grab dinner when we’re finished.”
Actually, that does sound fun. And there will be so much more to choose from in Denver than I had in Montana.
“Okay, I’m excited.”
Brit grins and then looks at the board. “Better get back to Coop’s family’s box. But I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“It’s a date,” I confirm, and she leaves.
I’m facing the rink, and I’m not oblivious to the looks I’m getting. The phones and cameras pointed my way.
And with Xander gone, I’m way less comfortable.
So, I stand and move to the back of the room and snack on some chips and salsa.
When Xander walks back in, he strides straight to me, pulls me in his arms, and buries his nose in my hair.
“You smell so much better than that horrible locker room,” he growls.
He’s trying to be funny, but I can feel the tension in every line of his body.
“Are you okay?”
“I am now.” He takes one more deep breath and then stands tall and tips my chin up. “How are you doing?”
“Are you kidding?” I put up one finger. “I’m at a hockey game, which is one of my favorite things to do.” Another finger goes up. “I’m wearing my man’s jersey, and he’s with me.” Third finger. “Said man just fucked me in the private bathroom of his box in the arena. I’m really good here, Xander.”
He’s laughing as he leans in to kiss me. “Good. That’s what I want to hear. Let’s go watch the last of the game.”
I push inside the penthouse, take two steps, and then, with a relieved sigh, let the bags fall to the floor. And this is only what I carried with me. A ton was sent back here this afternoon.
Xander’s brows climb as he strides over from the kitchen, his eyes skimming over my loot, and then he simply kisses the hell out of me.
“So tired,” I murmur against his lips.
“I think you shopped until you literally dropped.”
I nod in agreement and feel like I can’t walk any further. His arms are the only things keeping me upright.
“So many stores,” I say, my voice bordering on a whine. “So much stuff.”
“Did you find a dress?” he asks.
“Two,” I confirm. “Two fancy dresses, Xander. Because they were both pretty and fit perfectly and Britney is an enabler. She thinks she’d be the queen of shopping, but really she’s the queen of enabling. I filled both this closet and the one back home, and that’s so silly.”
His smile slips. “Why is that silly?”
“Because I don’t live here, Xander. And I bought enough clothes to move in.”
And why does that bring tears to my eyes? Am I just so fucking tired from being out all day, walking endlessly and trying on outfit after outfit, and not getting enough calories?
Because I am hungry as fuck.
“Whoa, okay. Come on, wildcat. I’m putting you in a hot bath, and you’re going to get spoiled rotten.”
“I already am. Look at those bags! And I didn’t buy even one thing because you took away my credit cards this morning and left me with yours.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “That’s right. That was the deal. You paid for the stuff you bought back home, and I got to buy you things here.”
“This is way more than you should have done, and I don’t deserve it.”
“No more of this talk.” He takes my hand and leads me down the hall to the primary bedroom and through to the bathroom, where he starts the water in the huge soaking tub, and then turns to me and frowns when he sees the tears on my cheeks. “Hey hey hey. No, baby. Don’t cry.”
“I don’t know why I’m emotional. I really don’t. I’m super happy.”
“Yeah, you look happy.” Grimly, he grabs one of my hair ties from the counter and works my hair up off my neck and into a knot at the top of my head.
“You’re way too good at that. How many women have you had in here and tied their hair up for a bath?”
What is happening to me?
He frames my face and brushes his thumbs over my cheeks, over the freckles I know he likes, and then leans in to kiss my nose.