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)
Whatever. There’s spinach in this lasagna. I’m good too.
“It was a lot for the first day back,” I tell him and shift my shoulders, trying to stretch them out. “I don’t mean to complain—”
“Complain, Red. That’s what I’m here for. When shit’s tough, we eat dinner and talk about it. This is what it looks like for the rest of our lives. So, if you had a bad day, I want to hear everything. And trust me, I’ll be telling you all about mine too.”
“That sounds like a fair trade,” I tell him with a soft smile. “I can’t tell you specifics, but it was a long fucking day. And because we’re short staffed, it’s not like I could call someone in to help me. So it was back to back. This is the first meal I’ve had since before I left here this morning.”
He frowns over at me. “That’s not enough food.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. My head is pounding. And no, I didn’t drink any water.” I pick up the tumbler and take a long drink.
“Quit the fucking job, Red.”
I blink at him. “Come again?”
“Quit. I hate that you’re working yourself to exhaustion. You don’t even love this part of it.”
“I need my job, Xander.”
He looks like he’s about to get frustrated, but then he takes a breath, pops more food in his mouth, and watches me.
“I think we both know that you don’t need the job,” he says.
I, too, stay calm as I watch him in return and chew a bite of bread.
God, I love bread. And Cassie makes the best ever.
“You know that I’m not with you for the money,” I say. “But it’s not just that. I like to work. I’m good at it. There just aren’t any teams here that need a full-time physical therapist.”
“I’ve heard rumors that there might be a minor league baseball team coming into Bitterroot Valley in a couple of years,” he says and starts tapping on his phone. “Yep, says here that the stadium is breaking ground in the spring.”
“Where is it?” I ask him with a frown.
“I think they’re putting it on the edge of town out where that old sawmill used to be.”
“It’s been abandoned since before I was born. Time to put something there, I guess.” I take my last bite of food. “Too bad it isn’t hockey. You could coach there someday.”
He lifts an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. He clears our plates away and then circles the island, and when he’s in front of me, he dusts his fingertips over my freckles.
“How about that bath?” he asks.
“That sounds really good.”
“Come here.” He lifts me again, and I stop him when we get to the stairs.
“I’ll walk up. I don’t want you to put too much pressure on the knee.”
He kisses me before setting me down. “So much for being romantic.”
“Are you kidding? You’re drawing me a bath.” I climb the stairs and feel his gaze behind me. “And you’re staring at my ass.”
“Of course I am. It’s right there.”
“Hard to miss,” I say with a laugh, and then we’re at the top of the stairs and he tosses me over his shoulder and smacks my ass. “Hey!”
“Say shit about the love of my life one more time, Red.”
“It’s a true statement. I have a peach ass.”
“And it’s one of my favorite things about you.”
I smirk when he sets me on my feet. “Whatever.”
“Strip.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Now you’re being romantic.”
Xander laughs, starts the water in the huge freestanding soaking tub, and then turns to me.
“Want help?” He looks eager for me to say yes, and it makes me smirk.
“If you help me, the water will be cold by the time I get in it.”
I back out of his reach and start to take off my green scrubs. When I’m down to just panties and a bra, his eyes darken and he licks his bottom lip.
“Christ, you’re fucking beautiful.”
“Aww.” I reach up and pat his cheek. “Thanks. Are you going to get naked and join me?”
“No.”
I stick my lower lip out in a pout, and it makes him laugh.
“Get in, wildcat.” He takes my hand and leads me to the tub, holding on as I step into the steamy water and lower myself in, letting out a groan. “Good? Not too hot?”
“Damn perfect,” I reply with a sigh and lean back so I can lounge in the heat of the water.
Xander makes sure my braid is hanging out of the tub, and then he grabs my hairbrush and starts to undo the plait. Before he brushes it, he drags his fingers through it all, making me moan.
“I love it when you play with my hair.”
He hums behind me, and then he gets to work brushing it. He drags the bristles through the hair at my scalp, careful not to tug too hard.