Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“And during the day?”
“I’m a forensic accountant—on vacation for a few days currently.”
“A forensic accountant?” she echoed.
“Turns out I can look at any list of numbers and see where things don’t add up. My family finds that useful,” he joked before adding, “And I don’t have to wear fancy suits very often.”
Amber tried to imagine Rio dressed in anything other than jeans and a T-shirt. “I’d like to see that.”
“How about if I wear one tonight to take you to the dinner and dance,” he suggested.
“I’d love having you there with me.” Amber stared at him, trying to put together all the information she’d learned about him. Her mind whirled with all the revelations and events of the day.
“Drink your milk, Ella. Then I’ll put you to bed.”
Automatically, she picked up her glass and took another drink. Utter exhaustion dropped over her. Stifling a yawn, she retorted, “I don’t take naps.”
“You do now.”
“I thought we were going to look at the house plans,” she reminded him.
“There is plenty of time to review them. Now, it is more important that you rest. Finish your milk.”
She picked up her glass and drained it. When Rio approached and offered her his hand, she slid from the stool. Following him through the beautiful, yet livable home, Amber felt at home. It wasn’t too fancy that she’d worry about even sitting on the furniture.
Rio stopped at the end of the hall. “Go potty.”
As she darted into the bathroom, she saw the master bedroom to the right. When Amber returned to his side, wiping her hands on her jeans to dry them, he pointed out, “There are towels.”
“They’re too pretty to use.”
“No way.”
Rio stepped into the bathroom to snag a hand towel from the rack. Taking her hands, he dried them gently before tossing the towel onto the vanity. “Make yourself at home, Little girl.”
Steering her to the closed door on the left, he opened the barrier and stood back for her to enter first. Amber walked in to see deep blue walls with a green wavy pattern. A twin four-poster bed sat against the far wall and was draped with gauzy blue-green fabric from the mahogany supports. It felt like she’d just walked under the surface of the sea.
“It’s beautiful in here. I would have given my left arm to have a room like this when I was a kid.”
“I know.”
He guided her gently past an oversized rocker to the side of the bed and tossed the comforter to the bottom of the bed. Kneeling at her feet, Rio slipped her shoes off and set them just under the bed. Smoothly, he rose to his feet and scooped her into his arms to lay her on top of the crisp sheet. Rio spread the soft comforter over her and tucked it around her form.
“Go to sleep. We’ll talk when you’re rested.”
“I can talk now,” she mumbled, trying to keep her eyes open. She crossed her arms over her chest, missing Limey. He’d love this room.
“Shhh. I’ll stay here until you’re asleep, Ella.”
Tumbling into dreams, she did not hear him leave.
CHAPTER 12
She woke up in the beautiful room and heard the rattle of pans in the kitchen. Sitting up, she scooted back to sit against the pillows and headboard. A dresser sat across from her with a penguin facing her. It had the cutest expression and a large green bowtie.
“You slept well,” Rio said softly from the doorway, making her jump.
“How did you know I was awake?”
“Waddle there showed me when you moved,” he explained with a gesture toward the penguin as he walked forward to sit on the edge of the bed.
“He showed you?” Amber repeated and then looked back over at the stuffed animal to see the small lens hidden in his neckwear. “Waddle is a baby monitor?”
“He’s an Amber monitor.”
“And this is my nursery?” she asked in disbelief, quickly throwing off the vestiges of sleep.
“I think your Little is too old for a nursery although some pieces of furniture are the same. I think of this as your playroom.”
“My Little is too old?” she repeated, realizing that she’d done that a lot today. Rio always seemed a few steps in front of her.
“Ready to talk?”
She nodded.
“Come sit on my lap,” he invited and scooped her out of bed to carry her to the oversized rocker.
“Rio…” she began and then couldn’t figure out what else to say.
“How about if I go first?”
When she nodded, he continued, “I’ve always been wired differently from others. Even from a young age, I needed to be in control, not to simply dominate, but to care for special people. When I found that book with everyone’s notes in the margins, it confirmed what I already suspected—the popular head cheerleader who others relied on was actually a Little in disguise.”
He brushed the hair back from her face and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I’m glad you had your friends for support when you discovered what you really needed to be happiest. Did reading that book scare you or arouse you?”