Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
I remembered thinking that, no matter how many training sessions I observed, there was no way I’d ever learn the lingo. It was hard to concentrate on what Marco was saying when I was so busy studying the way Kage’s muscles worked. I’d tracked his movements, studied them, delighted at the bonus glimpses of skin I got when his shorts got twisted or pushed up too far during grappling. In the afternoons when he’d gotten hot and tired, and that thin sheen of sweat had his body all glossed up and catching the light just right, it had been a challenge to understand language at all.
The strength of the memories made me realize something else Kage had been right about. When he’d called me out on it, I’d denied it, but now it was plain to see that I’d been attracted to him from the beginning. Even before I’d allowed myself to be consciously attracted to him, my eyes had been eating up every inch of him, longing for those little forbidden glimpses.
I finally opened my eyes and blinked away the haze of sleep, adjusting my pants and willing myself to think about anything that wouldn’t have me getting hard in my mom’s hospital room. The afternoon light was harsh coming in through the blinds that someone had opened while I was snoozing.
I tried to focus in on the two nurses working away on Mom’s IV, chatting idly while their nimble fingers performed tasks their brains didn’t even have to think about anymore. The female nurse was cute and blond, with large eyes and pink lips. Her stethoscope settled heavily into her cleavage, revealing a sexy shape that hospital scrubs were designed to disguise.
The guy was about my height, with black hair and olive-toned skin. His shoulders were broad, and his biceps filled out his scrub sleeves nicely. His face would have been considered good-looking by just about anyone’s standards, with a chiseled jaw, straight nose, and a dark five-o’clock shadow that really amped his masculinity. I was betting he’d have to shave twice a day to keep that beard at bay. A guy like that would probably have a substantial bed of jet black hair on his chest, a matching happy trail, and really dark, thick curls below the waistband of his briefs.
“Look who’s finally up,” my mom crooned from the hospital bed, startling the hell out of me.
How embarrassing that I had to remove my gaze from the nurse’s crotch to look at my mother. Even worse that I was pretty sure he saw me do it.
“Morning,” I said, rubbing my eyes for show. “I can hardly see yet. What time is it?”
“Four o’clock in the afternoon,” the male nurse said with a smirk. “You missed morning by just a little bit.”
“Yes, you did,” the female nurse agreed. “But don’t feel bad. Everyone’s sleep schedule gets messed up in the hospital. But the doctor says your mom can go home as soon as her paperwork is done. We’re removing the IV now.”
“That’s great,” I rasped, fighting my way up out of the torture chair. I cranked my aching neck sideways to stretch it out. “Guess I should go get some food,” I said, knowing I couldn’t eat but needing to escape.
As I released the lever to open the door, I glanced over my shoulder at the male nurse, thinking to grab one more discreet look. He was watching me, though, and I don’t think I was imagining the spark of interest in his dark eyes.
So much for discreet. I ran a hand through my hair, colored myself cold busted, and left the room.
I ambled down the center of the hallway staring down at my phone, heedless of foot traffic as I checked my texts and missed calls. Nothing. Nothing from Kage. The cold dread that had given me a reprieve while I slept settled over me once again.
Was it really over between us? I wanted to scream, because things were really fucked up in my head. Emotions were getting jumbled, and I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I’d just been checking out another guy, imagining every inch of the hair on his body, but dammit I didn’t want him. The problem was, I wanted something like him. Something that was hard on the outside but with a gentle center. Something that made me feel fiercely protected and in mortal danger all at once.
I wanted Kage. But he wasn’t here, and that fact had me feeling more desperate by the hour.
Again, I was struck by the feeling that I didn’t belong anywhere, that I was floating. It was a strange feeling that I’d never experienced before. I mean, I’d always had a place I felt more comfortable than all others, a place I considered home. My parents’ house, my apartment at school. Why were those two places suddenly inadequate? It was if I’d gone out to Vegas and left home behind for good, but I hadn’t replaced them with anything. The Alcazar certainly wasn’t home. Hell, I was dreading walking into that empty suite and being surrounded by all of the robin’s egg blue emptiness, but it was the only place I could go.