Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
"I need a shower," I mumble, my heart pounding so loud he probably hears it. "I smell like stuff."
His lips kick up into a grin. "Stuff?"
"Smoke and the hospital and stuff." I squeeze my eyes closed, trying to block out that smirk. It's far too attractive and my mind is not firing on all cylinders. Why can't I find words around this man? What is it about him that makes my heart race and my palms sweaty?
His nose drifts down the side of my face before nuzzling into the crook of my neck. His deep inhale has my core clenching and my nipples turning to hard points. "Mm," he practically purrs at me. "You smell delicious, Red."
Death. Dying. That's what's happening right now.
"Put me down," I squeak, desperate to escape before I do something I'm only half sure I'll regret—like kiss him. "And not on the bed! I'm dirty."
He lifts his head, and I know what he's going to say before he even opens his mouth. I'm not mentally prepared for him to call me a dirty girl right now. Can. Not. Handle. It.
"Don't even think about saying it," I whisper-hiss, my cheeks blazing.
His body shakes with laughter as he spins and slowly lowers me to my feet. I feel every one of his ridiculously hard abs on the way down.
Somehow, I'm still lucid enough to flee for my life into the bathroom…for the second time tonight.
Jesus. This is really becoming a habit with me.
By the time I've scrubbed as much of the night from my skin as possible and given myself no less than seven peptalks about not letting my guard down no matter what ridiculously hot things Emmett says or does, I'm out of hot water. I reluctantly comb my hair, brush my teeth, and put on my pajamas before cracking the bathroom door open to check for him.
And that is not disappointment I feel when I don't see him in my bedroom. Nope. Not at all. It's overwhelming relief that he skipped out while I was showering. No need to say goodbye. No chance for things to get weird. Simple.
I scurry across the floor, preparing to dive beneath the blankets.
And then I spot the bottle of water and two pain relievers sitting on the nightstand beside a package of peanut butter crackers. He brought me medicine and a snack before he left?
Who the heck is this man?
More importantly, what does he want?
There's no way he's being this nice to me just because he pulled me out of a fire. I doubt it's because he wants to sleep with me either. I may not have ever had time to date, but I know guys who look like him don't have to put in this much effort. They probably just point, and panties drop all across the land.
So…what's his endgame here?
The possibility that he already knows Nate started the fire and brought up my dad's bookies to see how I'd react is terrifying. So is the possibility that he's doing all of this simply because he likes me.
I don't know what to do with a man like him. Hell, I don't know what to do with one at all. And I'm too exhausted to even try to figure it out right now.
I quickly swallow the pills, drink half the bottle of water, and then slip into bed with the crackers. I try calling Nate again while I nibble on one, but he sends me right to voicemail just like he did all night.
I send him another carefully worded text, trying to avoid anything that might incriminate him.
Me: Please call me. I need to speak with you immediately.
It doesn't say nearly enough. I want him to know that I'm not mad, that I love him, and that I'm worried. But I'm not stupid. If anyone suspects that he started the fire, the first thing they're going to do is look at his texts. And one from me saying that I'm not mad will be a giant flaming arrow pointing toward his guilt.
I hold my breath, waiting for a response, but my phone remains stubbornly silent.
"Dammit, Nate," I whisper, sinking down into the bed as tears well in my eyes. "Where are you?"
Chapter Five
Emmett
"What the crap?" Nina mumbles, bringing me wide awake on her severely undersized sofa.
I lay there for several long moments fighting a smirk, as floorboards creak one by one, as if she's tiptoeing closer. When I'm fairly certain she's right next to the couch, I crack my eyes open.
"Lonely in your big bed without me, Red?"
"Christ on a cracker!" She jumps a good foot in the air before losing her balance. Her eyes widen in shock as she tumbles forward…landing in an unceremonious heap against my chest, her legs dangling in the air.
I wrap my arms around her, hauling her closer.