Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
“Don’t come out here,” she cried. “It can’t hold us both.”
“The branch will be fine,” he said soothingly. “But what you can do is scoot back to me where it’s thicker.”
“I . . . I don’t need your help.”
“Casey,” he said warningly. “You’re stuck there.”
“No, I’m not! I’m good at climbing trees. I just don’t understand what’s going on.”
“When was the last time you climbed a tree?” he asked.
“Um, I don’t know. Maybe six or seven years ago. I used to climb up and down the one by my bedroom window.”
“You used to sneak out of your house?” he asked. “That was naughty.”
“If you’d had my dad, you’d have snuck out too.”
There was a beat of silence.
Shit.
“I shouldn’t have said that.” Her and her big mouth.
“We’ll talk about that later,” he promised.
Um, she didn’t see why they would need to do that.
“Come on, Casey,” he coaxed. “Come back this way.”
All she had to do was scoot back. She could do this.
She couldn’t do this. She was completely stuck.
“I can’t move,” she said tensely. “I’m so sorry! I’m such an idiot. Is Wyatt staring at me like I’m an idiot?”
“Wyatt doesn’t think you’re anything like that,” he reassured her.
“You got this, Casey!” Wyatt yelled.
She let out a deep breath. Then she slowly moved back along the branch until she felt Jeb grab hold of the back of her jeans. Relief flooded her, nearly making her dizzy.
For some reason she trusted that he’d get her down safely.
“That’s it,” he reassured her. “You’re doing so well. I’m going to help you down. You just have to do what I say, understand?”
“That’s never been my strong point,” she told him.
“What? Doing as you’re told? Yeah, I can tell.”
They were now back at the trunk of the tree and he started to loosen the rope around her waist.
“That’s rude,” she muttered. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to. I even folded laundry this morning and I hate folding laundry.”
Yeah, he’d seen the pile in the living room as he’d walked through the house. Those were folded?
Perhaps asking her to help with the housework and look after Wyatt was too much. The other nannies had helped out around the house while Wyatt was at school, though.
“All right, I see we need to establish some rules then.” He let the rope around her waist drop to the ground. Wyatt tidied the rope up.
“Rules? I don’t need rules! I’m an adult.”
“I’m going to help you turn around and then you’re going to hold on tight to me. Arms around my neck and legs around my waist. Understand?”
“I’ll fall,” she said.
“You’re not going to fall,” he replied firmly. “Because I’m going to keep you safe.”
She didn’t move.
Shit.
She didn’t trust him. Which was understandable. They barely knew each other.
“Do you promise?” she asked.
“I promise. I won’t let you fall.”
“What if you get tired?” she asked.
“I don’t get tired.”
“You don’t get tired?” she asked.
“No.”
“Everyone gets tired,” she murmured.
“Not me. I won’t get tired. I won’t let you fall. I won’t allow any harm to come to you. I promise.”
“You promise. No harm. Don’t get tired. Right. Right.”
But she still didn’t move.
He couldn’t believe he was about to say this . . . but he said it anyway.
“Look at me,” he told her. “Right now.”
“Jeez, no need to get so bossy,” she told him as she turned her head to stare at him.
He really couldn’t believe he was going to do this. “What is my aura like?”
“Um. What?”
“My aura. Does it tell you that I’m calm? That you can trust me?” He had never asked such awkward questions in his life.
“I don’t know,” she cried.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked.
“That stuff is all bullshit! I make it up because I like to see people’s reactions. I can’t actually see auras.”
That wasn’t what he was expecting her to say. And now he felt more of an idiot than he had before.
“Right. You’re turning around and you’re trusting me.”
“Don’t wanna.”
Was her Little peeking through? Her voice sounded young and high.
Hmm.
“Wyatt?” he called out.
“Yes, Papa?”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Yep!” Wyatt replied, bouncing from foot to foot.
He hadn’t been this excited about helping him in a long time.
“Could you get me a blanket and some water, buddy? I think Casey will need them when I get her down.”
“Okay!”
He rushed off and Jeb had to clear his throat before he could speak again. Too many emotions were running through him right now.
The biggest being sadness at how much his relationship with his son had deteriorated. And relief that things were going better. For how long, though, he had no idea.
“Little girl, I want you to listen to me.” His voice was low and firm.
She stiffened as though she sensed a change. “What?”
“I’m going to talk quickly so keep up. Are you a Little?”
“I . . . just because I’m short—”