Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Nothing worked, so I kicked off the covers and reached for my phone to see exactly how early Colton had raised me from sleep. The sun wasn’t even out yet, not technically anyway. The sky was awash with shades of blue that would eventually turn to pink and orange, but for now, it was just serene shades of blue. The clock on my phone said it wasn’t even six o’clock yet. It also said that Travis was drunk and texting me nonstop throughout the night.
I sent a note of thanks to the universe for my Do Not Disturb settings and steadfastly ignored whatever it was he had to say, blocking him outright to rid him from my life and my thoughts. Travis was hundreds of miles away and no longer my concern. What was my concern was the inconvenient attraction I felt for the man who signed my paychecks. I refused to act on it, of course, but the thoughts grew more pervasive by the day. They were more distracting, more vivid, and made it awkward as hell to be around him.
“What I need right now is yoga.” I changed out of my pajamas into a tank top and shorts that would keep me cool as the sun began to rise, grabbing my mat and creeping outside even as thoughts of Colton swirled in my mind. He was gorgeous; that wasn’t in question, but it was a stupid crush, one that I didn’t plan to act on, so it didn’t matter.
It was like having dirty dreams about a professor,ultimately harmless unless you let your mind run away with thoughts of more than a fantasy, which I didn’t plan to do.
I’d never had such a visceral reaction to a man before, not even after catching a certain Hemsworth brother in nothing but a pair of bronzed, perfectly tight buns. There was something about Colton that was magnetic, that made me behave differently than I might otherwise have. He had a presence that wouldn’t be ignored, even though ignoring it was the best course of action for us both.
I focused on my breathing and my poses, keeping my body tight and in the moment. That was what was important, not some sexy raven-haired rancher who barely tolerated me. The sky started to change colors, and the air outside grew warmer, and my body felt good as I shifted from one pose into the next, my body and my peace of mind the central focus. The more positions I found, the more my focus turned inward, and my racing heart calmed. This was just what I needed, no matter how I came to it.
“Where are your clothes?” Colton’s question came out low and angry; his growl bounced around the wide-open space.
Doubled over as I was with my head between my legs, I flicked a gaze up at him and arched a brow. “My clothes are right here, as you can clearly see. Is something wrong with your vision?”
His jaw clenched as if he was reaching for patience or control, or something along those lines. He said nothing, but the weight of his gaze held me in place for a long time.
I finished my position and stood up tall, getting in his face in a manner more aggressive than usual. “Do you have something against me exercising?”
“No.” His answer came quickly, but it did nothing to appease the anger bubbling to the surface within me.
“Do you think someone like me shouldn’t be dressed this way? That I should cover up more?”
“You’re basically naked,” he swallowed. “Anything would be more covered up than…this,” he said and motioned at my yoga attire.
It wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before, but the immediate hurt that pulsed through me was impossible to ignore. I motioned to my outfit as my anger grew. “My tank top covers me from the top of my boobs all the way to my waist,” I said and flicked the waistband for emphasis. “My shorts cover more than any standard bathing suit. I am completely covered, so I can only assume that your real issue is with my body. Well, guess what?” I poked his chest, too worked up to realize the potential ramifications of my actions. “Not every single woman you come across is going to be tall and leggy and slender with huge tits. That’s not me, and it never will be, and that’s all right with me. I like my body the way it is, and if you don’t like it, that’s too damn bad. Close your eyes!” My heart raced rapidly, and my breaths came in sharp and shallow as I snatched up my yoga mat and stormed across the yard and back into the house.
Who in the hell did he think he was, anyway? Nobody policed my attire or my appearance, at least not anymore. I’d spent too much of my life trying to squeeze myself into someone else’s box of what was beautiful and appropriate and right.