Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
He wanted to be pissed at whoever this Archer was but suspected the only way he’d gotten Melissa out of there was because of her injury. In pain, she hadn’t been able to keep her guard up. Whatever the reason, whether it be her resistance was worn down or the matching on PLAYTIME that reassured her he was the right person to trust, Rocky wasn’t going to play the blame game on anyone other than that apartment owner.
CHAPTER 5
Prickles against her forehead woke her up. She jerked herself away, sitting up fully. Completely disoriented, she looked around. Where was she?
“Little girl, you’re okay. Did you have another bad dream?” a deep voice filled with concern asked. “Here. Hug Rwahr Rwahr.”
She took the well-loved lion stuffie and hugged him tight. The events of the previous night flooded into her brain. “I’m so sorry. You must be thinking what have you gotten involved with.”
“That definitely hasn’t entered my mind,” Rocky assured her. “How do you feel?”
“Totally screwy. I think I was lying on you. Yikes, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.”
“Come here, Lissy.” He leaned forward to pull Melissa and her stuffie toward him until she rested against his chest. Hugging her close, he pressed a kiss on the top of her hair. “I don’t need any space between you and me. I slept better with you cuddled next to me than I have for a long time. How about you?”
“I slept so hard, I think I drooled,” she whispered, loving the feel of his hard body against her. It was difficult to keep from pressing a kiss against his warm skin. She snuck one in by brushing her mouth against his shoulder as she rested her head against him.
Happy, she inhaled quietly to memorize his natural scent. She didn’t understand why he drew her so much more than any other male she’d met before. But he did.
A faint beeping sound echoing down the hallway where she’d plugged in her phone made her jolt backward against his hold. “Crap! That’s my alarm. I have to go to work.”
“You get ready for work. I’ll make you some breakfast,” he told her, freeing her.
“Oh, I don’t eat breakfast. I’ll make a peanut butter sandwich for lunch before I leave, if that’s okay.”
“Is that what you always have?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s easy to store.”
“I will make you a lunch and a breakfast to take with you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she rushed to assure him as she wiggled her way off the wide bed, trying to keep her T-shirt from riding up too far over her thighs.
“I know, Little girl. Let me take care of you.”
She hesitated before looking at the clock. She didn’t have time to worry about imposing on him. “Okay. But we will talk about all this tonight. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“I won’t do anything I don’t want to do,” he assured her.
With a nod, Melissa rushed out of the room to throw on some clothes. She ran to the bathroom to pee and wash her face. After a quick brush of her hair, she pulled it up in a ponytail. She looked at the bandage over her stitches. It had survived the night well. Just using her arm to do simple tasks had made it start hurting again.
Dashing into the kitchen, she heard a blender whirl. “Hey, I’ll see you tonight.”
“Grab your lunch. Pause two seconds for me to pour this into a cup,” Rocky requested.
Melissa looked at the smoothie he’d created for her. “I can’t drink that. I’ll have to go to the bathroom over and over again. I don’t drink until before lunch.”
“That isn’t healthy. Surely you could use someone’s bathroom.”
“I don’t like to ask. Sorry. I have to go.”
Her phone beeped making her pause to look at the screen. “Crap. I need to take my medicine.”
“You need to eat something. Cold pizza for breakfast?” he suggested, and her mouth watered.
“That would be awesome.”
“There’s your pill and a bottle of water. Take it while I get a slice of pizza,” Rocky ordered.
She followed his directions without arguing. He was making her life so much easier.
“Your mid-day dose is in your lunch box. Take it. I’d really like to change those bandages. If you’re in a hurry, I’ll wait until tonight. I put extra bandages in your lunchbox as well. Do your best to keep that area clean.”
Melissa saluted before following his instructions.
“Little girl, you’re not being bratty, are you?” he asked with an arched eyebrow as he handed over a slice of pizza on a paper towel.
“No way. Thank you.” She hesitated for a minute before adding, “Daddy.”
The pleased shock on his face made her grin. One small word could have such an effect on them both. He swept around the island and wrapped her in his arms to press a kiss on her lips.