Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
We get to the house, and Lucy jumps out of the back of the truck as I get out of the front. “Emmett,” I say as he walks around the front of the truck and comes to stand next to us, “this is very nice, but I think I’m okay.” Even though now I am freaking out.
“Good, so you’ll eat and then you can go,” he states, walking away from me with Lucy by his side. “You guys can make a salad while I grill the steaks.”
“Oh, I like salad,” Lucy chirps. “Do you like salad, Lilah?”
“Yes,” I mumble as we walk into the house. I look at Emmett, who stares at me and tries to hide his smile.
“I can show you where all the stuff is,” Lucy states, “but we have to wash our hands first.”
I kick off my boots and put them neatly on the side before I put my purse on the side table and follow her as if I am walking on a minefield to the fridge. He walks over with us, grabbing the steaks out of the fridge before walking to the sink and washing his hands. Lucy grabs my hand and pulls me into the bathroom, where we wash our hands together.
When we walk back into the kitchen, Emmett marinates the steaks while Lucy goes to the fridge and grabs the stuff to make the salad. I stand here like my feet are in cement boots, not able to move. I feel like I’m intruding on their things, yet I'm captivated by the domesticated Emmett.
“You can cut these.” Lucy points at the counter where there is a cucumber, red pepper, onion, and tomatoes. “I’m not allowed to use the knife yet.”
Emmett side-eyes her. “You almost cut off your finger the last time.” She doesn’t argue with him.
Instead, she washes the lettuce while I grab a knife and start to dice the tomatoes for the salad. “Lilah,” she says as she rips apart the lettuce, “do you think you can take me riding?”
I look up from the cutting board, my eyes going straight to Emmett, whose hand has stopped midway adding steak spice to the meat. “Um,” I say softly, “I would love to.” She starts to smile. “But that would be up to your dad.” I know, for sure, he’s going to tell me there is no way in hell I can take his daughter riding.
Shocking the fuck out of me, he adds in, “I don’t see why not. We could do it Sunday.”
“I can’t Sunday,” I tell them. “I have a paper to write, and I have to get it done.” I look at the deflated face next to me. “But how about Monday after school? You come to the barn, and instead of doing homework, we go riding?”
“Can I?” Lucy looks over at Emmett.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “I’m going to put these in the fridge for thirty minutes.” He walks over to the fridge. “I’m going to take a shower.”
My ears start to burn as I think of him in the shower naked. My mouth waters for a whole different reason. “Then I’ll start the grill.”
“You know,” I start to say, “if you want, I could watch Lucy tonight so you can go out with the guys.” I want to seal my mouth shut with crazy glue.
He looks at me. “You haven’t been out in a while and…” I shrug. “We could watch a chick flick,” I suggest to Lucy, “and you’ll be bored.”
“I don’t know,” he says, not sure what to say.
“I miss having girl movie nights,” Lucy interjects. I don’t know if she’s playing him or not, but it works.
“Okay, I’ll go for a bit,” he agrees, and I smile at him as he walks away from the kitchen and toward his room. I catch him pulling up his shirt as the wall now hides it from me.
Lucy and I work side by side as we make the salad, and by the time Emmett comes back out, he’s wearing a clean pair of jeans and a fresh black T-shirt. His hair is wet and looks like he just took the towel and dried it. I’m washing my hands while Lucy sits on the couch trying to pick a movie for us to watch when her father leaves.
“I’ll start the grill,” he announces, and all I can do is smell him, trying to get my words together. He puts one hand on my hip as he leans over me to grab a plate from beside me. His chest on my back makes my knees weak. “How do you like your steak?”
“Um…” I try to focus on my hands that are still under the stream of water. “Medium rare.”
“Got it.” He looks into my eyes, his eyes going to my lips for a split second, and then he’s gone.