Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
She opened one of the two drawers to find unopened toothbrushes and toothpaste. Okay, no hair ties. Why would he have hair ties? She changed into his T-shirt and socks, carefully hanging her wet clothing on the one bar for towels. She felt vulnerable and small in his shirt, but at least she felt a bit warmer. She took one of the towels and dried her hair best she could, leaving it hanging around her face.
She looked in the mirror and then winced before wiping under her eyes to get rid of the mascara that had smeared. She was pale, and she looked lost. The bruise on her cheekbone from the explosion was turning a lighter purple now. It had been a rough few days.
Tears filled her eyes, and she instantly batted them back. There was no need to cry.
She walked out of the room to find Christian bare-chested, wearing long, dark sweats.
Holy crap. His chest was even more muscled and cut than she had imagined, and he had an actual six-pack, like a real one. Not overly defined, but more natural.
Her mouth watered.
A tattoo of an osprey looked like it was flying over his left shoulder, with its talons extended and its beak sharp.
It was beautiful work.
She swallowed.
“Get in the bed,” he said, no expression on his face.
“You’re kind of bossy,” she muttered, walking around to the other side, pulling down the covers, and slipping inside.
“When I need to be.” He flicked off the lights and slid in next to her, his big body indenting the bed until she rolled toward him.
“Sorry.” She pushed herself away.
The fire crackled across the room while the storm raged outside, lending a breathless intimacy to the cabin. Her heart fluttered in her chest. This felt unreal. She was in bed with Christian Osprey, and his body was even better than she’d imagined.
Not that she had imagined it. Okay. She’d imagined it more than once.
They both stayed quiet for a moment.
“You’re going to have to sleep, darlin’,” he said.
Did he just call her darlin’? Hadn’t he called her baby the other day? Her nipples peaked. Just from his low voice. “I’m trying.” But she couldn’t get warm. She shivered.
“Damn it.” He rolled toward her and yanked her against him, her back to his front, his powerful body wrapping around her completely.
Desire flooded her. She shivered again.
“You’ll warm up. I’ll let go once you do.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, bending his elbow at her stomach and extending his forearm up along her chest to her collarbone. His hand settled just below her neck.
Man, he was big.
She shivered against him, acutely aware of the hardness of his chest pressed into her back. She felt small. Delicate. Desire coiled low in her stomach. “Um.”
“I know,” he murmured in her ear. “You’re engaged. I’m just warming you up.”
She hated that she was engaged. She liked that he was warming her up. “Christian,” she murmured.
“No.” His mouth stayed close to her ear, and his heated breath brushed her earlobe.
She shivered again and nearly groaned from the feeling of him behind her. Holding her. All strength and heat and honed muscle. They lay together, her back against his chest, his arm a solid band holding her in place. Neither moved. The fire snapped and shifted across the room. Time crawled. Her thoughts didn’t.
When had she last felt safe and protected? She sure wouldn’t feel like this with Jarod Teller in the bed with her.
“Why?” Christian asked, voice quiet, grip firm. Was he reading her mind?
She didn’t need clarification. She knew exactly what he meant. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
She stared into the dark. The shadows moved more than the answers.
“You don’t love him.”
She tried not to move against his hard body, but hers wanted to explore. Now. “How do you know?”
“I’ve watched you for years. You’re not in love with Jarod.”
Holy crap. What did he mean? He’d been watching her? For actual years? “Why do you care?” she whispered.
He said nothing.
She waited. Nothing came except a warning in the back of her head. “I might be ready to settle down,” she muttered. “I want kids. I want a marriage. Why can’t that be it?”
“You deserve more.”
Three words. Honest. Unflinching.
Yeah. She did.
But she couldn’t tell him the truth. Couldn’t risk it. If Christian knew, if he went after Jarod and didn’t get what he needed—if that video still made it to the press—Flossy would end up in jail, and Christian might, too. He could get himself thrown out of the wildlife troopers before he even got started. She didn’t know how she knew he’d fight for her, try to protect her, but she did. Deep down.
The risk wasn’t worth it.
Her throat tightened.
He held her like he’d keep holding her. “Let me help you.”
“You can’t,” she answered, no hesitation.