Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“No!” I grasped his neck in panic.
“Then point me toward your house and be quiet. Your lumberjack-hunting is over for the day.”
Chapter Six
BANE
It was hard to stay annoyed at Myers as I held her. She gave me directions, her voice subdued. Otherwise, she didn’t talk. She felt soft and warm in my arms. Surprisingly right, as if made to curl against me.
Internally, I shook my head at those odd thoughts.
We arrived at an old Victorian place, and she indicated the steps down located behind a row of bushes at the side of the house.
“You live in the basement?”
“Yes.”
With a frown, I carried her down the steps and helped her stand upright. She dug a key out of her pocket and held it up. “Thanks for the lift.”
I nodded, waiting.
With an annoyed huff, she unlocked the door and hobbled inside. I stopped her from shutting the door with my foot. Inside, I looked around, pleasantly surprised. It was light and airy. A small kitchen and living area with a short hall leading to what I assumed was a bedroom and bath. The living room was decorated with eclectic pieces. A love seat and a Victorian chaise longue. A huge ottoman. An old wingback in the corner. Bookshelves and tables. Tons of books and knickknacks scattered everywhere. A knitting basket. A small table and chairs tucked in the corner. Old-fashioned pictures and embroidered pieces hung on the walls. Some newer watercolors. The place suited her. It was unique—like she was.
She headed to the love seat and sat down. “There. I’m home safe. You can go.”
“Where is your first aid kit?”
“I’m fine.”
I waited, lifting my eyebrow at her. Her low huff of annoyance amused me.
“In the bathroom on the shelf.”
“Do you have any compression bandages in it?”
Her shoulders dropped. “No. I have one in my bedside table.” She shrugged at my confusion. “I used it last week and never put it back.”
“Stay there.”
“Woof.”
I frowned at her. “What?”
“You gave me a command like a dog. I was responding in kind.”
“You are a strange girl, Myers.”
“Pot calling the kettle black.”
I ignored her and headed down the hall. The first aid kit was easy to find in the small space. In her bedroom, I had to stop for a moment. As soon as I walked in, her scent was all around me. Saturated into the linens on her bed. The clothing hanging in the closet. The room was girly. Feminine. Lace abounded. Jewel-colored pillows were on the bed, piled high. A chair in the corner with more pillows. A table laden with books. Bottles and jars on top of the dresser, with hair ties and all sorts of items I wasn’t familiar with and didn’t want to figure out. Luckily, there was only one night table, and I found the bandage, neatly rolled and ready.
Everything was tidy in her space. Overwhelming, but neat.
Again, just like her.
I noticed a set of glass doors on one wall, and, curious, I opened them, stepping into a small, enclosed sunroom located at the back of the property. An easel was set up in the corner, various canvases piled against the walls. I studied one in particular. It was pretty, feminine. I recognized the subject matter from a few of the paintings I had seen on the walls. I picked up one of the canvases, seeing her initials in the corner. MM. Myers had hidden talents. I studied the brushstrokes, impressed at the way she captured the light. The subtle shading and delicate use of shadows. She was gifted.
I returned to her, lifting her foot onto my lap, tugging off the sneaker and sock, then checking it out. “It’s not broken,” I muttered. “I’m not even sure it’s sprained as much as a nasty twist. Stay off it and ice it the rest of the weekend,” I advised as I wrapped it. I tried not to notice how delicate the bones felt under my fingers. How soft her skin was. Pale, the veins in her foot standing out against the creaminess of her flesh. I failed, and my hands tightened on her leg.
I finished and dared to look up. She was watching me, her dark eyes wide. So many emotions were swimming in her deep gaze. This close, I could see the starbursts of green and gold around her pupils. It was lovely. Mesmerizing.
I shook my head. Jesus, it was Myers.
I stood, breaking our gaze. “You have ice?”
“Yes.”
Her freezer held a large assortment of meat, which surprised me. Turkey breasts, roasts, and ham. She must cook a lot of big meals.
I grabbed the ice bag and returned to her, making sure her foot was propped up. I handed her the water I had gotten from the fridge and shook a couple of pain pills from the bottle I had found on the bathroom counter.