Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I glance over at Dani and see that she’s nibbling on her lip, as if she’s suddenly nervous.
Interesting. This is the kind of information I was asking for earlier.
Charlie has started telling Bridger about the wedding she’s planning for one of his guys, and I can tell by the look on his face that he does. Not. Care.
Which makes me smirk.
Birdie’s helping me with my food, chattering away, when suddenly, Dani stands and closes the lid on her food and licks her lips.
“You know, I think I’d better head home. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Millie. Call me if you need anything.”
Her face is flaming when she smiles at Birdie.
“Have a good day, sweetie.”
Birdie waves happily as Dani flees the room, closing the door behind her.
“Well, she’s my ride, so I’m out, too.” Charlie stands with a laugh. “See you guys later.”
The door closes again, and I glare at Bridger, who’s currently staring a hole through the front window as if it personally offended him.
“What the hell is going on? Do you have a…thing for Dani?”
He rubs his hand over his mouth but doesn’t answer me.
“I like her,” Birdie decides as she takes a bite of my burger. “She’s pretty, and she always says nice things to me.”
“I agree.” I kiss the little girl’s head and narrow my eyes at her father. “Dani is very nice. Did you know that she’s Holden’s sister?”
“She is?”
“Yep.”
“Cool.”
I’m still watching Bridger, but he won’t look me in the face.
“Don’t do it,” he mutters.
“Do what? Pump you for information?”
“It doesn’t matter. Obviously. She can’t stand being in the same room with me, so it clearly doesn’t freaking matter. Let’s drop it.”
“Okay.” I look down at Birdie. “Is your daddy grumpy today?”
“No, he wasn’t. We were laughing in the car on the way here.”
Now my eyebrow wings up as I look at him, and he just shakes his head.
What in the hell happened between Bridger and Dani? Is there some gossip about my best friend that I don’t know?
And how do I not know it?
Deciding to leave him alone, I point to the kitchen.
“Hey, grumpy man, would you please fetch me an ice pack out of the freezer? I’m forbidden from walking.”
He doesn’t say anything, just walks to the kitchen, grabs the ice pack, and, despite his bad mood, lightly lowers it onto my ankle.
“Thanks. You okay, buddy?”
“Yeah.” He lets out a long breath, rubs his hands over his face, and then smiles at me. It’s only halfway forced. “Yeah, I’m good. How are you?”
“Not bored.” I take the offered french fry from Birdie and pretend to bite her finger, making her laugh. “I’m sore. Had some nightmares last night. But, all in all, I’m lucky.”
“Very lucky,” he agrees. “Is Holden still beating himself up about it?”
“Yeah. He’s at the ranch now, talking with the guys. They’ve been scouring the property, but I don’t think they’ve found anything else. It’s hard for him to accept that I happened to find the one and only trap left out there.”
“It’s like finding a needle in a haystack,” Bridger agrees. “Highly unlikely. But you always were an overachiever.”
That makes me laugh. “That’s me. Overachiever Millie. If there’s a hole to fall into, I’ll find it.”
“You fell in a hole?” Birdie’s face is stricken as she stares up at me.
“That’s how I hurt my ankle.” I kiss her head. “But I’m okay. I don’t recommend it, though. It wasn’t fun.”
“I don’t want to do that,” Birdie decides.
“Good plan, baby. Good plan.”
It’s the middle of the night, and my husband is very warm and very naked, and I’m curled around him. I can’t sleep, and not in a bad way. My body is healing, and I feel energized for the first time since I fell into the pit of despair, as I’ve come to think of it. I’m feeling so much better, in fact, that I think I’ll bring up the subject of going back to work tomorrow. I know he’ll want me to stay home for the whole week, but I can definitely put in a couple of half days here or there and come home when I get tired.
I look up at Holden and sigh happily. His face is relaxed with sleep, his jaw covered in that gorgeous, dark scruff that I love to feel beneath my hands, or between my thighs. Or anywhere else that he wants to kiss.
He’s breathing deeply with sleep. The past few days have been rough on him, making him a little on edge and a little grouchy, which I can’t fault him for. He’s always gentle and sweet with me, but I’ve seen his brows drawn together with worry more than usual. All I’ve had to do is sit around and heal. Whereas he’s been in constant contact with his guys, worried about what they might find out at the ranch. He also carries me around all day, making good on his promise from that first night that I won’t walk without him, and takes care of me.