Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Wrong side, Little girl. I need to be closest to the door to take on any threat.”
She looked at him in disbelief. Was that why he had claimed his place in her bed? Knowing she couldn’t dissuade him, Harper walked him to the other side and Colt collapsed to sit on the edge of the bed. He toed out of his boots and tugged his pullover jacket and T-shirt up before running out of steam.
Harper quickly freed him from the tangle of material and tried not to stare at the display of muscles that always thrilled her. He stretched out on the bed and turned to curl toward her side of the bed.
“Come to bed, Little girl. I need to hold you. I’ve missed you so much.”
“You need some medicine, Colt.” She ran to the bathroom to grab some aspirin and a small cup of water.
“Take these, Colt.”
“Daddy’s supposed to take care of you,” he said sadly. “I’ve done a very bad job of that.”
“Sit up a bit,” she urged and helped him take the medicine.
“Thank you, Angel. Come to bed, Little girl. I need to hold you,” he repeated.
“I have to take a shower. I’ll be right back.”
Harper fled into the bathroom and closed the door. Leaning her forehead against cool wood, she inhaled deeply. Exhaling shakily, she tried to pull herself together.
“I’ll just take care of him and send him on his way,” she promised herself aloud, knowing every syllable of that statement was completely false.
Quickly, she showered and pulled on her baggy nightshirt. After brushing her teeth, Harper opened the door slightly to see Colt sprawled in his jeans on her bed. He had tugged the covers over his bare arms before falling asleep. Her heart immediately skipped a beat at the sight of his hair tousled over his brow. Her fingers itched to stroke it back into place.
Her heart ached. Dashing into the other room, she picked up Wombles from the entry table where she had set him before running out in the hall to check on Colt. Holding him against her heart, she whispered, “I’ll explain later.” He, of course, understood completely.
Returning to the bedroom, she hesitated. She could go sleep on the couch.
“Come here, Little girl.”
Unable to resist, she crawled into bed and hugged the side to put space between them.
“Eep!”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his body before snaking his hand under her shirt to span her ribcage just under her breast.
“Mine,” he whispered before tumbling back into sleep.
CHAPTER 18
Harper kept her eye on her phone the next morning at the daycare. All the students were back and feeling fine. The under twenty-four-hour illness had quickly run its way through the impacted kids.
When she’d snuck a hand over Colt’s forehead that morning as he slept, his temperature had dissipated, to her relief. Dressing quickly, she’d grabbed her sunflower butter toast before letting herself out of the apartment. As Harper drove away, she regretted not leaving a note.
What would I have said? I slept better in your arms than I have since you left?
Every time that black box popped into her mind, she pushed it away, refusing to let herself dream that he had bought it for her. Her phone began to buzz out of control with a series of messages.
I love you.
I only love you.
I only love you, my precious Angel.
I only love you, my precious Angel, my Little girl.
A stupid man would screw that up. An intelligent one would cherish our relationship forever.
Consider this: I waited years to have sex because the time wasn’t right with you. When it is, do you think I’d become so sex crazed that I’d go on a binge with anyone?
Holding her breath, she waited for the next message, but nothing appeared. Cursing him mentally, Harper flipped her phone upside down so she couldn’t see the screen. Even as she debated the ridiculous idea that the guy she’d known since third grade would have transformed into a sex maniac after making love with her, of all people, Harper felt relieved that he was obviously feeling better. Thank goodness.
By the end of the day, she was antsy not knowing what she’d find at home. The parents picked up their children and wished her a happy weekend. When she pulled into the parking lot at the apartment complex, a limo was parked in front of her building. Grousing slightly at whoever was lucky enough to live a limousine life, Harper parked a distance from her door.
Walking slowly past, she admired the sleek vehicle. She’d never ridden in one. To her surprise, a man wearing a black suit stepped out of the car.
He smiled and asked, “Harper Benson?”
“Yes?”
“I’m Jerry, your driver. Colt Ziegler requests you join him at his concert. He asked that you call him.”