Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Or not. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they had an end date and it was rapidly approaching. The idea of staying with them at their place until she needed to leave had been tempting, but she still had to work. For the week or so it would take to fix her car now that she had the cash, she would have to earn some more. Every dime she had was being spent on the car. She would need money to get out of Willow Fork.
“Hey, maybe you should come with us.” Grim opened her car door and held a hand out to help her down.
“Or maybe I should stay with her,” Josh offered.
Nic shook her head. “Absolutely not. Grim needs you. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow. I work the lunch shift, so I get off at 5:30.” Wow, she was being presumptive. The night seemed to have gone well with their parents. She’d spent hours talking to Abby and Olivia about books. They’d sat out on the patio and had a couple of glasses of wine while the men watched the evening football game. She’d been ready to explain all the reasons she needed to go back here when they’d rushed in and hustled her out. “I mean if you want to see me. You might not have time tomorrow, which is fine.”
“I’ll pick you up at 5:30. We’ll go to dinner and talk about what we’re going to do in Austin,” Josh said.
Grim’s eyes rolled as he pulled her close. “He’ll have us at the diner for lunch. We’ll see you soon, baby. And keep your cell charged this time. I want you to call us if anything happens here. I know you’ve been okay so far, but this is not a safe area. I hate leaving you.”
If she didn’t move this along, she might find herself tied up in the back of the truck, Grim carrying her around like luggage at his house call. Nope. She wasn’t ready for that yet.
She went on her toes and kissed him. “Good night. I had a great time with the family.”
“You fit right in,” Grim whispered. “I knew you would.”
She moved back, though she didn’t want to. She wanted to stay wrapped in those strong arms. Grim was a big old teddy bear. Under his brooding exterior there was the sweetest, kindest man. “Have a good night.”
“Nic,” Josh called out. Josh was opposite his brother. Josh looked like the all-American, happy-go-lucky cowboy. But there was a darkness to him. She couldn’t explain it any other way. In this case she didn’t view the darkness as dangerous. There wasn’t any evil in Josh. There was a deep willingness to take on the bad things of the world, an eagerness, almost. He would slay the dragons and enjoy the process. “You lock the door. I’m not going anywhere until I’m sure you’re locked in, and if anything happens and you don’t call us…”
“Yeah. My ass will be red. Promises, promises.” No, he didn’t scare her, and that was the scariest thing of all.
She strode to the door as she heard Grim climb into the seat she’d vacated. She waved as she used her key and let herself in, locking the door firmly behind her.
It was more than a minute before the truck pulled out of the parking lot.
Likely because they’d argued about whether they should go at all. The woman who ended up with those two men would likely be driven crazy by their overprotectiveness.
She would also be loved and coddled and tied up and spanked and given so many orgasms, life made sense for once.
Nic took a long breath. It wouldn’t be her, and there was no use in wallowing in that knowledge tonight. She had a spectacular weekend to look forward to.
And she had a new book. Abby had given her a copy of the latest Alexis Ann O’Malley novel. It was something called an ARC. She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that this sucker wasn’t even supposed to be out for three months, and then she’d have to find a library that had a copy and get on their waiting list.
But no. She got to read it now. Tonight.
She turned and stopped because something wasn’t right. She’d closed the bathroom door. She was sure of it. She remembered doing it.
Housekeeping was once a week. This wasn’t some fancy hotel. Most people stayed either by the hour or the week. If she wanted towels, she went to the office and someone gave them to her.
So if the bathroom door was open it was because someone had been in here.
Someone had been in her room.
Had she closed the door?
Yes. She’d turned off the lights and closed the door because she wanted to deal with as little space as she needed to. She didn’t want to walk in and worry about someone rushing out of the bathroom. At least with the door closed, she might hear it opening. It was why she ensured all the closet doors were closed as well. Why she checked the windows to make sure they were locked and placed a chair under the door handle every night except the previous one.