Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“Oli, if I had tried to leave you in bed when your alarm went off, you would have lost your mind.” He’s probably right about that, especially since I had been right on the verge of an orgasm when it did start to beep.
“Whatever, I just need two minutes.” I move my mascara to my other eye and start to apply it.
“Did you talk to Kourtney this morning?”
“Yes, she said she was fine and that she slept great.” I shove the brush for my mascara back into the tube, drop it to the counter with the rest of my makeup, and then pick up my blush stick. “She’s positive that with the police after the guy the DNA came back to and his face all over the news, he’s going to avoid showing up somewhere he’s been before.” I swipe some blush on my cheeks as he leans against the doorjamb, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told her not to let her guard down, that it’s obvious this guy gets some sick thrill from scaring women and making them think they’re okay then coming back later to prove they were wrong.”
“I hope she heeds your warning.”
“Me too.” I use one of my makeup brushes to blend in the blush. “I told her that if she changes her mind about staying with us, she’s always welcome, but she’s insistent that she’s okay and wants to be home in her own bed, which is beyond stupid to me.” I turn to look at him. “But besides kidnapping her and forcing her to stay here with us, there isn’t much I can do.”
“She’s using the alarm system, right?”
“Yeah, but I would just feel better if they knew where this guy went,” I admit quietly to hide the fear I actually feel. It’s been over a week since the DNA results came back to a man named Jack Bower, who has a history of sexual assaults against women. An average-looking guy who could honestly be any man and change his appearance with just a box of hair color or by growing a beard. And even though I know the police are doing everything they can to track him down, they’ve had zero luck, so Bax has grown more and more paranoid every day that something is going to happen to me.
And although I appreciate his overprotectiveness, dealing with it daily has become a lot. Not only am I not allowed to go anywhere on my own, not even to my car that is now parked in the garage, but I also have him following me to work every morning. Then, either my mom or my dad meets me at the spa in the evenings to follow me back home, and they hang out with me until he gets here. On occasion, Liam does, but his schedule is typically as unpredictable as Bax’s, so he can’t normally take the time. The only positive to come out of this entire mess is that Bax and Liam are now talking again, so at least things won’t be awkward at Thanksgiving.
Picking up my gloss, I swipe some on my lips, then close it up and drop it to the counter, cringing when it falls into the sink, taking a few other things with it.
“When this build I’m working on is done, I’ll finish this bathroom and build a vanity for all your shit,” he says as I take my stuff out of the sink and put it back on the counter.
My only acknowledgment that I heard him is the “mmm” sound I make in the back of my throat. We still haven’t spoken about the conversation we had back in Gatlinburg. Right now, I’m still pretending that I’m only staying the night every night, even though my clothes have all moved to his closet and drawers. And all my boxes from his garage have migrated inside and been unpacked and mixed with his things. I told myself it was because he needed room so that he could move my furniture farther to one side of the garage so that I could park inside. Believe me, I know I’m lying to myself, but even if it’s ridiculous, I feel better pretending like we aren’t rushing this, even if we totally are.
“Are Nalia and Zuri settling in okay?” I change the subject.
“Yep, Nalia starts working for us next week, and Zuri starts school after Thanksgiving break.”
“I can’t wait to meet her at Thanksgiving.” I follow him out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where I sit on the side of the bed to put on my shoes.
“I’m not sure if they will be at Thanksgiving, baby. Nalia is a little worried about overwhelming Zuri, and since Thanksgiving was moved to Clay and Willow’s place because she’s so far along in her pregnancy, his family will be there too.”