Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Suzie,” he shot back. “Let’s get you inside and get some ice on that ankle. It’s probably already swollen.”
“Probably, but I managed to drag myself up to the top of the cliff, so I think I can walk up to your house under my own steam.” Being pressed up against him like this was too much. His uniquely masculine scent swirled up my nostrils and buried itself deep in my brain, guaranteeing I would always identify that smell with him.
“You’re strong and brave and all that good stuff, Suzie. But I can walk faster carrying you than you can carrying yourself, so just let me be the strong hero—for a moment, anyway.”
A hero. I didn’t need a hero, and I sure as hell didn’t believe in heroes. There were good people, genuinely good people, who did good things for no reason other than it was the right thing, but even those men and women weren’t heroes. They were just people.
“I don’t need a hero; I need a cold compress and pain reliever. You wouldn’t happen to have any of that on hand, would you?”
“You bet I do.” He flashed a proud smile. “I paid someone to stock everything a person would need to live the life of a hermit up here on the cliff.”
I laughed, appreciating Gavin’s sense of humor. He was rich and had been for a long time, so he was probably used to people taking care of his every need, yet he still seemed slightly embarrassed about it. “Planning ahead?”
He shrugged, which was no small feat with me in his arms. “I try.”
“I approve. Maybe not about the hermit thing, but planning in general is a good thing.”
“Especially now.” The mansion looked even bigger on the inside, with tall ceilings and large windows that let light in from all directions.
I’d been expecting a modern nightmare, but Gavin’s place was homey and welcoming. “Wow, this is nice.”
Gavin laughed. “I’m just going to pretend that your words were appreciative and not at all shocked that my home is in order.”
“Not shocked that it’s in order, but shocked that the place isn’t covered in leather and chrome.”
It was tastefully decorated with a big black sectional as the centerpiece, a large television mounted on the wall, and photos of friends and family on the mantel, the walls and end tables. The video gaming consoles underneath the television confirmed that this was indeed a bachelor pad.
Gavin set me on the sofa and took a step back, his green eyes taking me in for a long moment. “Leather looks nice, but trust me when I tell you it’s not as comfortable as you might think when the weather is hot and humid. I’ll go grab that compress for you.”
I watched his long legs carry him to the kitchen until Gavin was out of view, wishing I had free use of both legs to look around the place. From my perch on the sofa, the living room was the main room in the house. It looked the most lived in and it felt the warmest. Every little detail I learned about Gavin only made me like him more.
“I brought you something for the pain, too.” In one hand, he held a bag of peas attached to an ice pack.
“Thanks, but I haven’t eaten today so I’ll take something when I get home.”
He flashed a playful smile and took a step closer. “Your timing, Suzie, is absolutely perfect.” With those words, he scooped me in his arms once again, as if I weighed nothing, and hauled me into the kitchen.
“Smells like more running to me.”
He chuckled and set me on one of the cushioned kitchen chairs, propping my injured legs up on another one. “I suppose that means you haven’t learned your lesson?” His green eyes caressed every inch of my body before he licked his lips. “You look good, Suzie. Really good. Running isn’t necessary.”
“Thanks, but you haven’t seen me without my clothes on.”
“Not yet,” he answered with a quick smile.
“You know what I mean. I need to watch what I eat.” It wasn’t just fitting into clothes that I worried about, but working in a hospital made me very aware of how even a few extra pounds could impact my health, and I was determined to run JRMC for as long as I could.
“Excellent. My chef prepared a vegetarian lasagna with salad. What could be healthier?”
“Just a salad?”
“That’s boring, and a woman who’s wearing cat eye glasses with rhinestones is anything but boring.”
“Athletic wear,” I answered with a sheepish smile.
“See? Not boring. I’ll get plates.” Before I could tell Gavin it wasn’t necessary, he brought dinner and salad plates along with silverware to the table. “And glasses,” he said with a wink and disappeared down a small hall common in big homes like this. “Can’t have lasagna without wine, can you?”