Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“Why don’t I take a turn driving for a while?”
“You barely fit behind the wheel.”
I chuckle deep in my chest, feeling happier than I have a right to, considering everything that’s happened today. I lean over even further to land a kiss on Kira’s lips, looking deep into her sleepy eyes.
“Rest up, Red. ’Cause whenever we finally stop for a hotel, I’d love to keep you up the rest of the night. Only if you’re up for it, of course.”
Her eyes pop back wide, suddenly eager again. “Oh, I’m up for it.”
“Then close your eyes.” She closes them obediently, and I kiss each eyelid. “And sleep for a while.”
I buckle the middle buckle around her waist and help her settle in the backseat. She’s got a blanket she keeps back there, so I tuck it in all around her and roll up an old college sweater for a pillow. Then I hop out and run around to the driver’s seat.
She’s not wrong. My six-foot-six frame does barely fit in the damn car, but I crank the seat back as far as it can go, only a little squished.
Then we’re on the road again.
And I sort of feel like a pirate who’s stolen off with the princess.
FORTY-THREE
KIRA
We don’t stop for a hotel until we get to Denver.
When I woke up at sunrise and we were at a gas station, Isaak looked beat. There were dark hollows under his eyes, and I remembered that he hadn’t been sleeping well for weeks.
I should have said we’d stop for a hotel right there, but right there happened to be the ass-end-of-nowhere, New Mexico, that had nothing much else besides the gas station. So, I asked if Isaak minded trying to sleep in the passenger seat while I drove.
Shockingly, Isaak was out and snoring literally less than a minute after I put on a podcast and he reclined the seat back again.
So I drove north and learned all about the deep psychological goings-on of my favorite reality TV dating contestants from my favorite therapist podcaster. Nobody feeds my soul better than Dr. Kirk Honda. Isaak snored peacefully beside me.
If he was finally getting some actual sleep, I wasn’t about to interrupt it. So I just kept driving, just like Isaak must’ve done all night.
By mid-afternoon we pull into Denver with the afternoon traffic. We’ve made excellent time if I do say so myself.
I stop at a hotel I’ve always liked here, and almost as soon as the car stops moving, Isaak wakes up, stretching his long arms in any direction he can in the car that’s far too small for him.
“Where are we?”
I tell him.
“Denver?” He looks around, then winces at the sunlight. He pulls the hood of his sweatshirt down over his head. “Fuck. I gotta piss like a racehorse.”
“Can you hold it until we check in, stallion?”
“You check in. I’ll find a pisser.” He shoves out his door and takes off through the automatic glass hotel doors.
Ah, my gallant bodyguard. Those duties are over, though, so it’s only fair.
I let the valet park the car while I pause outside the hotel that’s situated perfectly across from Civic Center Park.
It’s a cloudy day, and I close my eyes and let the breeze blow across my skin. I shiver as goosebumps rise everywhere. It’s actually cold, cold here. I take it in for a quick moment before opening my eyes again and dragging my suitcases and Isaak’s single duffel into the hotel.
I wonder if I should be worried about him, but he shows up at the elevators after I’ve checked in. We ride up to the eleventh floor.
Finally, finally, we’re pushing through the door into our home away from home.
“Why Denver?” Isaak asks, pulling the suitcases behind him. He took them from me at the elevator. “I thought you were looking for a road trip.”
“That was a road trip!” I fall back on the single king-sized bed dramatically, arms out wide.
It’s only then that Isaak looks around. “Kira. There isn’t a second bed.”
I sit back up and reach for his hands. “If it’s a hard limit, we can go back downstairs and get a room with two beds. But I wondered if we could try sleeping in one again. It’s part of why I wanted to come to Denver.”
“What’s Denver got to do with it?”
“Denver’s got everything to do with it. But I want to keep it as a surprise. Especially in case you get mad at me.”
I cringe and wait for him to go all grouchy investigator on me since I mentioned both a surprise and that he might get mad at me about it. Instead, he just stands there, broody and quiet. Is he already mad about the one bed?
I decide to snatch the win while I’ve got it.
“Great!” I climb off the bed. “I’ll shower first. I feel grimy after a day in the car.” With that, I flounce off to the bathroom, dragging one of my suitcases behind me.