Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Shit.
I couldn’t do this.
Not today.
Getting a cup of water with crushed ice, since I knew that was what he liked, I filled it to the brim with water from the tap and hurried into the living room where Booth was still sitting slumped against the couch.
“Here ‘ya go,” I said, setting the drink down next to his left hand.
He opened those captivating eyes and pinned me to the spot.
“Where are you going?” He asked.
Looking down, I noticed that I still had my keys in my hand.
Clutching them a little more tightly, I shook my head.
“I can’t stay,” I said.
“Why not?” He questioned, genuinely confused. “Will you make me pancakes?”
I would not smile. I would not smile.
“No. Your mom probably doesn’t have what I need to make them, anyway,” I said softly. “Here’s your meds,” I said, pulling out the single pill that the doctor gave us to hold him over for tonight. “I’ll drop these off tonight and have the pharmacy bring them over to you in the morning. And I’ll pick you up when I pick Mia up so y’all aren’t left without cars.”
He frowned.
“Why’d you do it? Why’d you leave me?” He asked softly.
I didn’t pretend to misunderstand his question.
My heart dropped into my belly.
“Your job scared me,” I whispered to him. “I think that, subconsciously, I was scared, and not just for my sister. I knew she was going to die from the time I was old enough to understand that she was sick. My parents didn’t hide anything from me.”
He just looked at me, not comprehending.
That’d been my reason for not staying with him.
I knew he was confused.
I licked my lips.
My voice cracked as I explained. “I started having nightmares the day you left for deployment,” I informed him. “The same one, night after night, assaulted me in my dreams. You dead and not able to come home to me.” I coughed and cleared my throat. “I swore to myself that I’d never have to deal with that. And I think I purposely picked a fight with you so you wouldn’t be able to up and die on me, leaving me alone,” I hesitated before adding, “It backfired.”
I swallowed, chancing a look at his face.
It was blank.
No expression whatsoever.
“Think it’s time for you to go,” he said softly.
I turned on my heels.
“I’ll call you once an hour. If you don’t pick up, I’m coming back over here,” I whispered.
I saw him nod over my shoulder, and I hurried to my car and didn’t look back.
And when I got home, yet again, I cried.
Chapter 5
When life’s too hot to stand, kneel. No really, because heat rises, and you might die if you breathe that air.
-Masen to Mia
Masen
My luck had run out.
I knew it would.
Booth, although quiet, wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.
I’d called him no less than once an hour, setting my own alarm clock to ensure that I wouldn’t forget.
And when I’d called at six, he hadn’t answered.
He’d answered all the previous times, sounding more and more himself, within four rings.
This time, nothing.
So, I’d gotten in my Jeep, wearing the tight compression shorts and a baggy t-shirt that I’d worn to bed, and started driving across town to Booth’s parents’ place.
The drive was short, because, let’s be honest, Kilgore was small.
It took eight minutes to drive from one border to the other, and that was if you were driving the speed limit.
Go faster like I was doing, and it’d take less than five.
I pulled into the driveway and shut my Jeep off, bailing out of the car and running to the front door.
The door was unlocked, thankfully. I hadn’t replaced the key last night in my haste to leave.
The first thing I saw was Booth’s body on the floor.
“Booth!” I cried, running towards him.
I stopped, though, when those very pissed off eyes landed on me.
“What?” He snapped.
“You didn’t answer,” I said hastily, backing away now.
His anger was palpable in the air around us, and I knew instantly that this was one of those times that I needed to think carefully about what I would say.
Booth was a hothead.
He didn’t speak much, and when he did, you really should listen.
But get him mad, and he was a force to be reckoned with.
“I’ll leave,” I said, turning on my heel to hurry to the front door.
I had my hand on the door handle when my body was suddenly covered with the hard, sinewy body of the man that I was in love with. So fucking in love with.
“Why are you leaving?” He asked silkily.
I shivered at the cold menace that practically dripped off his words.
“Because you’re okay,” I shivered.
“Hmmm,” he said, pressing his lips against the back of my neck and inhaling.
My hand groped for the door handle that I’d somehow lost purchase on, but I found his hand instead, covering the handle and locking it at the same time.