Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Do we know her? Next time lead with this, asshole.” Linc’s words were full of friendly exasperation.
“I found her.” He hid his smile, even though there was no point in doing that—he wasn’t on a video call with them.
“Like a toy? Linc, tell our boy that’s not a thing.”
“Tully’s right, Mitchell. You can’t just go around grabbing people and telling them you found them. That’s, well, it’s mighty white of you.”
Mitchell rolled his eyes.
“Would you two shut the fuck up?” They listened. “She was in a car accident. I helped her and now we’re here.” He ran his tongue over his lips and rubbed his hands on his thighs. One more bit of truth to share. Damn it, he wanted to keep it to himself. Hell, he wanted to keep her to himself. “We’re sharing a room.”
This time the silence was not appreciated. “Single bed?”
“Yes, Linc. The room has one bed.”
“And you shared.” Tully’s voice sounded odd. Like he was choking.
Good. Bastard.
“Yes.” His skin went hot at the reminder. “Nothing happened other than sleep.”
“You shared a bed and nothing happened?” Linc’s tone showcased his disbelief.
“I tried to give her the bed.”
“But,” Tully prompted.
Mitchell picked up his fork and stabbed the orange slice on his plate. The one not harming anyone.
“She basically bullied me!”
They snorted. He wished they were close enough to punch. “Have you shrunk since we last saw you? How did a woman bully you?” Tully’s tone was drenched in disbelief.
Okay, so he couldn’t really blame his friends for that. He wasn’t a small guy.
“She was injured and said if I didn’t share it with her, she would go downstairs.” He flushed even though they couldn’t see him. After a moment, he shrugged. “I didn’t want her on her leg more than necessary.”
“You like her.” Tully made the pronouncement and Linc agreed without hesitation.
“Listen, that’s not the point. Don’t go there. Just because you two are in love doesn’t mean I am. Plus, I don’t even know her. And let’s not forget I just got out of a toxic-as-hell relationship. I’m not looking to get into another. We went over this. I need to get me right. She’s not exactly anyone my mother would approve of, that’s for sure.”
Harsh it may be, but that was the cold truth when it came to his mother. Vera Anderson thought a woman should never be above a size two, a four on a special day. His own sister, Mallory, had been shipped off to “fat farms” more than once, until she was the proper size, according to the gospel of Mrs. Anderson. And it had killed him he hadn’t been able to protect his baby sister while he’d been away playing ball.
“Mitchell.”
He slouched. Damn it, Linc sounded like his own father when he took that tone. So much. Having grown up with Delano Conner—a man he respected like hell—that voice had him shutting up and listening. Even if it wasn’t the older man but his son, who, he had to admit, had taken over the role of being a father figure to his fiancée’s little girl very well. “Yes, Linc?”
“Say what you will, but you stayed and we all know you go where you want. Had that been The Viper, no threats would have gotten you in that bed with her.”
Damn it. He hated when they were right.
“What Linc is trying to say is that you should get to know her. Let yourself like someone for you. Stop worrying about your mother’s opinions and find someone you like for being herself.”
“Maybe this is all a ploy to get something?” He hated that he even thought that about Hope but, hello, mistrust.
“A woman who wanted that would’ve stripped in front of you. I’m guessing that didn’t happen,” Tully said.
Mitchell smirked as he thought of her saying something about taking advantage. No, she hadn’t stripped in front of him. In fact, she’d gone out of her way to remain as covered as she could in his presence. And she was avoiding him.
The more he thought about it, he wasn’t onboard with that—at all.
His guys razzed him a bit longer before he hung up and once again he was alone.
Determined not to think about Hope, he started tinkering on his game. And it worked for about thirty minutes. Swearing, he paced the room as the wind continued to buffet snow against the window.
Standing on her side of the bed, he skimmed his fingers along his folded clothes. The ones she had slept in next to him—without expecting anything in return. Seriously? One night and he considered this her side of the bed. Like they were actually a couple.
How long had it been since someone—other than those in his inner circle—had shown concern for him?
Still, he was suspicious. Typically the most easygoing of guys, he had been burned. Badly.