Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 39424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
“Forget it, Chloe. I don’t want you there.”
I rear back as if he’s hit me. I’ve never heard that tone from him before, and I realize I’ve pushed him too far. I shouldn’t take it personally, but I can’t help but be offended.
I keep putting myself out there, letting him in, and one minute I think we’re making progress and then crap like this happens.
I stare at the television without even seeing it. I can feel Elias staring at me, but I’m not going to look at him.
He stands up and holds his hand out at me. “Fuck. Come on.”
I stand up too, but I don’t take his hand. I’m angry and I poke him in the chest with my finger. “You know what, forget it. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
I turn to walk away, but I don’t get far. He has his arms looped around my waist, and he pulls me up against his body. He’s holding me close, and I can feel his breath at my neck. “I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t talk to you like that.”
I cover his hands at my waist with my own. “You’re right, you shouldn’t. I didn’t know it was that big of a deal, but if you don’t want me in your home, that’s fine.”
He rubs the stubble of his beard against my neck as he nuzzles me. “It’s not that.”
I turn in his arms, and his hands instantly palm my ass. “What is it then?”
“Sometimes I don’t want to remind you that I’m scarred. That I’m hurt and that I live in a rehab center.”
I slide my hands up his chest. “Oh Elias, I don’t know how I can prove to you that—”
He cuts me off and kisses me on the forehead. “Come on, I’ll take you over there.”
I shake my head. “Forget it. We can just stay here.”
“Chloe,” he admonishes, and I pull from his arms.
“Seriously, we can just stay here. No biggie.” No biggie? Who am I? Who talks like that? Even though I now understand why he doesn’t want to take me over there, it still bothers me.
He grabs his keys off my entryway table. “Come on. We’ll go.”
But I stay rooted in my spot. “No. I don’t want you to take me to your house because I asked you to. It’s fine. We can stay here…”
He points toward my bedroom and says with a deep voice, “Go pack a bag, Chloe.”
“Pack a bag?”
“Yes, pack a bag, or not. It’s up to you, but you’re going to my house, I’m fucking you in my bed, and I’m not letting you up all night.”
My whole body flushes, and when he reaches for me, I take off running to my bedroom. “Give me five minutes and I’ll be ready.”
I fly around the bedroom and bathroom, throwing things into an overnight bag, and less than ten minutes later, we’re in his truck, cruising across town toward the rehab center.
He’s quiet the whole way, and the closer we get, the more strained he becomes. He’s quiet as he pulls into the parking lot. He doesn’t say anything when he comes around to help me out of the passenger side of the truck and as we walk down a path. I keep my head down until we get through the gravel walkway, and when I lift my head, I stop and gasp. “Elias.”
He stops and looks at me, surprised. “What is it?”
I wave my hand in front of us. “It’s beautiful.” There’s a huge pond, and the backdrop is Whiskey Run Mountain. I’ve never seen it quite like this, and it’s breathtaking.
Two men come up behind us. “Hey, Elias.”
We both turn, and Elias pulls me into his side. “Hey, guys. This is my girlfriend, Chloe. Chloe, this is Jeff and Clinton.”
I barely get hello out and Elias is pulling me down the path and stops outside a cabin. He unlocks the door and gestures for me to go in. I’m used to Elias being quiet, but this is different. I follow him through the house as he shows me the living room and kitchen combo, the spare bedroom that he’s turned into an office, and the bedroom and bathroom. When we get back to the living room, he’s standing awkwardly. “This is it.”
I move over to him and tug his shirt. “You okay?” I ask worriedly.
He nods and runs his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m good.”
I lean into him. “So girlfriend, huh?”
He looks at me with possession in his eyes. “Yeah, girlfriend.”
“Okay.”
He puts his hands on each side of my neck. “Okay?”
Being this close to him makes me crazy. “Yeah. Didn’t you say something about a bed?”
He lifts me up in his arms, and my legs go around his waist. He walks us to his room and tosses me on the bed. “Yeah. I also said I plan on fucking you all night.”