Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
He stood but didn’t attack. With a low grumble he turned and walked over to his bed where he curled up beside Momo.
“You don’t need that.”
Greta motioned at my gun. With a nod, I put it back into my hip holster. She leaned her hip against the kitchen island, regarding me.
“I’m actually hungry,” I said, nodding toward the steaming red chili.
Greta took out bowls and scooped generous portions into them before she carried them over to a rustic wood table around the corner. Floor to ceiling windows granted us a view of the paddocks. Greta motioned at the wooden bench and I sank down.
She sat down across from me and handed me a spoon. “I hope you like it. I made it with soy granules to imitate meat.”
I took a spoonful. “It’s good.”
Her face lit up, and she ate a bite herself.
“What is this place?” I asked quietly as I watched her enjoy her food with a pleased expression.
“It’s a safe haven for abused animals. It’s still only in its beginning. I want to add more stables and a house where dogs can live in a pack, and I need a house for cats.” She smiled embarrassedly.
“My best friend used to live in a place like this with his family.”
“My cousin.”
I nodded.
“Not anymore?”
“He has his own place now.” I didn’t mention Sara, it would have only brought attention to my own wife, and I had no intention to talk about Sara and Maximus anyway.
Instead, we talked about the farm as we sat across from each other, enjoying Greta’s cooking. “My sister and her husband have two dogs as well,” I said, nodding toward Bear.
“Really?”
“From a shelter.”
“That’s wonderful.”
My eyes were drawn to another dog bed I hadn’t noticed before where a black and white dog slept soundly. It’s hind-legs and tail were bandaged. “The dog you saved?”
She nodded, compassion filling her face. “Dotty. She’s sleeping a lot because of the medication but I think she’s on the mend.”
I didn’t follow her gaze to the broken creature because I couldn’t take my eyes away from her face.
Sitting like that with a woman and talking felt foreign, but at the same time right in a profound way I couldn’t quite figure out and I knew it wouldn’t ever be like this with any other woman, especially not Cressida. I’d either have ulterior motives or try to escape the situation as fast as possible. With Greta I was content just being close to her and hearing her take on things, which was so unique, positive and inherently kind that it felt even more foreign than our situation in itself. That didn’t mean that I wouldn’t have liked to kiss her, to touch her. Fuck, to do so many things to her, but right now, I was content. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just been content, without my mind running a hundred miles an hour thinking about all the problems ahead.
This moment here was what my parents shared. It was what I’d never hoped to have, and now, with Greta, for a fleeting moment, I experienced it. But this couldn’t last.
Anger at myself rose up like a flash flood. I put the spoon down. “I’m not here to chat and eat.”
Greta jumped at the sudden change in my tone. She put her own spoon down. “Why are you here then?”
Fuck. If I knew why. “Greta, our families are at war.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
I smiled bitterly. “Your brother and cousins kidnapped my aunt and cousin. Isa still has nightmares.”
Greta lowered her gaze, her lips thinning. “I know it was wrong. But you attacked us first. Kiara had a concussion.”
“It was a mistake,” I admitted. I wasn’t sure why I said it. Only Dad knew what I thought of our failed ambush.
Greta looked up in surprise. “Thank you for saying this. I didn’t think you would. I know men like you have trouble admitting to faults.”
“You’re welcome,” I said in a strangely gruff tone.
I stretched out my hand on the table, my palm upward and Greta put her hand in mine without hesitation. I closed my fingers. How could this feel so fucking perfect when it was betrayal in so many ways?
She swallowed thickly. “Do you want me to show you around?”
I wanted many things, but not that.
Greta’s eyes darted down to my lips as if she could read my thoughts on my face. She looked away, her brows snatching together.
“Are you often alone out here?”
“This is actually the first time. It was a hard fight to get this far. But I’m a good shot. I beat Alessio and Massimo at skeet shooting.”
My eyebrows rose. “Really?”
She gave me an indignant look. “Really. It’s a sport, which was why I agreed to take lessons, and once Dad saw how good I was he allowed me more freedom. I could defend myself if the need arose.”