Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Honey, I gotta get to work.”
“So, go,” I muttered. “Bye.”
“Charlie,” Bishop snapped, not unkindly. “Please get up and get dressed.”
“Why?” I whined, sitting up in bed.
“Because I wanna take you somewhere before I go to work.”
“It’s the butt crack of dawn,” I bitched, climbing out of bed. “This can’t wait until after work?”
“No, it can’t,” he replied, tapping me lightly on the ass. “Get ready. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
I hurried through my morning routine, slapping on a little makeup and throwing my rat’s nest of hair into a high bun. Sleeping on wet hair had also been an epically bad decision. By the time I got downstairs, Bishop was waiting for me at the door.
“Beautiful,” he said, grinning as I tiredly flipped him off.
I followed him to the truck and climbed inside, only half curious about where we were going. I’d trained myself to wake up early after years of taking the morning shift, but that only worked if I was expecting to get up early. If I’d been planning on sleeping in—which I had—then waking up fully was a challenge.
“Thank you for comin’ with me,” he said as we drove. “I wanted to see you this morning before I left.”
“A little morning nookie would’ve been better,” I said, leaning back against the seat as I turned my head to look at him.
The morning sun was coming through the window, outlining his face in a light so bright I had to squint, and I almost laughed at how angelic he looked. Not like one of those chubby baby angels, but like one of the avenging ones, all chiseled lines and strong bones.
“I’ll be sure to wake you up for that tomorrow,” he said, reaching over to squeeze my thigh. “How’s the leg?”
“You’ve seen it,” I replied, reaching down to run my finger along the scar beneath my jeans. “It’s pretty gnarly looking.”
“I heard you tell Kara that it was infected,” he said quietly. “I wanted to ask you about it, but—” He shrugged. “Wasn’t my place.”
“It’s all healed now,” I assured him.
“Good,” he said, shooting me a smile. “I worried a bit.”
“No,” I gasped theatrically. “You?”
We pulled onto the freeway, and I looked around in confusion. I had absolutely no idea where he was going, and I opened my mouth to ask when he pulled off at the next exit.
“Bishop,” I said, realization dawning.
“This’ll only take a minute,” he replied.
I sat like a statue as we pulled into the line at Morning, Joe.
“Smile, honey,” he said, lacing his fingers through mine as he pulled up to the window.
I wish I would’ve been prepared. If I’d known what was happening beforehand, I would’ve pulled out my phone and taken a picture.
The look on Tabitha’s face was one of the best things I’d ever seen.
Bishop was all business as he ordered our coffees, somehow remembering exactly what I preferred. He waited, glancing over at me to smile while she prepared the drinks. Then, he took them from her hands politely and handed her a twenty.
We waited as she made change, but as she tried to hand it back, Bishop shook his head.
“Keep the change,” he said easily, handing her the photo she’d left in my house. “Just wanted to give this back to you.”
Tabitha gaped at us like a goldfish as she struggled to think of something to say.
“I doubt I’ll see you around,” Bishop said, putting the truck in gear. It was somehow both a promise and a threat. He pulled away before she’d uttered a word.
I lifted the coffee to my mouth as I savored the memory of Tabitha’s face.
“Don’t drink that,” Bishop snapped, taking the hot coffee out of my hand. “Jesus, she probably spit in it.”
“Oh, god, you’re right,” I said, wiping the back of my hand against my mouth, even though I hadn’t even touched my lips before he’d taken it.
I started to laugh as he turned into a gas station and immediately threw the coffees into the trash can outside.
I was still laughing as he opened up my door and leaned inside the cab.
“I bet she won’t fuck with you again,” he said, grinning as I giggled.
“And you didn’t even get arrested,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. “My hero.”
“Love you, honey,” he said sweetly, leaning in to kiss the smile off my lips.
“I love you, too,” I murmured. “This was totally worth getting up early.”
“Tomorrow will be better,” he said against my lips.
“Can’t wait,” I whispered back.