Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
I push open the large dumpster with a grunt. The heavy door groans as it swings over and then slams into the side.
“Alright, muscles,” I say as I rub my hands together with a grin. “Let’s get this on one shot this time.”
I grab the heavy bag, grit my teeth, and swing it up with all of my strength. It slams into the side of the metal dumpster and then falls back down on the ground. At least, it didn’t tear open this time.
“Try number two,” I say as I grab the leaking bag, bend my knees, and hoist it up with a grunt. It swings over the edge and disappears inside.
“Oh, yeah!” I say as I do a little victory dance in the back of the diner where no one can see me. It’s embarrassing that I’m celebrating getting a garbage bag into the dumpster as a win, but you have to take your wins where you can, right?
I turn to head inside when I hear a masculine groan coming from inside the bin. My body freezes. My blood goes cold.
Was that…?
Another one. It sounds like someone is in there and it sounds like they’re in pain.
With my pulse racing and my heart pounding, I sneak up to the bin and try to gather the courage to peek in.
I step on my toes and—Holy shit!
There’s a naked man in there!
I hightail it back to the door of the diner to get Lou, but stop when I wrap my hand around the door handle.
I turn and look at the bin with my heart thundering in my chest.
Go to him, a little voice inside says, coming out of nowhere.
I should get my head checked. There’s a naked man in that dumpster and my brain is urging me to go to him. I’ve barely been interested in any boy, haven’t even had a crush before, and the first time my brain is like ‘ooooh, a man!’ it’s over some naked stranger laying in a dumpster behind a crappy old diner. I really know how to pick ‘em.
I turn back to the door to do the smart thing and get Lou, but there’s something pulling me toward him. Some invisible force that feels like it’s gripping my soul and urging me to go back. I feel drawn to him in some strong weird way.
“Shit,” I whisper as I let go of the door and hurry back to the dumpster. I put my hand into my waitressing apron and grab the canister of pepper spray I always keep on me. A prickling feeling crawls up the back of my neck as I step on my toes and peek in once again.
I swallow a gasp when I see him laying there. He’s injured. And naked. Very naked. He’s laying on his side with his leg covering the triple X-rated parts. His leg is covered in dried blood. There’s a wound on his thigh that looks like it’s a few weeks old. It’s still red and raw, but it’s no longer bleeding at least. How long has this guy been in here? Why the heck is he naked?
He shivers and I dart away with my heart pounding. I take a few deep breaths and then peek back in.
There are deep scratches all over him. Long parallel pink lines run along his ass and up his back. They look like they are incredibly painful. What, did this guy get mauled by a bear? There’s thick fresh blood pooled all over the garbage bags under him. I spot another deep wound under his arm. This one is still leaking out blood.
Before I can stop myself, I put my pepper spray back in my apron, grab onto the dumpster, pull myself up, and swing my leg over.
“This is a bad idea,” I say as I’m about to drop in, but I do it anyway. I land on the garbage bags and he stirs with a painful groan. His eyes are closed and he doesn’t even open them as I lean down and look him over up close.
He’s gorgeous. Truly beautiful, even considering that he’s covered in blood and laying in a dumpster. I stare at his face—furrowed brow, clenched jaw, stubbled cheeks with an adorable dimple in them—and wonder what color his eyes are. I wonder how it feels when they look right at you. My body craves the answer.
What the heck is wrong with you, girl? This man needs a hospital, not you ogling him.
But still, I can’t look away. My curious eyes roam along his hard muscular arms and over his massive chest that’s moving up and down as it takes rough haggard breaths.
My fingertips tingle as I imagine running my hands through his messy brown hair. A sudden urge to lay down beside him and rest my cheek on his shoulder hits me, but I shake it off with a roll of my eyes. What the heck has gotten into me?