Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
He doesn’t respond right away, but I can feel his presence, solid and warm next to me. But he doesn’t say anything else, just lies there in the quiet with me. I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t this... awkward silence. I’m mortified, honestly. Why did I think I could start something with him? He’s here to keep me safe, nothing more.
I close my eyes, forcing the thoughts to quiet down. I can’t dwell on this now. I just need to sleep. And I do, even though my mind is still spinning.
The morning light is soft when I wake up, and the first thing I feel is the distance. I can’t stop thinking about what happened last night. I roll over and see Boone still asleep beside me. His face is relaxed, his breathing steady. But I can’t look at him the same way now. I’m embarrassed, and I hate myself for thinking there could be anything more than this. I should’ve known better.
I quietly slip out of bed, careful not to wake him. The cold air of the room brushes against my skin, and I grab my sweatshirt, pulling it over my head. I tie my shoes quickly, feeling the weight of the awkwardness settle around me.
When Boone stirs behind me, I head for the door without saying a word, heading for the porch. I need to clear my head. I need to get out of here, even if it’s just for a short run.
I step outside, the crisp morning air biting at my skin, and I start jogging down the gravel road. My feet hit the ground in rhythm, each step pushing me further away from the mess of last night. I’m moving faster now, the cold wind against my face helping to clear my mind, but my thoughts keep swirling back to Boone.
Suddenly, I hear the sound of footsteps behind me. I glance over my shoulder, and there he is—Boone, moving quickly, chasing after me. I speed up, trying to put distance between us, but he’s not slowing down.
“Aubree!” he calls out, his voice carrying over the wind. “Where are you going?”
I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to talk to him, especially not now. I push myself harder, my legs burning as I run faster, trying to outpace him. I know I can’t keep this up forever, but right now, I just want some space. I need to clear my head.
He catches up to me quickly, his longer legs eating up the distance, and soon enough, he’s beside me. He’s not even breathing hard, like he’s done this a million times.
“You planning on running me into the ground?” he asks, his voice teasing but with that edge of concern I can never seem to shake.
I don’t look at him, just focus on the road ahead. “I’m fine,” I mutter, pushing myself harder.
“Aubree,” he says again, his voice softer this time. “What’s going on? We need to talk about last night.”
I don’t want to talk about last night. I don’t want to deal with the embarrassment of it. “I don’t want to talk about it, Boone,” I snap, my frustration building. “I just need some space.”
He slows down a bit, but his presence is still there, right beside me. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
I bite my lip, the anger and embarrassment mixing into a strange knot in my stomach. I can’t look at him right now. I can’t even think straight.
“I’m fine,” I say again, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just need to be alone for a little while. Okay?”
He looks at me for a second, his jaw tightening like he’s about to argue, but then he just nods. “Alright. But I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here if you need me.”
I keep running, not slowing down. I don’t want him to follow me, but I know he will. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but right now, I just need the distance. I need to run. To think.
I push harder, faster, trying to outrun the feelings I can’t seem to shake.
Chapter 13
Boone
I sit on the couch in the cabin, the weight of the silence pressing in on me. Aubree's run this morning has thrown me off more than I'd like to admit. I can’t stop thinking about her, about last night, about how everything is starting to feel... complicated. It was supposed to be simple. I was supposed to protect her, keep her safe. That was it. No emotions. No attachments.
But the more time I spend with her, the harder it becomes to follow that rule.
I pull my phone out, needing to focus on something else. I dial Dean’s number, trying to push away the thoughts of Aubree and last night’s kiss. I need to check in, see where the investigation stands.