Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Elora.”
Startled, I jump and drop my book, my eyes landing on Roman standing in the doorway.
“What happened?” I frown, taking in his hair and his T-shirt, which are soaked.
“I had to walk back.”
“You walked back?” I know it didn’t take us an hour to drive here from the mechanic shop or anything, but the walk had to be at least fifteen minutes, if not longer.
“I couldn’t get a car.” He walks toward me and picks my book up from the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” His eyes meet mine.
“That you had to walk in the rain after dealing with my van.”
“I’m glad it was me and not you.” He hands me my book, then leans over me, resting his hand on the arm of the chair. “After I shower and change, we can figure out dinner. Do you want to stay down here or come upstairs with me?”
“I’ll come with you.” He nods, unfolding from his bent position, and holds out his hand.
“Did they say anything about the van?” I ask as he pulls me up.
“Just that they’ll call in a few and give us an update after they get the dash off and check out the motor.”
“Hopefully, it will be an easy fix and won’t cost much.” I glance up at him as we walk up the wide stairs and see his jaw clench ever so slightly. Oh no. “Did they already tell you how much it’s going to cost?”
“No, but it shouldn’t be much.”
That’s doubtful since they have to remove the entire dash, and most places charge by the hour.
“You never told me how much this place is a night.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Roman, I want to know so I can pay you back, and I’m paying for my van when it’s time to pick it up.”
“Did you eat something?” he asks, ignoring my comment completely, which is beyond frustrating.
“You do realize I can just look up the price per night for this place online, right?”
“We’ll talk about it when you close on your land.”
“Fine.” I sigh as he opens the door to our room.
“I spoke to a friend of mine, Jace, who lives in San Francisco. He and his wife Penny live there, and they invited us to stay with them when we get into town.” He steps back to let me enter the room before him. “We don’t have to, but I figured it would be a better option than sleeping in the van.”
“Can I meet them first, then decide?” I walk across the room and place my book on the nightstand beside the bed.
“Sure,” he says, distracted, as he lifts his hands up over his head and takes off his wet shirt that was clinging to him.
“How do you know him?” I ask, trying and failing not to stare at his sculpted torso and the tattoos covering his arms when his shirt is off.
He’s beautiful, even the parts of him that are not visible from the outside.
“He’s bought a couple pieces of property in New Y—” His words cut off, and I look up, meeting his gaze and feeling my cheeks heat when I realize he caught me checking him out.
“Sorry,” I whisper, and his hand clenches around the shirt he’s still holding.
“Why are you apologizing?” He takes a step toward me.
“I don’t know.” I lick my lips.
His eyes drop to my mouth, and my pulse skips a beat.
Since that one time back at the hotel, he hasn’t given me a single indication that he’s wanted to kiss me again, but something hot and thick fills the air between us now, making it difficult to breathe. Making my pulse race.
I step back when I realize he’s still closing the distance between us.
“What are you doing, Elora?”
That’s a good question. What am I doing? This room is small, and it’s not like I can run away.
Do I even want to run away from him?
Before I can figure that question out in my head, he’s in my space.
Leaning…
Around me.
I watch him pick up his backpack, feeling lightheaded.
“I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“S-Sure,” I stutter, watching him turn and head into the bathroom.
With my heart pounding, I fall to my bottom on the side of the bed and stare at the open bathroom door, hearing the shower turn on. Did I want him to kiss me? Yes. Am I disappointed he didn’t? Also, yes. The real question is, did he even want to kiss me? If he did, he would have. Wouldn’t he? I’m pretty sure the answer is yes, but not knowing for sure makes me feel off-balance and awkward. Not wanting to be in here when he gets out of the shower, I push off the bed and walk across the room.
“Roman.”
“Yeah?” he calls out over the sound of the shower.
“I’m going to go downstairs.”
“What?” He rips the curtain to the shower open enough to look out at me.