Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Ava’s eyes narrowed slightly. “First, I need a toothbrush and a change of clothes.”
“I’m down with that too.” He was down with anything she wanted.
With his chin, he indicated the Supermart department store right across the street, with a crosswalk straight there from Motel Y.
Since they planned on checking in, Ava moved the Pantera into the motel’s parking lot, then they walked over to the store.
“Wow,” Ava exclaimed as they entered the sliding doors. The amount of stuff was overwhelming—anything you could possibly want.
She grabbed his arm, and he was sure she didn’t even notice what she’d done. “Oh my God, will you look at all the chocolate.”
An entire aisle of it. Peppermint patties. Chocolate-covered caramels. Malted milk balls. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate. Truffles. Peanut butter cups.
He loved the feel of her skin against his, just as he’d loved the smoothness of her cheek in the restaurant as he’d cleaned off the little bit of secret sauce. Damn, but he’d wanted to lick it off. Yet he’d maintained control even as he burned, just the way he was going up in flames right now.
Keeping the smile off his face, he said sternly, “Keep away from the chocolate.”
Ava laughed. God, her laugh. What it did to him.
He dragged her away from the chocolate aisle, moving on until they found toothbrushes and toothpaste and other sundries.
She stopped abruptly in front of shelves crammed with colored bags and bottles. “Look at all these different scents of Epsom salts.” She looked at him, her beautiful eyes wide. “Do you think Motel Y has bathtubs in any of the rooms?”
“We can ask for one.”
“All right then.” She grabbed a bag. “I want to try these rose-scented salts.”
She’d always loved her baths. He could see her there now. Naked. Bubbles up to her neck, sweet scents permeating the air.
He actually had to shake himself to dispel the seductive image.
She’d already sent him back for a cart, and now she plunked the bag of Epsom salts into it. “Okay, we need clothes.”
She picked out way more than one change of clothing, making him turn his back when she chose panties.
Despite that, he couldn’t help looking at the lacy confection, imagining her in it.
He delighted in how she went overboard. She probably hadn’t shopped like this in years. The boutiques she’d frequent would bring out models to display whatever she was interested in. But now, she was so like the girl he’d loved all those years ago. He loved seeing that girl in the woman now.
After she’d helped him pick out clothes, they headed to the snack and drink aisle. Even there, Ava went overboard.
“This place is awesome.” She beamed at him. “Let’s get some Cheetos and some gummy worms and some Oreos. We need snacks.”
She was already putting them in the cart. Had she ever splurged on calories like this before in her life? Then she added cans of alcohol-laced iced tea to the overcrowded cart. This was going to be some night.
Looking at him, one eyebrow raised, she said with a huge smile, “All of this can be our dessert.”
In the end, they had an embarrassing number of bags to lug back, but Ransom didn’t care. He loved how enthusiastic she was.
They entered the motel lobby with their haul. “This is surprisingly nice,” she said.
The reception station was empty for the moment, and Ransom let his gaze wander over the lobby. The carpet looked new, the walls freshly painted a pastel blue. The furniture—two couches and six chairs—could even have been quite comfortable, the blue plaid fabric matching the carpet.
The clerk, a tall, lanky, bespectacled young man, stepped out of the doorway behind the desk, and Ava headed that way. He was somewhere in his twenties, so this was probably his part-time job while going to university. Before she could even get a word out, he said, “Okay, a room for two. We have a few kings still available.”
Ava opened her mouth to interrupt, but the guy went on, “You’re really lucky. We’re filling up fast with that mess out on the freeway.” He waved a hand at the offending traffic jam.
“No, no, we need two—” Ava started, trying to get a word in edgewise.
The kid was already tapping keys. “Okay, a room with two beds.”
Ava huffed out a breath. “No, two separate rooms.” She enunciated each word distinctly, then flashed a look at Ransom that said, Help me out here.
It was like Abbott and Costello doing Who’s on First? But she was perfectly capable of taking care of the problem, and Ransom said nothing. Maybe there was even a part of him that hoped there would be too many freeway refugees, leaving them only one room.
After a long, almost lingering look between them, the clerk finally said, “Oh. Two rooms.” He cocked his head. “That sounds weird. I thought for sure you guys were a couple. I’m usually never wrong.” He punctuated this personal remark with a firm shake of his head.