Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Was he going to start drinking?
But, no, he brought out a bottle of water and undid it, handing it to her. “Pills.”
Urgh! That was infuriating as well! As much as she wanted to stay mad at him it was becoming increasingly difficult due to the way he kept taking care of her.
She just stood there, glaring at him.
“Want me to get them from your handbag?”
“I’ll get them.” Her headache was starting to feel worse. She probably hadn’t drunk enough water today. “But I’m not taking these because you told me to.” She wanted to make that clear.
Tobias crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t care why you’re taking them, just that you take them.”
“You can be a very infuriating man.”
“And you can be a stubborn brat.”
She huffed in a breath and started choking on the pills she’d just put in her mouth. She smacked at her chest and he leaped toward her, slapping his hand down sharply on her back.
“Cough! Cough!”
He wrapped his arms around her, shoving his fists into her stomach. Suddenly, Immy managed to spit the pills back up.
Shaking, she leaned back into him.
Oh God. Oh God.
“Easy, easy, sweetness. You’re okay. I have you.”
She shook her head. She’d nearly choked. She couldn’t . . . she couldn’t . . .
Tobias turned her in his arms as she started to sob. Then he picked her up. She expected him to move to the chair or maybe the bed and cuddle with her.
But he just stood where he was, holding her. He didn’t rock. He didn’t make any noise. No words of reassurance.
Then again, she didn’t really want that. She just wanted to be held in strong arms. By someone who had saved her.
“Sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, trying to wipe at her cheeks.
“Don’t apologize,” he said firmly. “You’re entitled to cry after choking.”
He walked over to the armchair and set her down in it. Immy couldn’t stop the whimper of protest from escaping her. But he backed away.
“I’m just getting you some more water, sweetness. I’m coming right back.”
Immy watched him closely as he picked up the bottle of water from the floor. There was a huge wet patch on the carpet that might have worried her any other time. But she couldn’t bring herself to care.
It would dry out. It was just water.
Not exactly important under the circumstances.
Then she watched as he walked back to the mini-fridge and drew out another bottle of water. Heading over to her, he kneeled in front of her and undid the bottle. Then he held it out to her.
Reaching out, she took hold but her hand was shaking so badly that it nearly slipped through her grip.
“Sorry. Sorry.”
“Immy, you have nothing to be sorry about. Nothing at all.”
“I . . . I . . . I was ch-choking,” she said, tears dripping down her cheeks again.
She’d nearly died and what the heck did she really have to show for her life?
Not much. She’d barely lived. In fact, sometimes she thought she was a bit scared of life. Worried that she’d mess up. Scared to take a chance for fear of failure.
Always careful.
Always safe.
She’d never take off into the unknown like Maeve. Or get herself noticed by a criminal leader like Cat had done.
Maybe it was time to do something adventurous.
Immy just wasn’t sure she was made for adventurous. She thought she was likely just made for hot cocoa and fluffy socks.
“S-sorry,” she managed to get out.
“Nothing to be sorry about,” he told her, putting the bottle to one side. “I’ll help you.”
He stood and she let out a small whimper, worried that he was leaving. Instead, he picked her up and sat back down with her sideways on his lap. Then he grabbed the water and held it to her mouth.
“Tissue,” she whispered, knowing she probably looked like a complete disaster.
“In a moment. Drink some water. Nice and slow. Good girl. Another sip. That’s it. What a good girl you’re being.” After she’d had enough to drink, he set the bottle aside, he grabbed some nearby tissues. Then he tried to wipe her face.
But she was feeling more together now and she took the tissues, wiping her face herself.
“Thank you,” she whispered tiredly.
Why was she so exhausted now? Must be an adrenaline crash. She pressed her face into his chest.
“All good, Immy-girl. Just glad I was here to help.”
So was she.
“Wish I had a time travel spell or a reversing spell.”
“Don’t think those things actually exist, Cherry.”
“You never know. Don’t be a doubter,” she warned him.
He just shot her a skeptical look.
“Magic exists,” she advised him. “You just have to be open to it.”
“Is that so?”
“Uh-huh. Stick with me. I’ll teach you all about it. Do you know what house you are?”
“Uh, don’t have a house, Cherry.”
“No, what house are you? Like from Harry Potter. Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out for you.”