Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I easily found the basement door but when I opened it, I was greeted with a huge laundry basket that appeared to have a significant amount of wet bedding in it. I couldn’t see the face hidden behind the stack of laundry that had to weigh a ton. Disappointment went through me when I looked down and all I could see were skinny legs in black leggings and the hem of a gray sweatshirt that looked several sizes too big.
All the anticipation that had been building from the moment I’d seen that car outside changed to irritation. As far as I knew, the guy could be long gone. The Range Rover’s presence didn’t mean the enchanting man with the unique eyes was anywhere on Black Hills Ranch or even in Wyoming anymore. After the way he’d been treated in Eden, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d been on a plane by that evening.
The stairs leading up from the finished basement had some lighting, but it wasn’t particularly bright. Without thinking about it, I reached for the laundry basket, not giving its owner any kind of warning. The basket was as heavy as it looked so as I took it, I lost my balance. I would have recovered quickly if the person on the other side hadn’t been struggling to hang on to the basket.
Between my lack of verbally offering to take the basket before I actually did so and the other person not releasing it, there was no avoiding the disaster. I heard a sharp shout as the person began to fall backwards, releasing the basket in the process. Thankfully, my instincts kicked in and I released my hold on the basket and reached out to grab the flailing hand that was trying to grasp the banister. Wet laundry and the plastic laundry basket hit me in the face in the process.
I managed to get hold of the hand, but it didn’t do either of us much good. All I managed to do was wrap my arms around the other person so I could protect their body with mine as we tumbled down the stairs. Although the accident had taken mere seconds, it felt like slow motion. By the time it was over, I was crumpled up against the banister and we were both nearly halfway down the stairs.
Despite my own bumps and bruises and a wet sheet covering my face, I was more worried about my unwitting victim. “Miss, are you hurt?” I asked. She was lying half on top of me and only managed to answer my question with a groan. Fearing that she could seriously be injured, I tried to sit up without moving her too much. Both my arms were still around her, so I didn’t have a free hand to yank the sheet off my face.
“Miss, you need to tell me if you’re hurt. I can’t quite sit up yet—”
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I heard a very familiar voice grumble. The sheet was ripped from my face none too gently. “God, you again,” the man muttered in disgust. He climbed off me, making sure to knee me in the balls in the process. Luckily, his aim was off enough that I could breathe and speak.
And move.
I grabbed the man and, despite the pain in my head, yanked him back down. I barely recognized him without his makeup and shiny clothes. So much so that I couldn’t find my words. Without those unique eyes of his, I probably wouldn’t have recognized him at all.
“Nice work, genius. You saved the damsel in distress again,” he snapped. His eyes burned with fire, but it was the black and blue mark around his eyes that held my attention. I automatically reached out to touch the bruised skin. I’d let those three fuckers off too easy.
“What?” the man asked, his tart comment catching me off guard and forcing my gaze to meet his head-on. “You want some kind of thanks or a reward? A kiss, maybe?” he sniped. He had the audacity to lower his mouth so it was within inches of mine. “Because I assure you, cowboy, the next time I thank you—”—he rubbed his semi-hard cock against mine—“I’m going to make sure you know what’s really between my legs.”
The young man might have intended to try and turn me off, but all he did was make me forget every bump and bruise. As he tried to climb off me for a second time, I snatched him by the back of his neck so that his mouth was achingly close to mine. “I’ll settle for a name this time around.”
“Fuck you,” he responded before pulling free of me. He began collecting the wet laundry and clothespins as he made his way down the stairs. “Actually, it’s Mr. Fuck You,” he snapped. “Wouldn’t want that hick brain of yours to get all confused again.”