Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“It’s fine.” I shake away the emotion. “It’s all good. Thank you for helping her.” I put my shoulders back, standing straight, not willing to show her how it felt listening to Lucy talk to her. The hurt that she was so comfortable with Lilah that she even giggled. But to me, I’m the worst human in the world to her right now. Instead of staying and talking to Lilah, I take a deep inhale and start to walk out of the stall, marching right past her. However, the stall isn’t big enough for me to clear her, so I have to move to the side not to touch her. I’m about to walk past her when I feel her hand grip my arm, stopping me from walking out.
I look down at her hand on me, not sure there was ever a time she’s had her hands on me, and it is exactly the way I thought it would feel like. Heaven. “Emmett.” My name is a whisper on her lips, and my heart, which has been all over the place the past six days, finally feels like it’s beating normally again. I stand beside her, our faces toward each other, our eyes locked. Our chests rising and falling at the same time. “I have no doubt she’s going to trust you soon enough.” Her hand lets go of my arm, and I want to slide my fingers with hers. “I should know, I trusted you the first day I met you.” I watch her lick her lips, wanting nothing more in my life than to mix my tongue with hers. Fuck, I’ve never kissed her, but I have a feeling one kiss would make everything in the world better. “She’ll come around, and then she’ll never want to leave.”
The lump is back in my throat as she moves away from me, walking out of the stall, leaving me alone with her words. My eyes track her every movement as she turns the corner and disappears from my view. My breathing feels erratic, and I need some fucking air as I walk away from her instead of toward her.
Closing the stall door after me, I walk toward my desk, seeing Bobby and Sammy there. “Hey, I’m going to the other barn.” I don’t even wait for them to say anything to me. Instead, I walk out and get into my truck.
Hector spots me when I arrive. “Want me to saddle him up?” he asks of my horse.
“I’ve got it,” I say. “Just going for a quick run.” He doesn’t say anything more to me, just gets on with his chores as I walk into the barn and grab my saddle. I get him out of his stall and out of the barn before I mount him. “Let’s go.” I say two words to him, and he’s already gone.
Riding has always been a stress reliever for me. I need a good ride, and I’ll be back better than ever. I push my horse faster and faster, the wind on my face, but nothing can make the burning in the pit of my stomach better.
I get off him when we get close to the barn and let him go as I see Hector bringing out the other horses. “Leave him there. I’ll take care of it.” I walk him over to the water by the side in the shade before I walk back to my truck.
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I see Charlie texted me while I was riding.
Charlie: Got the name for the school and called them for a meeting. Be back with her to pick you up at eleven.
I put the phone back in my pocket and look at the house that now feels like it’s her own personal hell. When she went to bed, I sat outside her door with my back to the wall and my knees up, listening to her cry. I wanted to go in and comfort her, but I knew nothing I said would have made it better. I got up after fifteen minutes and turned the handle of the door. She must have heard it because when I stuck my head into the room, she faked that she was sleeping. Another kick to my stomach—she hated me so much she would pretend she was sleeping. I closed the door behind me and sat outside again for another ten minutes, listening to her sniffling before it stopped.
This morning wasn’t any better. By the time she got up and I made sure she ate, something that was taking some getting used to, I was running late. Usually, I would grab a cup of coffee and head out. But now I was responsible for this little girl, and I was telling myself it was a learning curve for both of us.