Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“I didn’t want to hold you up when you got back. Where did you go anyway?”
“An early errand,” he said, revealing nothing. “You almost ready?”
“I just need to get my shoes on.” I looked down. “Unless you think I should change?”
“Nope. Don’t change a single thing.”
His offhand remark made my chest warm.
He listened to country music as we drove to Swindon, the windows rolled down, the breeze nice on my face. He didn’t talk at all, and I stayed quiet. At the grocery store, he grabbed a cart, shaking his head when I reached for one.
“I’m not getting much,” he said. “You use the bottom part. I can use the little top section.”
“Okay,” I agreed easily.
In the store, he let me lead the way, looking in interest as I perused the meat section, adding a couple of roasts to the cart, along with some chicken and a few other cuts of meat. In the vegetable section, I added extra onions to my haul.
Jesse disappeared, and I finished my list as he joined me. He put a few things in the cart, and I frowned. “Is that what you buy?”
He chuckled. “I’m only home for short spans, so I keep it simple. And frankly, I hate cooking for one, so I keep it even simpler. I take my turn cooking at the firehouse.”
He loaded up the belt at the cashier and paused. “Damn, I forgot a box of Cheerios. Could you grab it for me?”
I hurried over to the cereal aisle and got a box of the honey nut flavor. He hadn’t specified, and I liked that kind. I returned, handing it to him, and he shook his head. “Honey nut? I like the plain.”
“Eat it, Thorne. A little sugar might sweeten you up.”
“I’m plenty sweet.”
I snickered. “Look me in the eye and say that.”
He turned to me, opening his legs and sliding them apart until we were indeed eye-to-eye. His stance made me grin.
“I am a delight.”
I bit my lip then gave in and laughed. Loud peals of amusement. Thorne was being entertaining—a rare occurrence.
“Whatever keeps you warm at night,” I said, still laughing as I patted him on the shoulder.
“How do you even breathe down here?” he muttered, looking around. “Everything is so high!”
I couldn’t believe how silly he was being. I liked this side of him.
He straightened up with a grin, throwing a wink to the cashier, who was watching us and laughing too. She blushed and turned away, meeting my gaze, hers saying, “Wow.”
I replied by lifting my eyebrows in silence. “Girl, you have no clue,” they said.
Jesse grabbed the bags. “My order is done. I’ll owe you for the cereal,” he said. Leaning close, he dropped his voice to a whisper. “You can take it out in trade if you want.”
I snorted, running my debit card through the scanner, not really paying much attention.
He brushed past me, his hand lingering on my hip, and loaded all the groceries into the cart. We headed to the pet store, and I bought food and a new toy for Barney and added one for Miller. It only seemed fair. Thorne loaded up a huge bag of food for his dog, plus a new lead. “He tore the other one clean off when he saw a rabbit. Damn dog wanted to play.”
I chuckled, and I walked to the passenger side, stopping as he rushed by, opening the door.
“I am perfectly capable,” I admonished him.
“I realize. But I like to think of myself as a gentleman.”
“Dream on, Thorne.”
He went around to his side, climbing in. “Coffee?”
“Oh yes.”
We went through the drive-through, and I inhaled the fragrant brew, blowing on it. We drove for a few minutes in silence. My phone beeped, and I glanced at the screen with a frown.
“Problem?” he asked.
“I get alerts for my charges. I wasn’t paying attention to the total in the store, but this can’t be the right amount.” I dug into my pocket, pulling out the receipt. “We need to go back!”
“Why?” Thorne asked, not sounding concerned.
“She didn’t charge me for the roasts. Or the chicken.” I scanned a little more. “Or the ground beef. Dammit,” I swore. “Did she miss them? Are they not in the bags?”
“They are.”
“Well, I wasn’t charged. I can’t not pay for them.”
“I paid for them.”
I gaped at him. “Why would you do that?”
He turned his head, giving me a full megawatt Jesse Thorne smile. “Because I plan on eating part of those roasts, probably the chicken, and you mentioned meatloaf. I love meatloaf, so I’ll eat that too. I’m paying my share.”
That explained his distraction at the register. Sending me for cereal. Teasing me about it.
I refused to let him see how his words affected me. The way my heart thumped faster, knowing he wanted to spend more time with me. How much he liked my cooking.