Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Surprise unhinged my jaw. “You built this place? Like, with your bare hands?”
He slid the mug across the island in my direction, and I did my best not to gawk at those tattoo-covered mitts as he pushed them out in front of me.
But they were so big and nice, and he was so damned intriguing it was hard not to get lost at the sight.
“Yup.”
“Magician.”
He shook his head in gentle disbelief. “Hardly, but I do like to work with my hands.”
Redness flamed.
I wondered what else he could do with those hands.
“Creamer?” he asked.
I blinked myself out of the lust-induced stupor. “Is that even a question?”
He let go of a low chuckle and turned, moved to the refrigerator, and opened the door. “I think I should have known based on the drinks you typically choose at the club.”
Pleasure glowed in my stomach.
He paid attention?
“What can I say? I like sweet things. Which is why Eden is in so much trouble this morning since she swindled me into martinis last night rather than my go-to. If I have to pay for it, Eden does, too.”
Clearly, we were skirting the subject that sat in the room like a hot-pink, inflatable elephant.
“Oh, I’m sure she’s paying for it just fine,” he rumbled as he dug for the creamer while I sat, trying not to ogle him.
Talk about a miserable failure.
But who could blame me when he wore a pair of gray sweatpants that were really dangerous to my sanity? Holy crap, his thighs were thick, and his ass was this muscular, sublime thing.
Not to mention all those yummy muscles were bulging out from the tight black tee, his shoulders wide before his frame tapered down to a narrow waist.
He was so freaking tall that he filled the entire opening of the door.
A fortress.
The colossal kind.
Then he turned around.
Do not look, do not look. Do. Not. Look.
Yeah, I looked.
I gulped around the knot that formed in my throat.
Every inch of this man was magnificent.
“There you go.” He passed me the creamer like just looking at him hadn’t rocked my world.
My attention snapped up to his face. “Thank you.”
“You hungry?” he asked as he moved back to the stove where he removed the bacon, then proceeded to break eggs into the sizzling grease.
All mountain-man style.
“You don’t have to feed me.”
He peeked back. “What if I want to?”
My chest tightened.
“Then I’d say thank you…for everything.” I added that on really quick because this was obviously about more than him making me breakfast. It was time to broach the topic that simmered around us like a secret I didn’t want to share.
He slowed, his voice lowering in emphasis. “Was glad I found you, if I’m bein’ honest.”
Discomfort clattered around in my spirit, and I fumbled to pour a big dose of creamer into my mug.
I met his eye because he deserved the truth. “I’m glad you did, too.”
A grunt vibrated from his being. “What were you doing out there?”
Disquieted laughter rolled up my throat. “I don’t even know, Milo. I came back because I didn’t really have anywhere else to go. I waited for Eden and Trent to leave, but I just…couldn’t get up the nerve to come out of my hiding place and tell them what happened.”
Or really, I hadn’t been ready.
“You were in shock.” Milo said it like he’d plucked it right out of my brain.
My head dipped. “I think so. I guess that happens when you lose direction.”
“Or maybe you were just stumbling into it…the right path.”
Right into you.
I kept that to myself.
Tension bound the air as he plated the eggs and bacon.
Every movement he made was filled with caution, as if he knew he was treading into territory I was uncomfortable to visit. Or maybe he was just building up to something.
Easing over, he placed the food in front of me.
Then he planted his hands on the island as he stared me down.
Severity gushed from him on an unanticipated wave. “I want to destroy that bastard, Tessa. Have wanted to since the second I had the displeasure of meetin’ him. But after last night?”
Fury crawled across his ink-covered flesh, the muscles writhing and rippling, his jaw clenched in restraint.
He looked like he might actually commit murder.
“It’s not your problem to deal with, Milo.”
The last thing I wanted was for him to get himself in trouble because of me.
“No?” The word cracked in the air. A direct threat.
Shivers raced.
God, he was a lot to take in.
He might have been soft-spoken, but there’d always been a current that ran beneath it.
Explosive.
“I would never want to drag you into my mess.”
Air puffed from his nose. “Think I’m already there. Besides, life is made of messes. I’d be more than glad to clean this one up for you.”
“Believe me, I’m more trouble than I’m worth. You know what they say about redheads.” I tossed back a lock of my hair, going for light when everything felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.