Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
She slammed the door, surprised by how quickly she’d gone from fear to anger. She stood there for a few moments, her back to the entry, then dragged herself and her gun across the floor. Before she cleared the kitchen, there was a soft, polite knock on the door. She paused. Her shoulders slumped. Closing her eyes, she pivoted back toward the rear entrance.
“What is it?” She opened the door, then looked up. High up. Staring into those ice blue eyes that stole her breath away.
His hood remained down, and the back porchlight he stood under had him glowing. What was once one with the shadows was now alive, shining bright. Long strands of blond hair partially covered one of his eyes, and his lush brown brows furrowed as he stared at her, climbing into her very soul, searching desperately for her heart. His strong nose wiggled, then his nostrils flared. A wave of panic flooded her. His full, trimmed beard, threaded with silver, brushed against her ear as he hunched low, and close to her face. She stepped back, finding herself pressed into the door siding. No room for escape.
“You’re right. I don’t always think of the way my actions may affect others. I offer you a sincere apology.”
She was startled by his words, expecting him to be rude, or say something callous.
“Well… thank you for your apology.”
“This isn’t an excuse, it’s an explanation. See, I figured out that my love language is to build things for folks. To hunt for others. To make things. I know that you’re stressed out and tired.”
“How could you—”
“When I saw you last, you had dark circles under your eyes. You didn’t look that way when we first met. That let me know you hadn’t been sleepin’ well. You were still beautiful; I just noticed the difference is all. When I went to your job and paid for your lunches in advance at that there fancy cafeteria in the museum, I wanted to lessen your load. I doubt that you wanted me to bring you a dead possum, so buyin’ the food had to suffice.”
“…That was you? They said someone paid for ’em…” She could barely speak. And he was so close… smelling like freshly toiled soil and lust.
He nodded. “Yeah, it was me. When I was in your house gettin’ that tea the other day, I saw the stack of hospital records on the table—your aunt Huni. She’s going through a lot, and you’re tryna keep her safe and happy. I saw your computer, too, all those desktop files wit’ a bunch of work to do. You’re very organized. Me, not so much.” He smiled kindly, and she smiled back at him. “I suppose that’s one of the reasons why I like you…” His smile faded. A deep inhale, then exhale escaped from his lips. “You’ve made it clear that you don’t have the same interest in me as I have in you.
“But I believe that’s just because you feel overwhelmed and don’t believe you can afford to take a chance on a man right now—someone who might let you down, and make things worse. You see me as mean, secretive, maybe even a little strange.”
She swallowed. Shelled within an egg of silence. Then, she broke the yolk.
“What do you think my love language is, Kage?”
“Hmmm, I’d say that your love language is educating folks, caring for the dead—the ones covered in fur that is—and payin’ it forward. Whatever someone pours into you, you turn it around and give it back to them and others, three times over. See, I’m the one who can bring home the bacon, and you make a feast with it. A big, hungry wolf like me showin’ up like this… I wanted to help you, but I wanted to be around you, too. Even if it was just outside. I’m both sides of the moon, I suppose you could say. You’re so damn pretty… I could just eat you up.”
His words burned through her.
“…You don’t know me, and how’d you learn all of this love language stuff?”
“I’ve been readin’. My cousin Lennox gave me some books the other day. He’s a gym rat, but a book worm, too. I have another cousin, Roman, who was talkin’ about it, too. He’s in finance. We’ve been spending a lot more time together lately. Funny the things you can find out about yourself, even at my age.”
She smiled in understanding. “You told me you were an only child, like me, so I ’spose it’s nice you have cousins. I don’t have nobody but Huni. Make sure you treasure that, Kage.” She crossed her arms.
“I’ve got a shitload of cousins, but there’s only six of them that I’m particularly close to now. It’s a long story, but we’re all going through the same thing. We’ve become more than cousins. We’ve become friends. Now look, little lady, I’m sorry ’bout your friend’s bunnies. I’m sorry about Huni’s failing health. I’m sorry about your boss bein’ a slavedriver, but I ain’t sorry about doing the job I promised to do. What I did wrong was to not notify you. I should’ve called, yes. But sometimes I get real fixated on my work, and I can’t turn it loose until I get it done, and achieve what I want. I ain’t got what I wanted yet…” He boxed her in, placing his arm next to her head.