Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 131888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Chapter Fifteen
Liyah chewed on her bottom lip as she pressed her back to the door. She didn’t want to move until she heard the roar of his Harley while he rode away.
Only, all she heard was silence.
She was tempted to peer out and see if he still stood by the tree. However, if he could resist, so could she.
Her interest in him was a waste of time.
He didn’t want help.
He didn’t want to move on.
He was fine with remaining wedged between anger and depression. And maybe teetering on disbelief.
Being stuck like that for two years wasn’t healthy. His brothers must recognize that, since they strong-armed him into attending weekly group meetings and therapy. But what they could not force him to do was open himself up to that help.
He preferred to protect himself by remaining closed like a goddamn pistachio nut that was impossible to open. Eventually you had to use a hammer or risk your teeth to crack it open. Or simply give up and throw it out.
She tried the hammer. Now she was throwing out that stubborn nut.
She couldn’t help someone uninterested in being helped.
She couldn’t even have a friendship with a man who closed himself off to others.
If she truly wanted a physical relationship with someone, she needed to accept the fact it wouldn’t be Bradley Lennox.
He was lost.
And didn’t want to be found.
For some reason, that not only disappointed her, it hurt.
“Aaliyah.” It was not yelled through the door. It wasn’t even spoken.
It was nothing but a tortured whisper.
One she never would’ve heard if she hadn’t been leaning against the door.
Did he whisper in hopes she wouldn’t hear him?
Probably. Because he was so damn unsure about what he wanted.
No.
Wrong.
The man knew what he wanted. He was only conflicted about letting himself have it.
Because of that, he made an effort that wasn’t much of one. This way he could tell himself he tried to take a step forward without actually putting his foot down and taking it.
Whether he realized it or not, it was a step. Because he hadn’t left, he stayed.
How long could she wait before he left? It would be smarter on her part if she let him do so.
Her fingers curled around the knob but didn’t turn it. Instead, she hesitated.
If she opened the door, would he actually take the next step to come inside?
“Aaliyah.”
Hearing her name whispered like that again cracked open her heart.
“I might regret this,” she said under her breath before turning the knob and pulling open the door.
Nox leaned forward with his hands braced on either side of the door frame. His head was tipped down and it took him a few seconds to lift it.
Oh yeah, the man was fighting with himself.
Even so, she refused to mince words with this man. If he couldn’t handle it, too bad. Someone needed to knock him upside the head and since he was currently standing on her porch, she guessed it was up to her.
“You hoped I wouldn’t hear you. You hoped I wouldn’t open the door. But I did. Now what?”
“Now you invite me in.”
She couldn’t deny that his deep rumble did things to areas on her body currently covered in cobwebs. “I already did.”
“I figured that invitation was revoked.”
She opened the door wider, stepped back and swung an arm toward the interior of her home. “You’re making me think you’re a vampire with needing an invitation to cross my threshold.”
“I don’t know shit about vampires,’’ he grumbled as he stepped inside.
She closed the door behind him. “Yeah, well… I was on a bloodsucker kick for a few years there. Books, movies, even documentaries. I know more about them than any sane person should.”
“Lock the door.”
Her heartbeat sped up. “It’s locked.”
“Your father have a key?”
“Yes.” Since having sex hadn’t been on her to-do list today, should she take a quick shower and do a little maintenance?
When was the last time she shaved her legs?
Or other places?
Did she smell okay? She fought the urge to lift her arm and sniff her armpit.
Was she fresh down there?
Shit.
“Does he just come over unannounced?”
What? He who?
Oh, that was right. He was busy worrying about her father barging in while she was worrying about hygiene issues. “Sometimes.”
“Does your bedroom door lock?”
Were they really going to do this? Or would he back out at the last second? “Of course it does. I have two male children who struggle to function without asking me fifty questions first. They can’t even find their socks in their sock drawer. But funny how they have a sixth sense when it comes to their game controllers—”
“Bedroom.”
Did he just bark an order at her? “What did you say?”
“Bed… room.”
Well then…
He was a cop after all. She was well aware that they tended to be bossy but that didn’t mean she had to like it.