Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
There were times she’d definitely gotten a strange look on her face when she was around him. And it wasn’t often that he ever fucked her on his own.
Actually, had he ever fucked her on his own? Had things ever been okay between them?
Fuck, was he that far in his own head? Had he not noticed that things weren’t right with the two of them? Ester had never said anything. And Owen . . . well, he was such a secretive bastard he’d probably never have said anything.
Christ, Hux didn’t know whether he’d say something if he was on fire and dying.
Even though he wanted to take charge of Chloe’s care, he held himself back. He’d already made a dick of himself. He didn’t need to make things worse.
However, it was nearly impossible for him to stand there and watch as her hands shook while she undid the lid on the water. He had to look away.
This need to take over. To look after her. It was like a compulsion. Or an illness.
When she gasped, his gaze shot back to her. What was wrong? Was she hurt?
But she seemed fine. Just upset . . . about what?
“Oh, shoot. I’m so clumsy.”
Clumsy? Her? He hadn’t seen one instance of her being clumsy. In fact, she seemed poised, like every movement was thought out and precise.
She wiped at her top. He frowned. She must have spilled a bit of water down her top.
But so what? No one was going to care about a bit of spilled water. However, the way she kept wiping had an almost obsessive feel to it.
He was moving toward her before he could stop himself. He had to do something to make her feel better. But before he could reach her, Owen was crouching next to her.
Owen grasped hold of the hand she was using to wipe at her top. She froze.
Hux stood still. He knew that Owen wouldn’t hurt her, but he also wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing. She just stared at him, hypnotized, as he lowered her hand to her leg and then let go. Then he took hold of her hand that held the bottle of water, raising it back to her mouth.
Owen waited until she’d started taking sips of the water to stand and move back to the ATV. He sat in it and Hux watched him for a moment in shock.
What the hell had just happened?
5
What the hell had just happened?
Chloe lowered the water bottle, staring down at it. She could still feel Owen’s touch as he’d held the water bottle to her lips. As he’d grabbed her hand to lower it away from where she’d been obsessively rubbing at her chest.
Silly. So silly.
It was just a bit of water.
But she was feeling out of sorts. Weak and vulnerable.
What the heck had happened? Had she really nearly fainted? Maybe she’d wobbled a bit. But surely she didn’t need all this fuss over her.
She didn’t like it. She preferred to be in the background.
But why would she faint? That had never happened before.
Okay, maybe that wasn’t true. There were a few times when she’d pushed herself too far and she’d ended up sitting on the ground, her heart racing hard and the world spinning.
Had she really pushed herself that far? Perhaps the timezone changes and difference in climate had worked against her as well.
“How are you feeling?” Hux asked.
She frowned as she glanced up at him. Why did he sound so different? Almost cool. Standoffish. Not like Hux at all. Mind you, it wasn’t like she knew him. And he’d gone from all smiles and jokes to commanding and protective.
So maybe he wasn’t who he presented himself to be anyway.
“Yes. I’m good.” She set the water down and attempted to push herself up onto her feet.
“Careful,” he warned, holding out a hand to her. “Don’t move too quickly or you might faint.”
“I’m not going to faint. I don’t know what just happened, but I think you’re both overreacting.”
“You nearly passed out,” Hux said, taking hold of her hand to help her to her feet. He let go of her quickly. As though her touch hurt him.
She tried not to get offended by that.
But it was hard. Was this the same man who’d called her a good girl in a voice that had dripped with approval?
Actually, it was best that side of him didn’t reappear. Because that voice had the power to wipe away her control. It made her feel all gooey inside.
And she didn’t do gooey. She couldn’t afford to lose control.
So yep, she much preferred the Hux that couldn’t stand to touch her.
Or at least that was what she tried to tell herself. That the ache in her belly wasn’t a sense of rejection and sadness.
Silly Chloe.
She wobbled slightly and Hux reached out to grab her, but she drew back. His eyes widened, that blank look disappearing. She let out a deep breath. She shouldn’t have moved, but he’d surprised her.