Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
I don’t have a chance to sit down and think about it more when my phone beeps in my back pocket, and when I take it out, I see the text is from Emmett.
Emmett: Arrived early.
A man of few words, I get up, finish my coffee, and rush outside. The sun hits me right away as I make my way over to the barn, seeing the trailer is being unloaded. “It’s going to be a good day, boys,” I declare when I get close enough to them. “It’s going to be a good day.”
“Who are you?” Rowan, one of the ranch hands, asks.
“He got laid last night,” Emmett says, trying hard to hide the smile, so he looks down but not before I glare at him. “You want to keep shit a secret, don’t come to work branded.”
“It’s a bite.” I rub where I know exactly the fucking mark is. I can still feel when her teeth bit into me and then sucked in.
“Yeah, from a vampire,” Rowan jokes. “I wouldn’t go back if I were you.”
“Trust me,” I mumble, “I’m not going back there ever a-fucking-gain.” I clap my hands. “Now, if we are done talking about where I put my dick last night, how about we get to work, boys?”
“I never want you to say that sentence again,” Rowan grouses with a look of disgust over his face. “I don’t ever want to think about where you put your dick.” He looks at Emmett. “Just thinking of his dick, I might be sick.” We both laugh at him as he turns and walks toward the barn, shaking his head the whole time.
“You scared him,” Emmett says. “Good job.” I nod at him, walking to the fence and leaning on the top rail, watching the horses being unloaded. One of them catches my eye right away. She’s light brown, almost tan, her eyes look around like a deer in headlights, and she’s jumpy with every single noise that is going on around her. Walking around the fence and going into the yard, I go straight to her. She backs up two steps, her eyes on me. “It’s okay, girlie,” I coo softly, holding out my hand. “I’m not going to hurt you.” She lets me get close enough to her to pet her muzzle. “That’s a girlie.” I get closer to her.
“I guess you picked another one,” Emmett notes, and I look over to see him on his horse. “I was told she was the most skittish of the whole bunch. We might have to get Lilah in here for a bit,” he says, almost annoyed that she has to come out. He tolerates certain people, but Lilah isn’t one of them. I don’t know what about her gets under his skin. Whenever she’s around or we have to bring her in, he’s the first one to leave and not be bothered talking to her, yet he’s the last one there watching her.
“You aren’t skittish,” I whisper to her, “are you, girlie?” I look over at Emmett. “Goldilocks.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon unloading the new horses and getting them acclimated in their new stalls. When the sun goes down, I walk out of the shower and head over to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I look at what to make myself for dinner. I settle on grilling a steak and some veggies. Twisting open a bottle of beer, I stand here and wait for it to be ready, looking over at the barn and wondering what Goldilocks is doing.
I sit down at the island to eat my steak, ignoring how quiet the house is and how the silence is now almost deafening. Whereas for the last eight years, all I wanted was the quiet. I rinse off my plate and put it in the dishwasher before I walk out of the back door. My routine every single night is going for a walk after dinner. Except this time, I stop by the barn before I head for my walk. The sun has set, and the stars twinkle in the sky. The sound of crickets fills the night air as I walk through the grass toward the red barn. Walking in and going straight to her stall, I find her with her ass in the corner of the stall as she faces out, looking around. “Hey, Goldie,” I say, “you having a good night?” I open the gate and walk in. “Yeah, me neither,” I tell her, walking to her side and rubbing her neck. “It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.” I stand in her stall and stay with her for I don’t even know how long.
Walking out and heading to the woods, I move with my head down as I walk the trail until it goes off the path. I don’t even know where I am until I look up and I’m staring at her house. The whole house is dark in the night. Not a light is on, but I see the swing moving.