Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 126003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
I walk over to it, glancing at the living room through the open door, checking for Eason as I pass. But I can’t see him, so I’m not sure where he is.
Then I open the bag and find a pair of cream-colored denim shorts with scraggly threads hanging off the legs. There’s a top that is not a tank top, but it’s cotton, and cream-colored—like the shorts—and nearly sleeveless with just a bit of ruffle at the shoulders.
There’s a single flip-flop—I chuckle to myself—and a bathing suit too. I pull the bikini bottoms out and hold them up. They’re pale blue with yellow flowers. And there’s a matching strapless top. I hold it up, picturing myself wearing this today.
“Is it gonna fit?”
His voice scares the shit out of me so I have to stifle a scream as I turn around, hiding the top behind my back like I’m thirteen years old.
Eason is standing in the doorway, grinning, holding my other flip-flop. He points it at me. “You don’t really need two shoes at the moment, but they come as a set.” His eyes are bright and mischievous, like he finds me entertaining.
But honestly, I find him entertaining as well.
“That girl who took care of you last night in the shop?”
I nod, because I get the feeling he’s looking for some kind of participation in this conversation and my words are all a jumbled mess right now.
“I went down there looking for clothes for you and she was working. She picked all this out. It wasn’t me.”
I let out my breath, because for some stupid reason I was holding it in.
“I just figured you’d like something else to wear today besides gym clothes.”
“Are we going somewhere?” Finally, I find my voice. “I don’t know if I can walk.”
“You don’t have to walk, darlin’. We’ve got a boat, remember?”
Did he just say we have a boat? Because we do not have a boat. He has a boat.
“I guess you’ll get your way after all.”
“What?”
“A car ride over to your place to pick up the rest of your stuff.”
“Oh.” I look away, confused. Then I look back at him, still confused. “Wasn’t I moving in so we could train and kill people?” I point to my foot. “Because I think we’ll need to put that plan on hold for about three weeks.”
“Three fun weeks. We can boat, and swim, and dive. Do ya dive?”
“Do I… dive? Like… into water?” This feels like a really dumb question. I mean, I grew up on the ocean. I know how to swim.
But Eason is reading my mind. “Do you snorkel, Irina? Do you know how to breathe using a mask and a tank?”
“Do you?”
“Benny got me certified in Dubai. It’s fun. I’ll teach you how. Not today, but soon.”
I just stare at him, trying to work out everything he just said and put it all in some kind of order. Several things are floating to the surface of my mind. One, his life is fucking strange. His owner taught him how to scuba-dive? Two, he bought me more clothes even though I have some perfectly good tanks and shorts in my backpack. Three, I’m living with him? Like, this is a real thing. I’m moving in? For good?
Eason’s grin grows. “It’s not getting any clearer, is it?”
I shake my head.
“Should I explain it to you?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“We’re gonna give it a try, Irina.”
“Give what a try?”
“Us.” He leans against the doorjamb, crossing his arms like we’re just shootin’ the shit about nothing in particular. “I feel like Maart missed his chance.” My eyebrows go up. “He’s coming, by the way. Davis called while I was downstairs shopping for your girly things. He’ll be here Tuesday.”
“Oh.” I kind of want to object here, but Eason already told me that he was gonna tell Maart where I was. And that’s not my decision. And what Maart decides to do with that information isn’t my decision either. So this small ‘oh’ is all I can manage.
“Yeah. So we’ve got a couple days to sort it out.”
“This is where my confusion starts. We have a couple days to sort what out?”
“Our relationship. Without him clouding your judgment and gettin’ ya all angsty. So when he gets here, he understands. We’re a team and he missed his chance.”
Eason starts to turn, like he’s gonna walk away, but I stop him. “Hey.”
He looks over his shoulder at me. “What?”
“Why are you being like this?”
He turns all the way back to me now. “Why am I being nice to you?”
It sounds dumb when he puts it that way. But he’s not wrong. “Why are you so interested?”
“Haven’t you been listening?”
“What?”
He just smiles at me. “Think about it. And get back to me in a day or two if you’re still confused.”
“But wait.” I stop him from leaving again. “You do realize I’m not gonna…”