I Can't Die Alone by Regina Bartley Read Free Book Online

everything was more than once already. 
    “I wonder how many doors I would’ve had to knock on before I came to the right one, or if I would’ve even found it at all? Do you think I’m crazy?” 
    His eyes were still glued to me, but he hadn’t answered.
    “What?” I snapped.
    “I love the way you eat those Cheetos.” He raised an eyebrow.
    “Shut up,” I giggled. I turned away from embarrassment. Every damn time he’d find a way to make me red-faced and giggly like a schoolgirl. 
    “Wounded.” He held his chest. “Now who’s telling who to shut up?”
    Shaking my head, I thought about tossing one of the Cheetos right at this head, but couldn’t do it. It would’ve been a shame to waste my favorite snack on his gorgeous face. 
    My life up until then had been full of surprises. I’d learn to take them in stride. But if I would’ve told myself that I’d be sitting in a motel room with a sexy guy, sharing Cheetos on my bed, I probably would have taken a cold shower to wake myself up. 
    “You’ve gotten all serious on me. I can see it in your face. What are you thinking so hard about?” Bo asked, grazing his fingertips over mine.
    “Just about life, and how things don’t always go the way you think they will.” I pondered a moment. “When I decided to take this crazy trip, I never expected it to go this way. Not that I expected it to be easy. I just thought that I’d find this man who loved my Mother, and I’d hope that he would take a minute to help me plan my funeral. I hoped he’d share a few nice words about my Mom, and he’d possibly be the one person who’d show up on the day they laid me to rest next to her. I guess what I’m trying to say, and you have to forgive me because talking to people isn’t my strong suit, but I never imagined myself making friends along the way. You took me on my first date.” I admitted. “I met a criminal, who was nice. I made it to this town where in a few short hours I’ll be able to meet Benjamin. It’s all working out in my favor and it just doesn’t seem real. I want to pinch myself.”
    Jeez, I was rambling. 
    He squeezed my hand. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re brave, you’re real, and I couldn’t be happier that you’ve found what you’ve been searching for. Wait… I took you on your first date?”
    Great.
    He caught that.
    Thank you mouth for deceiving me. 
    “I took you to a coffee shop for crappy coffee. I’m such a douche.”
    I laughed. “It was great. Well, not the coffee, but it was a nice first date. I was barely uncomfortable.” 
    “Hell no. I want a do-over. We’re not counting that,” he said seriously. “I’ll make your real first date one that you won’t forget.”
    He seemed so adamant about it so I agreed. I reached out my hand. “Deal.” We shook on it, but I was totally counting the coffee shop as a date. We might never get the chance for a redo. 
    I yawned and lowered myself down onto my pillow feeling tired. “I think I’m going to go back to sleep now. I’m feeling exhausted all of sudden.”
    “You rest.” 
    “Aren’t you leaving?” I asked. 
    He lay back on the pillow facing me, while his hand pushed a stray hair away from my face. “Yeah.” His face was sweet and innocent as his tired eyes stared into mine. “I’ll leave after you fall asleep. Just rest.”
    So I did.

    ***

    Waking up next to a sleeping Bo, ranked right up there with one of the greatest things I’d ever witnessed. His hair was draped over his forehead and his mouth was hanging open. I giggled thinking that I’d never been this close to a sleeping man before. It wasn’t as sexy as I’d expected it to be. Not like the movies. He breathed heavily, there was drool on his pillow, and he looked more like a sleeping puppy then a sexy man. It was perfect, even better than the movies.
    He’d fallen asleep instead of going home, and I wondered if he’d done it accidently or if he purposely stayed to