Page 14 of Unwritten
I reclined on the bed, feeling restless. I couldn’t go for a run thanks to my injury. I’d already read the one book I had. And…I didn’t quite know what to do with myself.
My phone buzzed with a new email, and I reached out for it. When I saw it was from Olivia, my smile split my face. I raced to open it.
Dear Connor,
I think our emails must have gotten mixed up. Did your evil twin, Coleman, respond the first time? If so, I totally understand. My evil twin, Olga, clearly hijacked my email (and perhaps my brain too) recently. And for that, I do apologize. Olga can be a real bitch, especially when she’s hungry.
Best,
Olivia
PS: OMG. Right? But it was a masterful stroke by the author, one which lent itself perfectly to the scene in the cave that followed.
I laughed aloud as I reread her email a second time. She was funny. But then I remembered that steamy scene in the cave she’d referenced, and I felt myself getting excited for an entirely different reason.
I’d never read a book with sex in it, at least not one like that. I’d never realized how erotic a book could be, and I was surprised by how hard it had made me. I wondered if it had turned her on. If she liked reading those types of scenes.
I hit “Reply,” quickly tapping out my response on the keyboard.
Olivia,
Looks like you’re a night owl too. Do you have any other books you could recommend? I’m feeling a bit…restless.
Connor
I stared at the screen, the light casting a glow about my bedroom as I anxiously awaited her response. And then my phone hummed that satisfying buzz that told me there was a new email.
Connor,
Do I have another book for you? *Rubs hands together and lets out an evil cackle.*
You can’t handle the number of books I have for you.
What kind of books are you interested in? More like Alone in Alaska, or something else? How adventurous are you when it comes to trying new things?
You mentioned having a bad day, a bad month. What happened? If you aren’t permitted to talk about it, I understand.
Olivia
I let out a deep sigh, debating how much to tell her. As much as I liked that she didn’t know about my injury, I hadn’t really opened up to anyone about it. I was so focused on trying to maintain this front that I was strong—mentally and physically. That I was more than fit to return to duty, but even I’d begun to have my doubts.
It wasn’t just Mark’s comments or the fact that everyone at Cole Security was up my ass about the last mission. It wasn’t even the ache in my knee. It was the weariness in my soul. I’d been so focused on getting back into the field, but what if I wasn’t up to it?
I’d allowed my personal issues to cloud my judgment. I’d crossed so many lines, I was lucky I hadn’t been fired. What if I wasn’t so fortunate the next time? What if I fucked up again, and something happened to one of my men because of it?
Olivia,
It’s a long story, but basically, I was injured while on a mission.
I typed it out then deleted it. Typed it out again, then deleted it again. Did she really want to know, or was she just asking to be polite? Considering her earlier candor, I assumed she genuinely cared. I figured I owed her some sort of explanation.
I busted my knee, and it’s taking longer than I want to recover.
That’s right—you’re a bookworm. How do you have so much time to read? Are you a librarian? A retired nurse?
I am very adventurous when it comes to trying new things. I’ll let you infer from that what you will.
Connor
