Read Online The Opium Room by Charisma Kendrick - Free Book Online Page A

cart with three shelves full of toys and books generously donated to the program. I take it room to room. When the children browse the “shelves” for their Thursday toy, they feel as if they’re in a store. Some of them have been hospitalized for several months; it restores their sense of normalcy, at least temporarily. I can’t tell you which one fills my heart with more joy. Seeing their faces light up when they see the toy cart coming, or when they play with Glitzy.”
    Fox nodded his head in approval. “You’ve got a kind heart, Lea. If I had any extra time on my hands, I’d love to do something like that.”
    Lea peeled back the seal on the individual creamer and looked up at Fox as she dumped it into her coffee. “I see you spend some time in the gym.”
    He shrugged. “A little. I use the hotel’s fitness room when Roman stresses me out.”
    Lea’s eyes widened. “He must stress you out. A. Lot.”
    Fox laughed. “Yeah.” He imagined his father’s face on the punching bag every time he got after it, but he preferred to keep that between him and Everlast.
    The waitress came back with pad in hand. “Y’all ready now?”
    Lea ordered French Toast with scrambled eggs. Fox said he’d have the same.
    “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Fox asked.
    “One younger brother, Galen. He’s a college student.”
    “So, is your brother as down–to–earth as you?” Fox asked. “Cause I need to find Karrigan some direction.”
    Lea laughed, showed her pretty teeth. She had one of those extraordinary smiles that lights the entire face. If she were covered from the nose down, one would still be able to see her smile in her eyes. She put her elbows on the table, wrapped both hands around the coffee, he presumed, out of habit; it certainly didn’t have anything to do with the temperature. He liked how she was starting to relax. He wanted her to be nothing but content with him. Extremely satisfied would be even better. But that would happen in due time.
    “Galen’s a good guy,” Lea said. “Quiet, though. And very shy. I doubt Karrigan would like that.”
    “He sounds exactly like what Karrigan needs,” Fox said.
    “Last time I talked to him, he was single. We could hook them up.”
    “That’d make for some memorable family functions.”
    “Why?”
    Fox had purposely set that question up. “Brother and sister dating brother and sister.”
    The waitress brought their food and set it on the table. “Enjoy.”
    Talk about ill–timed.
    Lea picked up her fork and knife and cut into her French toast.
    Fox sighed and followed suit. The moment was gone.
    Halfway through the meal, Lea said, “I almost didn’t recognize you tonight when I opened the door.”
    Fox grinned, shoved in a mouthful of eggs. “Why?”
    “Look at you. You look like a young, regular guy. Not all
    fancy–smancy.”
    “Well I’m sorry if I looked all… Wait—what’d you say?”
    “Fancy–smancy. It’s an expression. You know what I mean. For a lack of a better word, I guess I’m trying to say… prominent.”
    “This is me, Lea. Just like I am right now. I don’t like wearing a suit every day, but it’s business. I’m just playing a part.”
    “I know, and I hope that I didn’t offend you. I’m the one with the inferiority complex. I feel completely different around you when you’re wearing your business suit.” She put down her fork and nodded. “I just don’t see why you’re wasting your time with me. You could pursue any of the number of sophisticated women I saw in your hotel.”
    “I have.”
    “You have?”
    “Yes, I have. Damn it, I’m thirty years old. What do you think, that I’ve been celibate all these years?”
    “Oh.” Lea picked up her fork, shoved in another bite, and looked out the window.
    “Lea, I wasn’t finished.” She looked back at him. “What I’m saying is, I’m over women like that. I see what they’ve had to offer. And I don’t see in them what I see in you. I’m