Read Online Unsteady (The Torqued Trilogy Book 1) by Shey Stahl - Free Book Online Page A

scratching the side of his face. “You don’t have any jeans you can wear?”
    “None that are clean,” I tell him.
    “Well.” He chuckles lightly. “You’re going into the lion’s den here. Just be prepared for them to stare at your legs.”
    I’m suddenly regretting not grabbing different clothes in my rush.

Watching a child sleep fascinates me, though watching Nova sleep is sometimes scary. The fact that she’s still alive and hasn’t dislocated anything with how violently she sleeps is one of life’s mysteries. And sleeping next to her is like sleeping next to a fucking boxing kangaroo. I can’t count how many times I’ve been drop kicked right in the junk. It’ll be a miracle if I can still father children.
    “It’s time to get up,” I say, opening her blinds and letting the early morning sun in. It’s the middle of June, and the sun rises around six in the morning, which makes it nice for getting Nova up. If it’s still dark, it’s a risk going in her room because it’s like waking a bear from hibernation.
    Nova groans at the sound of my voice and the light streaming inside. “But I got up yesterday.” She rolls to the right bringing her pillow over her head. “Why do I have to do it today?”
    “Because you need to go to daycare.” Sitting down on the edge of her bed that’s home to about a dozen stuffed animals, I take her favorite pink teddy from her and hold it to my chest. “Daddy has to work today.” When she doesn’t say anything, I remove the pillow from her head and turn her over.
    She frowns. “I hate daycare. Why can’t I hang out with you all day?”
    “Because I can’t have you corrupted by the guys.”
    She rolls her eyes and rips the bear from my hands. “Can I have a donut for breakfast?”
    I scratch the short layer of hair on my chin as if I’m thinking. Nova will do just about anything for a chocolate donut. “If you get out of bed.”
    Her face is cute, even with her stubborn scowl. I can see her considering her options, donut or no donut, before she lets out a sigh. The breath blows the curls that fell in her face out. “You’re being ridiculous. I’m corrupted by you.”
    Very true.
    “Which is why you need daycare.” A smirk plays on my lips; I love mornings like this where we’re teasing each other. “Cleanse you of all the bad.”
    After five minutes of arguing, I manage to get her in the bathtub, cleaned up from the shop last night, and I’m brushing her hair, trying to make sense of the madness.
    With a smirk on her face, she looks at me in the mirror. “Daddy, did you get laid last night?”
    I nearly choke on my coffee I’ve just taken a drink of and set the cup on the counter as I reach for a hair tie.
    I’m stalling. I honestly don’t know how to answer her question. I can’t for the life of me figure out why the hell she would ask me that.
    It’s only when Nova looks up at me and asks, “What? Didn’t you have a good laid last night?” that I remember our conversation from last night.
    I smile, despite my attempt to keep a straight face. “Uh, yeah. Slept great.”
     

    I MANAGE TO get Nova ready, and her hair and teeth brushed before we stop by the coffee shop down the road. The girls at the coffee shop adore Nova and give her basically anything she wants.
    “Hey, Red,” Jessie greets me as I roll down my window to order my second coffee of the morning and Nova’s donut. This Jessie girl is another one who’s always giving me openings to ask her out. Only she’s a kid too. Graduating high school this year I think. I honestly don’t know what’s with these girls. They are all around eighteen and nineteen years old and have a thing for older men. Sure they’re legal, but I’m twenty-seven for Christ’s sakes. In my mind, there is way too much wrong with that scenario.
    “Mornin’ hon.” I wink at her, knowing damn well that’s probably a bad idea. The early morning rain finally stopped but still drips inside the car