Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Either way, I dig it.
“I am.” He chuckles. “You had to have seen—well…”
No way that was his shrunk-in-the-cold dick.
No fucking way. If he’s that big when he’s cold—
My God, how big is he when he’s warm?
A bolt of lust hits me squarely in the clit. I squirm, grateful for the cover of darkness. I bet I’m bright red right now.
It’s colder in the basement, the chill slicing through my pajamas. My shivers become violent.
I follow Duke through a door to the right of the stairs. It opens up into a large room with—oh God—one bed.
Granted, it looks like it’s a king. But it’s still the only sleeping surface in the room. Not so much as a bench or sofa in sight.
I’m too cold to care, though. I moan a little, and Duke grabs my elbow and guides me underneath the mountain of covers on the bed.
“You’ll warm up in no time.” He tucks the duvet around my shoulders and arms, tugging it up so that it covers my nose. The man is literally tucking me in. “I’m gonna go grab some clothes and see if I can find extra blankets. I’ll be right there on the floor—”
“No.” My heart pounds as I bite out the word between chatters. “Sleep here. In bed. Right now. Must…stay warm. Body heat. Jacob the werewolf. He kept Bella warm because…hotter than Edward. Vampire.”
Duke chuckles. “I got no idea what you’re talking about—”
He’s cut off by a shiver that racks his entire body.
“Get the fuck in bed, Duke!”
“All right!” He’s still chuckling as he jogs around the mattress and dives underneath the covers. “I’ll use a pillow as underwear, I guess.”
“Ew, please don’t.”
“How can you sleep with clothes on?”
“How can you sleep without them?”
I realize the bed is warm.
Well, this side of the bed is warm. Did Duke tuck me into his side of the bed knowing the other side would be cold?
I shiver but for a different reason this time. Then a loud screech rends the air, like the wind is dragging metal furniture across the concrete patio outside.
I whimper. Then I’m immediately embarrassed by said whimper, because I’m better than that. Braver.
Except I can’t seem to find that bravery now, because I’m shaking like a leaf.
“Wheeler.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re shaking so hard that the bed is shaking too. Can I—do you need—”
“Yeah.”
Danger danger danger.
My heart keeps pounding as I hear him shuffle closer. I know he’s naked. I also know he’s hot. Literally. And even though he’s hot in the proverbial sense too, that’s a risk I’m willing to take if it means calming my nervous system, which is currently on the fritz.
If he’s offering comfort, I’m gonna take him up on it. We all deserve comfort, right?
I wonder if Duke is going to play it safe. Maybe half-heartedly snuggle with me while keeping his pelvis a respectable distance from my backside.
Ha.
Ha ha ha.
I should’ve known he would definitely not do that. Instead, he hooks an arm around my middle with the clear intention of pulling me closer.
“Roll onto your side, Blue.”
The endearment. The feel of his hands on me.
I roll right the fuck over, and he immediately pulls me into the cradle of his very warm, very large, very hard body, my back to his front.
“The nickname is growing on me.” I don’t recognize my voice.
“Good.” He bends his legs, and I bend mine so we’re in an S shape, my ass settling into his lap like his dick isn’t right there.
I can feel him. He’s not hard or anything, but he is large, and my body lights up like a firecracker.
I nearly moan again when he flattens his palm over my stomach. His hand is huge, his hold on me shamelessly solid and confident. I feel his chest barreling out on an inhale against my back, his breath hot on my nape.
“This okay?” His voice is husky.
I feel myself melting into his heat. His touch. I feel safe here and yet somehow keyed up, wild.
I’m not my normal, often numb self, and I like that. A lot.
The wind gusts, throwing sleet against the windows. The howl it makes is loud enough to have me actually moaning.
“What’s goin’ on, Blue?” he asks softly. “This kinda shakin’—you’re not just cold, are you?”
My brain is short-circuiting. That has to be why I blurt, “My dad. He is—was—a screamer. He’s always had a bad temper. You’d never know when he was going to erupt, and when he did, the neighbors could hear it. Loud noises still freak me out.”
“Aw, Wheeler. No wonder you’re shaking. I wish you’d told me.”
“I don’t like talking about him. Or my parents in general. They’re going through this really nasty divorce that’s been—yeah, pretty awful.”
His arms tighten around me, cradling me against the warmth of his body. Doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to.