Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Baird squeezed my waist. “I wasn’t flirting with her.”
I gave him a reassuring smile. “I know.”
He was so relieved, I felt his body relax. “You do?”
“I do.” I stepped out of his personal space but couldn’t help my wandering eyes. Like me, he wore a plain black T-shirt, paired with jeans and black trainers. His only adornment, other than his tattoos, was the carbon smart watch he wore all the time. “You look good.”
“You always look good.”
There was that strange pulling sensation between us again, like everyone else faded away.
Callan burst our bubble. “If you two are going to stand their eye-fucking each other, take it elsewhere. It’s making me extremely uncomfortable.”
Baird chuckled.
I shared an exasperated look with Beth. She jerked her chin upward. “The living room on the second floor is empty. It’ll give you some privacy to talk.”
Grateful, I thanked her and then held out my hand to Baird.
He took it without hesitation, his grip on me unyielding, almost like he was afraid I’d let go. Instead, I led him out of the party, unable to avoid my aunt Shannon’s curious gaze. Although I’d chatted with her on the phone about my engagement to Baird, she and I hadn’t had a chance to talk face-to-face. I knew by her expression that would change very soon.
The Carmichael townhome was the stuff of Edinburgh dreams. I’d babysat and slept over in this house, so I knew it well. On the ground floor, three doors split off to the huge kitchen Joss and Braden renovated a few years ago, a TV room, a guest bedroom, a bathroom, and Uncle Braden’s office. On the next floor was the primary suite, a huge second living room, and Aunt Joss’s office where she wrote her bestselling novels. The top floor had belonged to Beth, Luke, and Elle growing up. They each had a bedroom and shared a bathroom. Now I guessed it was just Elle up there. The Carmichaels had modernized the house without taking anything away from its Georgian architecture.
“This place is boss,” Baird broke the sizzling silence as I led him upstairs.
“Mmm-hmm.” I could barely speak. My heart raced. I was a little lightheaded. Because once he and I stepped into the living room, things between us would change forever.
The problem was we couldn’t stay where we were.
We had to change.
I was so scared of losing his friendship.
However, as nervous as I was, I was more afraid of losing out on the possibility of an us.
Inside the moody, comfortable living space, I closed the door and released Baird to lean against it.
He stared at where I’d dropped his hand, his expression guarded as he wandered farther into the room. “You wanted to talk?”
“I miss you,” I blurted out.
Baird jerked toward me, standing between the coffee table and the large U-shaped sofa. His thoughts were written all over his face, and it gave me courage.
I pushed off the door. “Bear … if you tell me you’re serious about me and that you will never intentionally hurt me, then … I promise to believe you.”
His eyes flared and he took a step toward me, his voice gravelly with emotion. “Maia, I’m serious about you and I will never intentionally hurt you.”
The blood whooshed in my ears and my pulse raced frantically. My lips trembled around my next words. “Then I’m already yours.”
Baird stared at me as if he wasn’t quite sure he’d heard me correctly.
“Bear … are you—”
The distance between us was gone in seconds and his mouth cut me off as it crashed down over mine. I moaned in relief and hunger. Baird wrapped his strong arms around me, crushing me to his hard chest, and in an instant, my skin was aflame with need.
This was over a year of pent-up sexual attraction turned emotional connection igniting in seconds.
Baird groaned as I met him kiss for desperate kiss and suddenly, my feet were off the floor and his hands were gripping my thighs as we moved backward. He’d lifted me with a startling ease that was a total turn-on. My back hit the door, and my legs wrapped around Baird’s hips as his hungry kisses intensified.
When his lips finally left mine, it was to trail kisses along my jaw to my ear, his beard bristling against my skin, my senses on overload. My head spun and somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew we shouldn’t be doing this here, but I couldn’t make my mouth form the words to stop. Baird’s lips returned to mine for another scorching kiss, and all I could think about was him and how he made me feel more alive than I’d ever felt in my life.
He was hard and we were grinding on each other, groaning and moaning with avarice. My hands dipped beneath his tee to explore his sculpted body, and I desperately wanted him naked so I could map every contour with my lips.