Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
My mouth fell open.
“I know I’ve got stuff to talk about,” he said, “but I’m going to kiss you first.”
My mind was utterly blank. “Here?”
“Yeah.” His face was etched in determination as it lowered in. “I’m not waiting any longer.”
His kiss was . . . indescribable. Nuclear. It radiated out for miles and miles, taking all with it. His hand around mine hardened, crushing my fingers as if the kiss were too powerful and he needed something to hold on to. To comfort him while he both delivered and endured what was so shocking my heart almost stopped. His tongue filled my mouth, seeking mine. Fire burned along every inch of me, but the worst was between my legs. The ache was painful. Acute and unbearable.
The space around us cleared. The music faded to nothing, and the space emptied of people, so it was only us. Time stopped, and I wanted to remain like this, his mouth moving on mine, connecting with and tasting me.
But his soft lips drew a breath away. “Let’s go somewhere we can be alone.”
What? “We are alone.”
His shoulders lifted as he pulled in a deep breath and shot me a smile that only made my soft knees weaker. The smile, I realized dimly, was because we were anything but alone on the center of the dance floor, couples swaying together all around us, some people gawking. The bride caught my eye, gave a smile over her new husband’s shoulder, and winked.
I wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor and disappear.
“I’d like to continue being alone with you,” he said, “but without an audience.”
Ethan didn’t give me a chance to refuse, as if I would. He tugged me by the hand, leading me through the crowd, out into the freezing night without a coat, and up the stone steps to the glass doors of the mansion.
A security guard stood in the hallway just past the door to an available bathroom, no doubt to discourage guests from wandering farther than necessary into the house. Ethan spoke in German, and after considering the statement, the guard waved us along.
The hallway opened into a grand entryway with staircases on either side. My heels clacked and echoed across the marble flooring, then fell without a sound across the Persian rug. But of course he made no noise whatsoever as he strolled to the stairs.
“How did you get him to let us through?” I asked, climbing alongside him.
“I told him my girlfriend was diabetic and needed someplace quiet to take her insulin.” He’d delivered it in a straightforward tone, like what he’d said was no big deal. It was a lie, after all. Yet he’d called me his girlfriend.
Hadn’t I made it clear I wasn’t capable of a relationship?
“Do you know where you’re going?” I asked when we reached the darkened landing at the top of the stairs. I had to regain some control. From the moment he’d appeared, unexplained pressure pulled me to him. A force I was powerless against.
He grabbed the knob of the first door on his left, turned it, and after flipping on the lights, revealed what appeared to be a home office. “This’ll do.”
His hand was warm on my back as he guided me through the door into the masculine room that smelled of aged leather. There was a subtle thud as the door shut, and then the distinct click as he locked us in together.
28
ETHAN
I couldn’t wait any longer. I’d hoped the first door we came to would be a guest bedroom, but this one housed an enormous bookshelf, a desk that looked like it wasn’t in use, and an oversized brown leather couch.
I could work with that.
Her caramel-colored hair fell like a curtain over her bare shoulders, the ends curling softly where the sin-colored dress began. Jesus, I’d about had a heart attack when I’d spotted her. The plan to congratulate Shawn and Kara was forgotten once I’d seen the red dress hugging her curves like it was made for her.
“Are you going to make good on your promise?” Her voice was tight.
My brain and body were so focused elsewhere, it took a moment to realize what she meant. She wanted me to start talking. “Yes, I will. I just need a—”
Abruptly, she launched forward into my arms, her hand fisting in my hair, yanking my head down so she could crush her lips against mine. The aggression turned me on. Not like I needed any help in that department. I placed my hands on her waist and urged her backward. She teetered unsteadily on the heels she probably wasn’t accustomed to, but her lips stayed with mine.
A picture frame nearby rattled on its hook when I forced her back against the wall, and that broke our kiss long enough for her to gasp. As the ragged breath came from her parted lips, I pushed her hair out of my way so my mouth could work lower, down over the delicate skin of her neck.