Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“You don’t have to, if you’re not ready.”
“I am, and I want to. This morning had nothing to do with how I feel about you and our relationship, and everything to do with my own insecurities, which was wrong. Again.”
Wilder smiled and squeezed my hand. “Okay.”
“Are we good? You believe me that I had no idea Josh was going to show up, right?”
“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I thought I was going to have a heart attack when you sat down across from him. What were you guys talking about anyway?”
“I told him politely that I’d break every bone in his body if you didn’t want to talk to him and he harassed you.”
“Oh boy. What did Josh say?”
“I have to give him credit, the guy has balls. He asked what I would do if you did want to talk.”
Wow, yeah. That was ballsy. Josh wasn’t small, but he was no match for Wilder. “How did you respond do that?”
Wilder shrugged. “I told him you make your own choices, and if that’s what you want, then that’s what you want. But if he ever hurt you again, I’d be back to break every bone in his body.”
My heart fluttered. This was the type of man I wanted—one who put my choices first, even when my decision wasn’t his first choice. It reminded me of how my dad had always treated my mom, and that meant the world to me. I got up and went around to the other side of the booth, parking my ass on Wilder’s lap with my arms locked around his neck. “I don’t want to talk to Josh. Being with you is like having Christmas every day.”
“Are you stealing my lines, Cupcake?”
I laughed. “I am.”
He pressed his lips to mine. “I guess that’s fair, love. Because you’ve stolen my heart.”
26
WILDER
No … don’t do it.
A devilish voice played inside my head. Why not? You’ll make her feel good. Do it. Do it, you pussy.
My eyes rose from Sloane’s exposed tits to her face. She looked so peaceful sleeping. And it was only five in the morning here in New York. My internal clock had me up extra early on a Saturday because I’d only flown back in last night. I’d always racked up a lot of frequent-flier points going between London and the States, but the last few months had been nonstop. This time it had been a little over a week, but I couldn’t seem to spend more than a few days away from Sloane unless business forced me elsewhere. Each trip back home became shorter and shorter so I could get here faster.
I looked over at my sleeping beauty again. God, I wanted to be selfish. Climb on top, sink deep inside, and return to my happy place. But she liked her sleep. And she was the kind of woman who made you want to do the right thing—day in, day out, every day. Even when I wasn’t with her or she was sleeping with her tits calling my name. So instead of waking her, I snuggled in and tried to fall back asleep.
I was just about knocked out when an alarm went off—a high-pitched chirping. I jumped out of bed, thinking it was some sort of fire alarm and I needed to get us the hell out of here. When Sloane’s eyes opened, she sat up calmly and reached over to her nightstand. “Sorry.”
“You set an alarm?”
She shook her head. “It’s my insulin pump. It has an alarm.”
“Is everything okay?”
She pushed a bunch of buttons and fell back into bed. “Yeah, it’s been happening every once in a while, and I have to reset it.”
I raked a hand through my hair. “Shit. Okay.”
“Sorry it woke you.”
I climbed back into bed, smiling at my girl. “It’s alright. I almost woke you, so we’re even.”
She laughed and turned on her side, tucking two hands under her cheek. “Why did you almost wake me?”
“Because I woke up wanting to do very bad things to you.”
Sloane bit her lip. “Like what?”
“Like spread your legs and feast.”
“Oh my.” She giggled. “That doesn’t sound very bad to me.”
I guided her onto her back and climbed on top, dropping a kiss on her chin. “Just like Christmas morning…”
I spent the next hour opening my gift and playing with my favorite toy.
* * *
Later that morning, Sloane was in the shower while I sat at the kitchen table with my second cup of coffee, sorting through emails on my phone. Since I was just visiting for the weekend, I hadn’t brought my laptop. Andrew had sent me a forty-seven-page contract to review, and the thought of reading it on my little device gave me a headache. I wondered if Sloane would mind if I left a laptop here? Maybe some shoes and a shaving kit, too. On my last trip, I’d been rushing to catch an earlier flight from London and only packed one dress shoe to wear with my suit. I wound up having to put on sneakers—a look I didn’t particularly like, but it was popular with athletes so at least no one looked at me too strangely. Maybe she could leave some things at my place, too, make it convenient until we moved in together.