Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
"That's awful," I whisper, horrified. Who even does something like that? Shitty book-stealing scammers, apparently. "I'm so sorry."
"Me too."
"Can you do anything?"
He shrugs. "The legal department for my publisher will do what they can to track down whoever sent her the email and try to get charges filed, but there's no putting the lid back on the leak."
"I'm so sorry, River," I whisper, hugging him tighter.
"At least they don't have the whole goddamn book."
"Do they have more than what they've already leaked?"
"No. I sent her the updated version last week, but I hadn't sent her the new chapters yet." He pauses. "I didn't fire Sam. Maybe I should because she didn't come to me, but I can't blame her for falling for a fucking scam when they're everywhere." He turns to look at me. "I'm more worried about you."
"About me?" I blink, shocked. "Why?"
"You aren't a crier, princess," he says, tracing my cheek with a fingertip. "But it looks to me like you've been doing a lot of it today."
I open my mouth to lie and then snap it closed and nod instead. "I thought I was going back to jail. Or that you'd hate me."
"Which bothered you more?"
"What?"
"Which thought bothered you more? The possibility of going to jail or the possibility of me hating you?"
"You hating me," I whisper, my heart beating fast. "I…I couldn't live with that, River."
"Good." He grins, leaning down to press his lips to mine, but not before I see the satisfied gleam in his eyes.
"You don't have to look so pleased about it," I grumble against his lips.
"Oh, but I am." He bites my bottom lip, craning my head back. "Because I'm so fucking in love with you, Jasmine Knudsen," he says, his eyes locked on mine. "I love knowing that you'd miss me if I weren't here. I love knowing that I'm in your heart. And I fucking love knowing that you think I'm someone worth crying about, baby."
"You are someone worth crying over," I whisper, pretty sure my heart is going to burst out of my chest. He said it back. He actually said it back!
River is in love with me.
The way he smiles at me is perfection. And then he grows somber again. "I'm sorry the manuscript was leaked, princess."
My brows furrow, my gaze running across his face. "Why are you apologizing to me?"
"You're all over it," he murmurs. "So is the way I feel about you. I wanted you to read it first. You should have been the one to decide whether it was published or not."
I blink wide eyes at him. "Are you serious?"
"Yes?"
"River." I laugh despite myself, shifting on his lap until I'm curled around him, my legs hooked behind the small of his back, my arms around his neck. "It's the best thing you've ever written. I'd be so pissed if you didn't publish it. Besides, it's not like anyone is going to know that I inspired you to rewrite Melody."
"I didn't just rewrite Melody, princess." His hand skirts up my thigh, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. "I rewrote most of it after meeting you. The book is what it is because of you."
"Then you should definitely move forward with publishing it. I've heard that I'm pretty awesome."
"I've heard that too, but publishing might not be an option now," he mutters. "A quarter of it is online right now."
"Yes, a quarter. That means you're going to have thousands of people desperate for the rest of it soon." I nuzzle my face into his throat, biting the tendon there. "Whoever leaked it already stole too much. Don't you dare let them steal the rest of the story from you and your readers, River Jamison."
He's quiet for a moment, his hand resting on my thigh, and then his lips curve into a grin, his fingers inching upward. "Make you a deal, princess."
I eye him suspiciously.
"You get naked and let me make you scream for me, and I'll consider your suggestion."
"Counteroffer," I breathe, grabbing the hem of my shirt to rip it off over my head. "I'll get naked and let you make me scream, you'll publish your book, and if you're a very good boy, I might let you keep making me scream."
"Deal," he growls, tipping me backward onto the couch.
Chapter Thirteen
River
Why I thought Book Club would be normal, I don't fucking know… but I was sadly mistaken. I'm nervous as hell when I step through the doors and see two dozen women scattered around Book of Love, flipping through the pages of one of my books. Jasmine is in the center of their misshapen circle, her hands on her hips, her mouth running a million miles a minute.
"No inappropriate questions," she says to the group. "No asking about our sex life. Absolutely no mobbing him."
I smile to myself, my dick pressing up against my zipper. She's sexy as hell, laying down the law like she's ready to go to war for me. I don't need it, though. Not here, not tonight. I didn't agree to do this because she badgered me into it.