Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Work has kept me away from the game and mostly away from her streams. Five days of seventeen-hour shifts, grinding until my eyes feel like they’re bleeding. And now I’m here, with a chance to relax. I sip a beer and remind myself to play this cool. I have to speak to everyone, when all I really want is to make a beeline for Dakota and carry her out of here.
One wrong picture…
Elena Voss approaches me. I offer her a smile, hoping she believed me when I said I’m going to make things right concerning her promotion. I can’t blame her for seeming less chirpy than usual.
“I’ve just got a call from the limo company we contract with,” she says. “Are we confirming that they’re picking up…” She glances at her phone. “Dakota Vale? She’s a streamer, I believe.”
Dammit. I called them myself because I wanted to avoid this.
“That’s correct,” I say.
“But not for any other streamers?”
“They all arranged their own travel,” I reply, waving a hand. “Is there anything else?”
“No… sir.”
Sipping my beer some more, I walk to a nearby booth and sit in front of a giant screen playing some early footage from the new underwater dungeon on a loop. Elena can’t know anything just from that. And even if she did, she wouldn’t do anything with that information.
Would she?
My father said something ugly once yet true about my mother. “She built a house of cards in her mind, son. I should’ve seen how unstable it was. I should’ve known it would tear a hole through our lives when it fell down.”
I get the same feeling now. Just waiting…
But when my phone vibrates, my worries sink away. I’m glad now I gave her my cell phone number.
Dakota: A limo company just called me saying they’ll be here in five! Was this you?
Jack: I hope no one else is sending my favorite streamer limos.
Dakota: You’re crazy, Jack.
Jack: I am. And I’m going crazier thinking of you in that dress. Did I make a good choice?
Dakota: Did you choose it yourself?
Jack:
Jack: You don’t need to be so shocked.
Dakota: It’s beautiful. Seriously. And it touched me.
Jack: Let me see then.
Dakota: Can’t you wait?
Jack: I’m done waiting for you.
I text, heart pounding hard.
A minute later, a photo arrives. My breath actually catches in my throat. I stare in awe at the picture. She’s standing in front of her bedroom mirror, one foot angled to emphasize her leg, the dress hugging her perfectly.
It’s an emerald-green color, the same as the Cove, with small, silver scale like beading interwoven into the fabric. It looks even more gorgeous on her than I knew it would. Her face is bright and vivacious, framed in subtle makeup that brings out her natural perfection.
Jack: You look devastatingly beautiful. It’s going to take everything I have to keep my hands off you.
Dakota: I’m just waiting for Jackson Cross to look at me and have no idea who I am.
I grit my teeth. I can’t blame her for this. We haven’t spoken on the phone. Haven’t had a voice chat. It’s like I’ve been trying to keep the two worlds separate. By changing an entire event just for her and mentioning her name in a public announcement…
Maybe I’ve just fallen. Hard. Maybe this is what it’s like.
I quickly snap a selfie, raising my beer in a toast, then send it to her.
Dakota: I’ll have to have some champagne in the limo to catch up.
Jack: As long as you don’t blame our bad decisions on the liquor.
Dakota: There will not be any poor decisions tonight. Only good ones.
Jack: Does that mean you want me on my best behavior?
Dakota: Hell no. It means I refuse to feel guilty about any of this.
Jack: I love that energy. Now, show me that ass in the dress. I want to see how the fabric hugs your hips.
Dakota: I kind of like it when you’re bossy. Just don’t get used to it.
The photo arrives. Okay. This was a mistake.
Heat goes straight to my cock. I go rock-hard in what must be record time. Her back is arched in the picture, looking over her shoulder at the camera. The thick globes of her ass shape the fabric.
Jack: I chose that material because it’s light. I knew it would settle like that on your curvy, flawless figure. I’m getting hard right now, Dakota, in the middle of the expo.
Dakota: It won’t be long until you see me in person, baby. My limo has arrived!
Jack: See you soon, beautiful.
Once I send the text, I feel someone hovering over me. It’s Pete. He’s got a frown on his face, and his eyes look huge through his horn-rimmed glasses. I get the feeling he’s analyzing me.
“Are you drunk?” he asks after a moment.
“I’ve had half a beer,” I tell him.
“You’re smiling.”
I roll my eyes. “Is that a cause for concern?”