Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30528 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30528 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 153(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
“Iris,” he says, and it’s the first time I’ve heard my name in that voice. “I’m a fucking moron.”
A full three seconds pass before his words even register. Then my pulse goes from squirrel to jet engine. I blink several times, trying to catch up with this change in conversation. “Huh…?”
“The first moment we met, I felt something…” he pauses and runs his fingers over his bottom lip, “something I’ve never felt before.” My breath stalls in my throat as I wait for him to continue. “And instead of exploring this pull between us, I decided to ignore it.”
The confession hangs there, bright and dangerous. I blink, trying to process, but all I can feel is the wild, rising heat in my chest.
I can’t breathe. Not really. My lungs have gone on strike, my whole body just clenching around the way he’s looking at me—like he’s starving and I’m his first meal in years.
Hunter leans in, elbows braced on the table, his knee pressing into mine. His eyes are dark, electric. I’m so gone, I swear my nipples could cut glass through this thin sleep shirt.
He doesn’t blink. Doesn’t flinch. Just keeps that crazy-intense focus locked on me like I’m some kind of puzzle he can’t wait to take apart.
“I can’t stop thinking about you.” His voice is so low, it vibrates through my bones. “Doesn’t matter what I do. You’re in my head, all the time.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Wait a minute. What if he decides next week that he’s over this infatuation with me? What if he ghosts me, just like before? What if this is just a phase for him, and I’m left here, still thinking about his hands and his gravelly voice and the way he made my kitchen feel like a home for the first time since I moved in?
My thoughts are spiraling out of control. But then Hunter moves, just a little, like he can read every disastrous thought running through my head at warp speed.
He stands up and pulls me to my feet. His eyes lock on mine, gold-flecked molten chocolate, and my thoughts scatter.
“Iris,” he says again, rough and low.
God, the way he says my name causes my lady bits to tingle.
I swallow, throat bone-dry. “Y-yeah?”
His jaw flexes. The muscle in his cheek jumps like he’s fighting off a smile.
“I don’t do games,” he growls, and the words scrape over my skin like sandpaper. “I don’t do pretending, or casual, or any of that bullshit.” His jaw clenches again, cords standing out in his neck, and holy hell, I am so, so in trouble.
He pulls me tight against his warm, muscular body, and my brain promptly shuts down all nonessential functions. My nipples go hard as diamonds under my shirt as his eyes drag over me, hot, slow, and so fucking deliberate I actually shiver.
“And now that you’ve decided this, I don’t have any say in the matter?” My voice comes out way too breathy, but I can’t help it. My whole body is short-circuiting under his stare.
He lets out a grunt of laughter, dark and low. “No,” he says, rough and final. “I’m saying I want you, and I’m hoping you’ll give me the opportunity to show you how much.” His hand slides slowly down my back, and I swear my skin goes up in flames. “You’re so fucking beautiful.” His words sizzle across every nerve ending. “All I think about is touching you. I want you in my bed. In my life. Please tell me you’ll let me prove it to you.” My heart drops straight to my toes. I actually forget how to swallow for a good two seconds.
He’s so close, the air between us sizzles. My whole body goes tight, every muscle clenching. I can smell him, soap and coffee and something dark and dangerous that goes straight to my lady bits.
I open my mouth, but all that comes out is a squeaky little sound. Embarrassing! My eyes squeeze shut as I take a deep breath, trying to get my crazy emotions under control.
Hunter’s breath ghosts across my cheek. His hand comes up, fingers gentle but so big it makes me shiver, and tucks a messy bit of hair behind my ear. His thumb traces my jaw, and my pulse does a cartwheel. Literal acrobatics behind my ribcage. Every tiny brush of his skin is a firework, and suddenly, I’m convinced I am seconds from spontaneous combustion.
Hunter’s face is so close now; I can actually count every fleck of gold in his eyes. His thumb drags under my chin, up along my jaw, and it’s so gentle I nearly lose it on the spot. He’s staring at me like he wants to swallow me whole. Pretty sure I’m not breathing. Yep, all basic bodily functions are currently offline.