Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I’d already come at the start of this, not because it was the best sex I’d ever had, but because I was so fucking in love with this man. I admitted it to myself, felt it in my broken heart with a painful throb.
“I love you,” I said it against his lips, feeling the twinge of pain burn inside me, giving myself fully to him to do whatever he wanted. My fate was in the palm of his hand—and he could crush me.
He moaned against my mouth like I’d said something dirty. His cock twitched inside me like I’d said the perfect words to get him off. He continued to rock into me, but his thrusts slowed as he gave his final pumps—and then he filled me. He filled me as he rested his lips against mine, his muscular chest like a cloud over my sky, the smell of his sweat and the rain all around me.
He finished then rubbed his nose against mine, his blue eyes endless in their depth. He kissed me then kissed me again, looking at me like I was the only thing that mattered to him. Still hard, like he didn’t need a break or a moment to catch his breath, he started to rock again, sliding through my cream and his come. “I fucking love you, sweetheart.”
I’d fallen asleep, and when I woke up, it was dark outside.
I looked at the time on the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was almost eight, so I’d taken an hour nap. Bastien wasn’t there, so he must have already showered or gone into the living room.
I lay there for a bit before I got out of bed, helping myself to one of his shirts like whatever was his was mine.
He was on the couch in his sweatpants, the TV off, the lights dim.
My stomach gave a loud rumble and announced my presence to the room.
He smirked before he looked away from his phone and stared at me. “You and me both, sweetheart. How about a pizza and strawberries in the tub?”
“I thought baths weren’t your thing.”
“I’m open to new things.”
I sat on the couch beside him, and he immediately hooked his arm around me and pulled me close, planting kisses on my neck and my exposed collarbone, making me feel like his favorite person in the world.
I knew he was mine.
He fired off a text to Gerard like it was room service. “I’ll start the water.” He began to get up, but I kept him down.
“It’s okay. Let’s just stay on the couch.”
He studied me, clearly picking up on everything I didn’t say. “Sweetheart, it’ll be okay.”
Sitting in a tub full of water reminded me of my watery grave. “I’d rather stay on the couch.”
“I know how much you love taking baths. Don’t throw that away—”
“It’s too soon.”
“I’ll be there with you.”
I looked away.
He cupped my face and directed my eyes to his. “I’ll be there with you.” A calm confidence was in his gaze, not a sharp sternness. It wasn’t him telling me what to do, but him encouraging me to do it.
With every passing day, I felt better. Felt that memory drift further to the back of my mind. It was something that would stay with me for the rest of my life, a part of who I was now, but it didn’t have to define me. I stared into his eyes for a while before I gave a slight nod. “Okay.”
He kissed the corner of my mouth before he walked into the bathroom. The water came on a moment later, the faucet audible.
I’d taken a couple of baths in there as a guest. Reading in the bath every day while Bastien was asleep or at work would have been my favorite activity after I moved in, but I’d never even considered it after what had happened. Now I went to cafés and listened to music on my headphones so I wouldn’t have to hear the chatter of people nearby. The tub wasn’t even an option.
Bastien seemed to realize that and wanted it to change.
He came back to me on the couch, his arm moving around my shoulders as he pulled me into his side. He brushed a kiss against my hairline. “You’ve lived here a while, and never once have you used it. Time for a change.”
I swallowed, thinking about the cold water against my feet and shoulders, the way it pressed against the back of my neck as it continued to rise. It had been on my mind the first time I’d taken a shower after. Still crossed my thoughts when I waited for the temperature of the shower water to turn from cold to hot.
Bastien stared at the side of my face. “You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever known.”
I gave a quiet scoff. “Your mother was married to a drug kingpin for however long—and I can’t take a bath.”