Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
It makes me feel oddly powerful that Rich adheres to my touch. I bet a concrete wall couldn't hold him back, but my hand easily can.
“Why is he so pissed at you, Vasily?” Willa pokes her husband in the chest. Her bright pink nail polish is such a contrast to him.
“Can we go home? I’ll feel safer there.” I don’t know what it means that Carl was here. Is my father close? Will he tell him he saw me?
“You’re safe,” Rich reassures me. “But we can go. We can leave this island if you want. I'll take you to the other side of the world if you ask." I suppose that could make me safer, but it’s not what I want.
It doesn’t go unnoticed by me that Rich is willing to leave his entire life and family behind for me. It’s not something I would ever ask him to do. Plus, I don’t want to leave this little island where I now have people who care about me. Doing that would give the power back to my father, and he would win.
“I like our room.” Rich has made me feel so safe there. Untouchable, really.
“I’m starting to like our room too.” He smiles down at me. “Let’s go.” Rich leads us back out. I have noticed many people have cleared out. I assume the fights have concluded for the night.
“Hey! Wait up! I’m riding with you!” Willa shouts. We turn back around to see King shaking his head. He catches up to Willa in two seconds, tossing her over his shoulder. “We’re fighting. You can’t manhandle me.” She lets King know her objections.
“I’m husbandhandling you,” King replies with a smile on his face.
“Come on.” Rich shakes his head. “Are you okay with me driving, or we can ride back with Teddy and West.”
“I think I’m good.” What I want more than anything is for the two of us to be alone.
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to the estate. The second the gates close behind us, I relax more.
“I’ve got you.” Rich strokes the inside of my thigh.
“I know. This place makes me feel like I might have a home.”
“There is no might to it, dollface.” He parks the car right out front. “Stay put,” Rich says before hopping out of the car. I watch as he comes around to open the door for me.
“I could have done that.” I take his hand.
“But you don’t have to.” His fingers tangle with mine. “Come on. I need to get you out of that shirt.”
“I really like this shirt.”
“I’ll get you thousands. I don’t like that any of that man is on you.” He leads me upstairs and back into our room. The lock clicking into place is music to my ears. Rich lets go of my hand, leaning up against the door.
“Are you okay?”
“I want to ask you something, and you can say no.” His brows furrow together.
“You can ask.”
“Remember, you can say no.”
“I know that.”
“I want to wash you.”
“Wash me?”
“Get you out of those clothes and any blood off you.”
“You don’t have to wash me.” A bark of a laughter comes from Rich. He doesn’t give out a lot of laughs, but when he does, I love each of them. They always make me smile.
“Babe, I want to wash you.”
“Like together?”
“Any way you’ll let me.”
“Together,” I agree.
“Are you sure?” I notice his hands are fisted at his sides. He’s holding himself back. I am sure of it. The man always wants to touch me unless there is a reason he can't, and there isn't one right now.
“We’ll be naked,” I squeak. Then I want to pinch myself for sounding so naïve. There were a million girls there tonight. All of them wanted him and would know what to do with him if they did have him. I have absolutely no clue or experience with any of this.
“Typically in a shower you’re naked.” He cocks his head to the side, giving me a playful smile.
I’ve never been curious about seeing a man naked until Rich. Heck, I have avoided any man before him. When Rich comes out of the bathroom in a towel, I always perk up. But seeing him naked will mean me getting naked as well. A sudden wave of shyness and insecurity washes over me.
“I don’t look like her,” I blurt out. I put my hand over my mouth. What is happening to me? I have always been good about keeping my mouth shut. Now things blurt right out of me. I know it’s because I feel safe here.
“What?” Rich is utterly confused. I don’t blame him.
“The blonde.”
“What blonde?” He pushes off the door, coming toward me. “You know what. Whatever blonde you’re talking about doesn’t matter,” Rich says. “You’re the only girl I want to see naked. The only one I want to touch. That I've even thought about touching or being touched by. No one else exists in my eyes but you. Only you.”