Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
My heart stopped and restarted at those words. I’d never get tired of hearing them. I’d yearned for them, grown addicted to them. “I love you too. So fucking much I don’t know how I’d survive without you.” I wasn’t a fool in thinking this wasn’t absolutely batshit crazy, to fall in love, have someone your everything in such a short amount of time. But I didn’t care what anyone thought. I’d never felt anything more real than this, than Adele.
“I want it to mean that—”
“You’ll always be mine, Adele. That’s what I want this all to mean.” The smile she gave me said she wanted that too.
She rested back on the pillow, and I just wanted to kiss her face all over again, to tell her how much I loved her until she got sick of hearing it.
I wanted to revel in the fact that I finally had Adele back in my arms, and I wasn’t letting her go for anything.
CHAPTER 11
Adele
Ipulled the blanket around me and sat on the balcony, overlooking the city. This early in the morning, everything was calm, the city half-asleep, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. I felt peace and serenity surround me and smiled to myself. It wasn’t just because of the scenery though; it was also because of the man currently sleeping in the bed behind me.
I stopped fighting this, fighting what I felt for Oliver. Maybe it was crazy, fast, and made no sense. But when I stepped back and looked at the situation, saw the way I felt for him, how even all these months later I still fell so damn hard for him, I knew this was real.
I was afraid still, of course, but I knew because this felt so scary, it was real. It had to be. But just because this scared me didn’t mean I’d allow myself to hide any longer.
The sound of Oliver shifting on the bed had me looking through the balcony doors at where he was. He sat up, ran a hand over his hair, and immediately started looking around. I could see the panic on his face in the darkened room, and my heart broke that in that one moment, he thought I left him again.
“I’m out here,” I said softly, and he snapped his head in my direction. That panic left as his face eased, and he heaved a sigh.
He got up and grabbed his boxers that were on the floor, slipping them on, then walking toward me. Oliver sat beside me, smiled, and as I stared into his face, I knew everything would be okay and that everything would fall into place.
Everything would work out, because it had to. We’d make sure of it.
“Come here, baby,” he said low, softly.
I stood and moved closer to him, and he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. He draped the blanket over both of us and just held me.
We stayed like that in silence for long moments, watching the sun rise, watching the city come alive. Our silence was comforting.
“I love you, Adele,” he whispered against my temple, and I sighed in contentment. “I really do.”
“I know,” I responded and shifted so I could look into his face. “I love you too. No more fighting it. I just want you.”
He pulled me tighter against his chest and kissed the side of my head once more. “This is just the beginning, and it’ll be incredible.”
Yeah, I couldn’t agree more.
CHAPTER 12
Oliver
Iwas exhausted, but I was afraid to close my eyes, afraid I’d wake up and she wouldn’t be here. We’d come back in from the balcony half an hour ago, but I refused to sleep. I didn’t want to sleep and waste a moment I had with her.
I tightened my hold on her and felt Adele snuggle in closer. I closed my eyes and smiled against the crown of her head. Now that I actually had her back in my arms, it all felt like a dream. A delirious, sleep-deprived dream that I never wanted to wake up from.
If I died right now, I would be content, happy. I would’ve fulfilled the most important thing in my life… being with Adele again.
“Isn’t it crazy?” she whispered sleepily against my chest.
I pushed some of her braids over her shoulder and trailed my fingers along the curve of her neck, over her delicate shoulder, and down her arm. I watched as goose bumps formed along her skin. I loved that she was so receptive to my touch.
I inhaled deeply and took in her scent and was really fucking pleased that mine mingled with hers. She was mine now, marked, claimed like I was some kind of ferocious beast, like she was a princess locked away in a tower, and I was the one keeping her hostage, never letting her go.