Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 810(@200wpm)___ 648(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
I walked for exercise because my high school gym teacher told me it was the closest I could get to actual physical exertion without hurting myself. So climbing up the side of a mountain was not on my list of all-time favorite things to do, but I started the trek anyway.
Half-way through, my thighs were burning, and I had a splitting ache in my side as I grasped the railing beside us.
“This is not the same place you took me last weekend,” I huffed.
Ryland smiled and paused to let me rest.
“It is, but you came by car. Not boat.”
“And you prefer the boat?” I wheezed.
A dark look passed over his face before he nodded tightly. “It’s tradition.”
I didn’t have any clue what that meant, but the solemn look on his face was enough to kick my butt into action again. There were so few moments he was happy, and tonight was one of them. Until I opened my big mouth.
Again I questioned why it mattered to me, but there was no logic to my madness.
When we finally traversed the great wild and landed on flat ground, I was rewarded with the most breathtaking view I’d ever seen. Sitting atop the bluff was a Victorian style mansion most definitely not built anytime this century. There was an actual rolling expanse of grass and lush greenery all around us. It was as private as private could get in San Francisco.
When I turned around, I was again rewarded with panoramic views of the city’s skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. I couldn’t stop taking it all in, and it was only when I looked at Ryland that I saw how carefully he was watching me.
“What is this place?” I asked.
“This is my home. On Belvedere Island.”
“It’s so beautiful…” That word didn’t even do it justice, but it was the only one I could think of.
He didn’t reply. He led me up another staircase and unlocked the back door. I followed him inside, taking in every nuance of the place. Each room we passed through was filled with lush draperies and rich, bold colors decorated the walls. Golds and reds, creams and beiges accented the mahogany colored floors and accents. The furnishings were extravagant, plush earthen tones that loomed larger than life beneath the vaulted ceilings. It was the most beautiful home I’d ever seen.
I wanted to stop to take every inch of it in, but Ryland was quick to lead me up the large wooden staircase that wound itself towards the top of the house.
He stopped on the second level and walked down another long corridor before opening a set of pale blue French doors to reveal the master suite.
He set my bags on a velvet ottoman in the corner of the room and turned towards me. “This is where you’ll be sleeping. The bathroom is through there as you probably remember.”
As I glanced around the room, I tried to recall the small details I’d picked up during my last stay. It was so different seeing it in color.
“You can take a bath if you’d like,” he suggested. “Are you hungry?”
“No.” I smiled, liking his first suggestion much better. A bath sounded nice right now.
“Okay.” He eased towards the door as though he were relieved. Perhaps he was second guessing himself for bringing me here after all. “Well, I have some work to do. There’s a library down the hall on the right if you get bored. And of course, the televisions work as well.”
I nodded and let him slip away without any protest, sensing he needed to put some distance between us.
I made my way into the bathroom and eyed the clawfoot tub. Forget libraries or televisions. This was where I’d be spending the next hour.
Chapter Sixteen
Something stirred me from sleep, and it took me a moment to realize it was Ryland.
He was hovering over me, kissing his way along my throat. On instinct, my hand came up and threaded through his hair. His moved between my legs and started to rub against my panties.
“I like this,” he groaned.
He’d only touched me for a minute, and already I could barely string together a coherent sentence.
“What?”
“Having you in my bed whenever I want,” he murmured.
I thought that was the whole point of the game. But right then, I didn’t really care. All I cared about was the heat his hands created on my body. The ache between my thighs that burned only for him.
I ran my hands over his muscular back, and he leaned down and nipped my lower lip.
“Tell me you like it too,” he insisted.
There was something in his voice that told me this wasn’t an order. He really wanted to know if I liked it. The hormones surging through my body gave me permission to be honest.
“I think you already know the answer to that,” I whispered.