Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 72715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
* * *
Brianne kept pace with Jake, her rush to get back as fierce as his. Once she’d unburdened herself and admitted her fears, she saw how ridiculous they were. And once he gave credence to her feelings and didn’t dismiss her with a pat on the head, as her parents used to do, Brianne was able to step back and see things clearly, with renewed perspective.
She wasn’t being followed. She merely had an overactive imagination, heightened by Jake’s proximity, lifestyle and job. And on the off chance that a stranger had been watching her, she now had Jake aware and on her side. The self-protection course the hospital had insisted its employees take after a rash of rapes a few years back had armed her with knowledge and defensive skills. She’d be fine.
She could free her mind and concentrate on how much she wanted Jake. Apparently he felt the same, because his hands didn’t leave her body the entire trip back to the apartment. Whether on the small of her back or grasping her hand, he held on to her as they walked, creating a constant state of awareness and a never-ending current of electricity that sparked between them.
Only when they reached the inside of the apartment building did he break the physical connection between them, stepping aside and allowing her to pass by him and enter the private elevator. For the duration of the ride up, nerves and excitement dominated her emotions. She was about to dive into sexual and emotional unknown territory, and the adrenaline rushed through her at lightning speed.
She wondered if this was what her parents had felt each time they undertook a new adventure or trip. She’d never understood her mother or father before. But as she walked out of the silent but erotically charged atmosphere of the elevator and entered the penthouse apartment, Brianne came as close as she’d ever been to comprehending the thrill-seekers who’d raised her.
Jake was new and exciting. Just thinking about him energized her mind and stimulated her body in erotic and arousing ways. Yet as much as she enjoyed each and every sensation he invoked, she feared, too, for he had the power to undo the healing she’d accomplished since her parents’ death, leaving her raw and exposed to someone who didn’t come with a promise of security and had no vision of long-term commitment.
But unlike her parents, who by definition were supposed to be in Brianne’s life for the long haul, Jake was just passing through. She knew the facts going in; therefore she couldn’t be hurt—right? she asked herself. But no voice answered her with a resounding yes, leaving her to admit she had little faith in her own convictions.
“We’re here.” Jake’s deep voice intruded on her thoughts.
She swallowed hard, lifting her eyes from the carpet and meeting his longing stare. He wanted her. She could see the desire flare in the depths of his gaze, a match for the spiraling need building inside her.
He gestured for her to step into the apartment and she followed, her shoes squeaking on the obviously freshly waxed floor.
“Where to?” he asked before they could descend into awkward silence.
An implicit question, Brianne thought. He was asking her where would she like to make love. As she glanced around, liquid heat pooled low in her abdomen and her heart pounded. Her need for Jake was desperate and all-encompassing, but she wasn’t so sure how she felt about her surroundings.
She took in the white furnishings, the cold marble floors and the gleaming chrome and crystal accents around her. The penthouse, which had once seemed like a luxurious haven, suddenly felt cold and stifling—stark, in contrast to the warm man standing by her side. Where in this austere place could she be with Jake yet be herself, she had no idea. Unsure of what to say in answer to his question, she merely shrugged, hoping he had the answer she did not.
“Well, I’m using my sister’s room and I’d really prefer not to…well, you know what I mean.”
“Oh, I do.” She laughed, further explanation on his part unnecessary. “But my room doesn’t really feel like mine. It’s too…”
“Cold and uncomfortable?” he asked, reading her thoughts.
She was glad he didn’t find this apartment homey and relaxing, either. “Exactly.”
“I honestly don’t know what Rina was thinking. This place is so unlike her.” His brow furrowed in confusion, and Brianne found the gesture oddly endearing, so different from the manner of the focused cop who’d answered her questions and deflected her concerns.
“Me, neither. Rina has this bubbling warmth. I envy her that.” In Jake’s sister, Brianne had seen a freedom of thought and emotion she herself had never had, making her feel almost old in comparison. “But you said her husband liked glitz. Maybe she was making him happy by decorating like this. Maybe it was his presence here that made this place a home for them. And vice versa.” She shook her head and laughed uncomfortably. “Ignore me. I don’t know why I’m rambling like this.”