Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
It's cute. Somehow, she and Gemma have managed to turn the apartment into a home despite only having lived here for two months. I've been in my place for three years, and it looks less lived-in and domestic than this place does. There's art on the walls, rugs on the floors, and knickknacks on the shelves scattered around. I don't know how the fuck women do it, but I'm convinced it's a superpower at this point.
"Where's your room?"
"Second door on the right," she mumbles.
I carry her down the hall, moving quietly so I don't wake Gemma.
I pause inside her bedroom door, looking it over. It's peaceful and soothing, with warm colors and luxurious fabrics. Books take up one entire wall, with pictures of her and Gemma and her and Keegan scattered around. Some of his art hangs on the walls. There are a few plants here and there as well. Somehow, it's exactly what I expected.
I close the door behind us, carrying her toward the bed.
I settled in the center with her on my lap, facing me.
"This isn't a booty call, Elodie," I say quietly. "You needed me to prove that I'd come, so I'm here."
"I didn't…"
I place my fingers over her lips. "Yeah, you did. I heard it in your voice."
Her hazel eyes shift across my face. "You didn't have to come, Coby."
"I'm exactly where I want to be, princess." I smile at her, meaning it. "You don't owe me a goddamn thing for coming over here. Do I want to tip you over backward and taste every inch of you? Fuck yeah. Am I going to be mad if that doesn't happen? Fuck no."
"You're so confusing to me," she mumbles.
"Nah, you just aren't ready to see what's right in front of you." I run my hands up and down her thighs. "What's between us scares the hell out of you."
"No, it doesn't."
"Yeah, it does."
"Are you always this annoying?"
I grin at her. "You only think I'm annoying because you know I'm right. Being with me scares you."
"Maybe it doesn't scare me enough," she says. "Did you ever think of that?"
"You think you should be afraid, princess?"
"Maybe." She shrugs, shifting around on my lap. My brother is your best friend. You guys work together. If this ends badly, it's not just the two of us who get hurt, you know. He does, too."
"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not going to let it end badly," I murmur, tipping her chin up to capture her lips with mine. If my piercing bothers her, she doesn't show it. As soon as she feels the cool metal against her lips, she moans. "I'm not going to let it end at all. You're mine. I'm keeping you. End of discussion."
"What if I don't want to be kept?"
"Should have thought about that before you let me catch you," I growl against her lips, gripping her thighs to slide her forward on my lap. "I'll burn the fucking world down before I let you go now."
"You don't mean that," she whispers.
"Keep telling yourself that if it makes you sleep better at night, princess," I mumble, running one hand around her hip to her perfect ass. "Tell yourself whatever you need to tell yourself to keep yourself coming back for more, but we both know you know I mean every fucking word. I'm not slowing down. I'm not stopping. And I'm damn sure not letting you go."
"Coby," she whimpers. "Don't you dare break my heart."
"Break it? Never." I grip her round ass, pulling her as close as I can get her. She wraps her legs around my waist, putting her pussy right up against my cock. Christ, I can feel how hot she is even through our clothing. "I'm going to lay claim to every inch of it, Elodie."
"Coby," she whimpers again, clinging to my shoulders.
"I mean it, princess. I've been waiting for you my entire fucking life."
She looks at me, her eyes wide. "I almost believe you mean that."
"I do. You think I was kidding today when I said it was my first time too?"
"I…" She gulps. "I don't know."
"There wasn't anyone before you. There's only you."
"How is that possible?" She eyes me up and down. "You're freaking gorgeous, Coby."
"Uh, have you looked in the mirror lately, princess? You're a fucking knockout. But you're a virgin, too. Is it really so hard to believe I am?"
"That's different," she mumbles. "Men started saying lewd things to me the minute I grew boobs when I was fourteen. They treated me like I owed them something I couldn't hide them no matter how hard I tried. And I used to try so freaking hard! It was easy to avoid a relationship when the thought of giving that part of myself to anyone made me want to throw up."