Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Chloe ponders for a moment, her brow furrowing. “Bane has lots of enemies, so he could be set up. What is the evidence saying?”
I shrug. “I just got done with the arraignment, so now I'm waiting for the evidence from the DA’s office.”
“I’m sure they’ll take forever to get it to you too,” she says with disdain in her voice.
Chloe works closely with the DA on numerous cases, so she knows how they operate. She knows how they intentionally delay everything they can to help their case.
“So…” Chloe shifts in her seat. “How are things going with Roman? He’s staying at your place, right?”
A blush creeps up my neck at the mention of his name.
Chloe’s eyes widen. “Oh my god. You’re blushing. What happened? Did you two have sex?”
“No,” I whisper-shout. “Well sort of.”
“How do you sort of have sex?” Chloe leans closer, ready for me to spill the tea.
I cast a quick glance over my shoulder, ensuring no prying ears linger nearby, before I confide in Chloe. And when I say I tell her everything, I mean every last detail.
Her face is a mix of awe and curiosity once I’m done telling my story. “Wow,” she says. “I kind of always knew this would happen eventually.”
“Shh.” I glance around once more. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s a huge deal.” She places a hand over her heart. “It’s like a fairytale.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, right. Beauty and the Orgasms.”
Chloe giggles. “Sleeping with Beauty.”
“Cinder-give-me-all-the-orgasms,” I say with a laugh. “Okay, that one doesn’t have quite the ring to it.”
Chloe's laughter lights up her face, and then it turns serious. “Are you going to keep having sex with him?”
“I want to, but I don’t want to ruin the friendship.”
“What does he want?”
My head shakes with uncertainty. “I don’t even know. And with everything going on, with his anxiety, I don’t want to put added pressure on him.”
Chloe nods in understanding. “I see what you’re saying. Has he had any more attacks?”
“Just a few.”
“Just take it one day at a time. I guess that’s all you really can do.” She jolts in her seat with surprise. "Oh, the baby just kicked," she exclaims, excitement lacing her words as she seizes my hand and guides it to her belly. "Can you feel it?"
I smile, my heart swelling with warmth as I sense the gentle kick beneath my palm. It's a moment so tender it nearly brings tears to my eyes. "I already love this baby," I confess softly, overwhelmed by the rush of emotion. "Him or her, it doesn't matter."
Chloe’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she beams at me. “Me too. It’s crazy how you can love somebody you’ve never met so much.” She rubs a hand over her belly. “I never thought I could ever be this happy.”
I sigh. “I know what you mean.”
“You deserve to be this happy too. With Roman. I can see the way he cares about you.”
“I know he cares for me. But it’s so much more complicated than that.”
Chloe shrugs. “It doesn’t have to be.”
I yearn for a simple life. One where I can tell Roman exactly what I’m longing for. How can I do that when he’s going through so much? With the state of his mental health, I don’t want to put any added stress on him.
After I say goodbye to Chloe, I head home and Roman’s standing in my living room, waiting for me.
“How was your appointment?” I ask him, wondering how things went with the psychiatrist.
“I don’t want to talk about any of that right now.” He inches closer. “Come here,” he murmurs in a husky tone.
I do as he says, and cross the living room floor until I’m standing face-to-face with him. “Roman, I…” I want to tell him that I know he’s going through something terrible, and I want to be there for him. Instead, he gently places a finger over my lips.
“No talking. Tonight, I just want to feel you.”
My core tightens at his words. His hand skates around the nape of my neck, sending chills skating down my spine, and he tugs me closer.
“Kiss me, Greer. Kiss me like you mean it.” And then his lips crash against mine, and the kiss is urgent, needy. Desperate. And I do kiss him like I mean it. I kiss him like a woman who loves a man. Deeply.
He keeps kissing me, deepening the kiss, fueling my passion, letting his tongue entangle with mine as he moves us over to the couch. He lays over me, stirring my soul, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
“I don’t want to let you go,” I say to him, squeezing my legs tighter around him, trying to keep him close.
“Then don’t,” he whispers back, his voice dripping with pure grit. He captures my mouth with his and before I know it we’re removing our clothes as quickly as possible.