Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 72799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I stare up at the hotel we’re walking into. It stretches far up into the sky until the ceiling of the hotel lobby cuts the sight off. Nic doesn’t stop when we get inside, instead marching us straight to the bank of elevators on the far side of the lobby.
Inside, the soft lighting illuminates a beautiful space. If I had more time to sit and stare, I’d love to explore the art and the people. “This place is lovely. How did you find it?”
He nuzzles my ear and hits the elevator button. “It’s my hotel. Well, I own a portion of it.”
I rear away from him so I can see if he’s serious. “You own a hotel?”
“Part of a hotel,” he reminds me, carrying me into the elevator.
I shake my head. Who is this man? And where is the line in his life between the mainstream and the criminal? The thought that this lovely hotel might be a front for some kind of nefarious purpose makes me sad. Everything in my life turns out to be a facade.
“What’s wrong, you were smiling, and then you weren’t?” he says.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
The elevator dings loudly, and the doors slide open. He walks us inside, straight to a single door opposite the shiny chrome elevators. He balances me expertly as he scans the keycard and pushes the door open with his knee. Then he carries me into the hotel room and lets the door shut behind us.
The suite is even more beautiful than the lobby. The immediate room is a living room, complete with a bar and a big-screen TV. Off to the side is an enormous bathroom, a bedroom next to that, and opposite the door, one long bank of windows baring the city below in an incredible view.
“Wow,” I breathe. “Look at that view.”
I squirm in his arms to get him to put me down so I can explore. He carefully sets me on my feet before kneeling and carefully removing my shoes.
“Go, look. I’ll order some food. I want you sated in every way tonight.”
I can’t help but think that declaration sounds naughty, and I like the possibilities. When he steps into the bedroom to call room service, I cross to the window. It’s such a beautiful view. I can’t wait to see it at full dark later. The sun has already sunk below the horizon, but there are still bright streaks of light in the sky right now.
The dress feels itchy across my shoulders. It’s so beautiful, but the lace can chafe so easily.
Nic comes up behind me and boxes me in, his hands against the glass. “The food will be here soon. Do you want me to help you out of this dress?”
I nod. He goes to work on the zipper, and soon I’m standing in a pool of couture. My lingerie doesn’t cover much, and of course, it’s also white lace. A ridiculously impractical color, but I enjoy the way Nic is dragging his gaze up my body like he’s never seen anything so beautiful.
“You’re stunning,” he whispers.
I slide my hands under the lapels of his tuxedo jacket and wrench it off his shoulders. His bow tie joins it. As he smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkle, and I can’t help but smile back at him.
“Anything else you want me to help you slip out of?” he teases.
I shake my head. “Not until after we eat.” My belly lets out a low rumble to punctuate my statement. We spend a few minutes just looking at each other, and for the first time, while I admire the hard lines of his body, I don’t feel guilty.
Every other time he’s touched me, and I enjoyed it, or when he kisses me, and I want more, it’s always tempered with guilt and shame for wanting him, despite our too short and too rocky history.
But right now, I’m going to enjoy the way my husband is looking at me, and I’m going to enjoy touching him in return.
The doorbell rings, and he nudges me toward the couch while he goes to answer the door and collect the food.
When he returns, he carries a tray and sits it on the couch between us. They loaded the plates with various foods: steak, chicken, carbs of all shapes and sizes. A huge piece of cheesecake sits in the corner, and I eye it.
“Eat it if you want it.”
I smile and grab the cake off the tray. He hands me a fork, which I use to devour half of it in a few big bites.
He’s working on the steak when I dig into the chicken. It should feel ridiculous to sit here eating all this food in my underwear. And yet, I can’t bring myself to care.
“Was it everything you wanted?” I ask him between bites. He’d made the wedding how he thought I wanted it, but was it what he wanted too?