First Read online Penelope Sky (Betrothed #5)

Categories Genre: Dark, Erotic, Romance Tags Authors: Series: Betrothed Series by Penelope Sky
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Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
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A beautiful woman in my t-shirt? Fuck no, I didn’t mind. “Help yourself.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, her long legs sexy underneath the t-shirt. She’d picked a white cotton shirt, a perfect contrast to her sun-kissed skin. With no panties underneath, she stopped at the dining table and looked at the meal. “Wow…that looks delicious.”

It was two steaks, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. “Not to be braggy, but Patricia is a good cook.” I uncorked the bottle of red wine and poured two glasses. I wasn’t a big fan of red wine, but Patricia probably included it in the meal since I was entertaining.

“I can tell just by smelling it.” She took a seat and moved the glass of wine toward her. After a sip, she nodded appreciatively. “Good wine. Barsetti vineyards?”

“You know your wine.”

She shrugged. “I drink a lot.”

I sat across from her, and we started to eat.

She took her time eating, choosing to pause several times so she could enjoy the wine Patricia had paired with it. She subtly licked her lips, just the way she did after she devoured my cock. Even something as basic as eating was sexy when she did it. “How long have you been here?”

“About ten years.”

“It’s nice. But it’s pretty big for just one person.”

I cut into my steak and took a bite, appreciating the fact that there was no judgment in her tone. “I like my space.”

“You have a nice perimeter too. Would be difficult to get in here.”

Being married to Liam clearly made her think about these things, about safety and protection. Maybe that was why she didn’t blink an eye when I told her I was a drug dealer. “Helps me sleep at night.”

She continued to eat again, running out of questions. She didn’t ask for personal details about my life, probably because she didn’t want me to pry in return. There seemed to be a thin wall around her body.

If we weren’t fucking, we didn’t have much to say to each other.

But it was kinda nice…to say nothing at all.

“Have family in Florence?” She dragged her steak through the creamy mashed potatoes, combining the two flavors before she placed the bite into her mouth.

“Yes. My father lives a few blocks away. My sister is also in town.”

“Oh, that’s nice. Are you close with your sister?”

I shrugged. “We don’t have gossip hour, but I would kill anyone that crossed her.”

She smiled slightly. “Protective brother…got it. How old is she?”

“A few years younger than me. What about you?”

She shook her head. “I’m alone. My parents passed away years ago, and I’m an only child.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She returned her gaze to her food. “It is what it is…”

We spent the rest of the meal in silence, and she used most of her time to look out the main window to the city beyond. She was a slow eater, so she didn’t eat much. By the time she was done, her plate was still half full.

I’d eat it tomorrow for lunch. “Has Liam stopped by for any more visits?”

She stilled at the question, her mouth slowly chewing her food until her throat swallowed it. “How did you know that was his name?”

I kept a stoic expression and told her the truth. “You said it last time I was there.” That was true; she’d said his name a couple times, so I was off the hook.

She believed me. “No. Haven’t heard from him.”

“That must be nice.”

“Yes…and no. I was pretty harsh with him, and I feel guilty about that.” She set down her fork and pushed her food away. “But since he wasn’t backing off, I had to hurt him to help him, you know? I don’t want him to waste his time when there’s no hope. It’s just torture for his heart.”

I could tell how much she still cared about him. Another woman wouldn’t be so sympathetic. After all, he’d cheated and she didn’t. “He doesn’t deserve you. Not then and not now.”

“In his defense, he was a good husband before all that happened. He was always good to me. Kind, affectionate, thoughtful… I don’t think his entire reputation should be shattered by one mistake.”

She really was kind.

“But it’s too hard for me to forgive him. It’s more than just the cheating…how it happened.”

I didn’t ask for details, but I had to admit I was curious. I drank my wine then leaned back in my chair.

She answered on her own, opened up to me for the first time. “We were trying to start a family…and I got pregnant. But…I lost the baby.” She looked out the window, reliving the painful moment. “It was hard for both of us, and he didn’t handle it the right way. He got drunk at a bar…and met someone.”

I tried to control my anger, but that was pretty damn hard. “Fucking asshole.”


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