Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“Yes. You can’t tell anyone though. She hasn’t even told her parents.”
“She better. Isn’t being made into a movie?”
“Yes. Pre-production is already under way. Filming starts in May.” My eyes widen, realization dawning on me.
“Are you going to be the Duchess of Stoke-on-Trent?”
“I am. It hasn’t been announced yet. That’s in April.”
“Who’s the duke?” I ask before I can stop myself. I vividly remember the scene in the apple orchard on the ducal estate. There’s no way that’s not going to be in the movie.
“He hasn’t been cast yet. I did chemistry readings, but nothing was good enough.”
“Hmm…”
“Why?”
“No reason. Tell me what your reading,” I say, changing the subject. No one else is going to be that fucking duke but me. My first phone call tomorrow is to my agent. I wouldn’t be the first athlete to step in front of the camera. In fact, I was asked to be in movie last year but turned it down. Patience doesn’t have to worry about chemistry with another person because it’s all right here.
“Oh, I’m reading It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover and listening to Fifty Shades of Grey.”
“Nice,” I say having read both of those.
The clock chimes and for the first time since we’ve been here, I hear it. I look over at it and realize it’s four o’clock in the morning. The quartet has long since stopped playing but music is still playing softly.
“Holy shit,” I say.
“Have we been making love for eight hours?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip.
“We have.”
“I’ve never lost track of this much time before,” she says as her stomach growls.
“Come home with me. Let me feed you.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
We get out of bed. I dress quickly so that I can help her put her gown to rights. I cinch her into it and take her hand. Out in the main room, there are still a few people milling around, but it’s safe to say that the Crisis is over. We walk over to the curtains, and they part. I return the key to the Green Salon and step into the room to the left to get my phone. She does the same. As we are getting ready to leave, Holly and Jimmy come into the room. Jimmy’s waistcoat is open and his coat is slung over his shoulder. Holly’s dress looks wrinkled, but no worse for the wear. Her hair however is another story. Telltale bed head, much like Patience. She tried to fix it, but instead put it in a loose ponytail. They take one look at each other and then point and laugh.
“You look well and truly fucked, Patty Cakes,” Holly says, pulling her friend into a hug.
“Shut it, but the same could be said for you, Holls,” Patience says. Jimmy and I just look at each other.
“How about some breakfast ladies? Theirs a dinner open not far from here. We can walk,” I say.
“Stretching sounds like a good idea, mate,” Jimmy says, grinning. What a bastard.
“I’m starving,” Holly says at the same time Patience says, “Food. Yes.”
“That settles that then. Shall we?”
After breakfast, Patience and I take a cab back to my apartment. It’s not really a home. The team provided it. I’ve lived here for almost five years, and I haven’t done anything with it. All I brought with me when I moved here was my clothes and my rugby gear. I’ve added a laptop, a kindle, and books since I’ve been here, but that’s about it.
“How about a shower? I don’t have a tub, I’m afraid.”
“A shower sounds perfect,” she says, presenting me with her back. She moves her hair out of the way and coyly looks over her shoulder at me. “Would you help me, please?” she asks. We are still standing in the middle of the living room.
“Of course, duchess.” After unlacing her, I place a kiss on her shoulder as she lets the dress drop. Her ass and hips come into view. Both are already bruised. Oops. I didn’t mean to hurt her, but seeing them there and knowing they are not from hurting her, but loving her makes me hard as hell.
“Are you joining me?” she asks as she takes off down the hall. My bedroom and bathroom is the only thing down the hall, so she has no trouble finding it, but I’m stripping as I move toward her. Like a moth to the flame.
I’d follow her anywhere.
To the shower.
Straight to hell.
It doesn’t matter, where she goes, I’ll follow.
eight
PATIENCE
I open my eyes when the sunlight hits them. Waking up in a strange bed isn’t new to me, however what is strange is the man wrapped me. The heater wrapped around me. It’s so toasty. I think this is the first time I’ve slept in since I was in secondary school.
“Go back to sleep, love,” he grumbles against my shoulder.