Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“You’re not working today.”
Now, she was looking at him. And she wasn’t hiding her feelings anymore. Sure, she looked like she wanted to murder him. But it was something.
Better than her being cold and emotionless.
“You are not the boss of me, Ethan Stone.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. I am most certainly the boss of you. Which means that you do what I say. No work.”
“Um, no. You are in charge of my safety outside of the house. Beyond that, I do not have to do anything you say.”
“Last night, you said you wanted me, that you wanted to be mine. I told you that I don’t turn my need for control off at the bedroom door. I’m in charge all of the time. There are going to be rules for safety. But there will also be rules for health, and for our relationship.
“Communication and honesty are two of those rules. Break any of the rules, and there are consequences.”
Okay, bit by bit he was breaking through that shell that she’d erected.
“So you will do as you’re told.”
Her lower lip dropped out in a pout.
Oh, that was cute, but he couldn’t let her know that.
“Rhodes has let you get away with far too much.” He tapped her nose as she gasped.
“He has not!”
“Oh, he has. But I understand. You’re his precious sister. He can hardly threaten to spank you if you’re naughty. I don’t have the same qualms.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “But I don’t want to spank you right now. I want you to tell me why you’re trying to hide from me.”
“I am not hiding.”
“Baby, you’ve been hiding since I met you. And long before then. What are you so scared of?”
“Being ridiculed and rejected. Being hurt.”
“I’m not your aunt and uncle and cousin. I will not hurt you.” But had he already hurt her? “You know that I wasn’t rejecting you just now, right?”
“It’s all right. I understand why you didn’t want a blow job.”
“Do you? And why is that?”
“I’m not the most sexual woman. You’re probably worried that I’d be terrible at it. I likely would. Perhaps I should study up first. Take lessons.”
Anger flared inside him. Lessons? What the heck?
“If anyone gives you lessons, it will be me,” he said.
Her eyes widened. “But you don’t want me to give you a blow job.”
“Of course I want you to give me a blow job,” he growled.
“I wish you’d make up your mind. This back and forth is very difficult on me.”
He groaned and ran his hand over his face before turning her so she straddled his lap, facing him.
“Listen to me. I want you. I want you to touch me wherever you want. You want to learn how to give a blow job? The only person who will teach you is me. I just don’t want you to rush into doing something that you’re not ready for.”
She frowned slightly. “Why wouldn’t I be ready?”
“Because, baby, we’ve only known each other a few weeks. Yesterday was our first kiss. We haven’t been on a date.”
“So you’ve never had sex without knowing someone longer than three weeks, waiting more than a day after your first kiss and going on a date?”
Hell.
She had him there.
“And before you answer let me remind you that communication is one of our rules.”
This naughty imp.
She was running circles around him.
“Well, no,” he said. “I have had sex before I started dating someone. But that was when I was younger, and it was with a woman who didn’t mean as much to me as you do. And I realize that makes me sound like a real dick, but you are important to me.” He brushed some of her hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to push you too far too fast.”
“But you aren’t pushing me. I was the one who suggested the blow job.”
“That’s true. I don’t want you to feel like you have to, I guess. This is a lot for you. For someone who doesn’t like to be touched by other people.”
“I know my limits, Ethan,” she said. “I know them better than anyone. And I know what I am comfortable with. I think it’s obvious that I . . . that I like you touching me. It makes me feel safe. And it makes me feel hot. I’m thirty-five years old and I’ve only kissed one person. I’ve never had what is between us. But just because I don’t like being touched, doesn’t mean that I am defective.”
Fuck.
“Is that what you thought when I said we should wait? Baby, I would never call you defective. Understand me?”
“I . . . I’ve always wanted to have someone who I can rely on. Who will give me a hug when I am having a bad day. Who will make me scream with pleasure. Who will protect me. But I never thought it would happen. Until you. And now that I’ve met you . . . I just want to experience everything that I’ve been waiting to experience all these years. I don’t want to be that strange girl who was never picked for any of the sports teams. Who people only tolerated because they didn’t want to piss her brother off. I’ve never been on a date. I didn’t go to prom. I have done nothing.”