Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
I remind myself that sleeping together doesn’t mean sex, but that’s immediately where my mind goes. She’s so young, and since we haven’t spoken much, I don’t know what she’s thinking, and I shouldn’t guess.
When the time is right, I’ll know. Instead of listening to my primal urge for her, I’ll leave it all up to her to decide.
I shouldn’t be thinking about this now anyway. It’s late, and I’m tired from traveling. She probably didn’t mean sex when she said I should stay. I have to remember that.
I turn on the shower and start getting ready for bed. As I step under the stream of warm water, I force myself to stop thinking about her. If this continues, I’ll need to make the shower a cold one.
Emilee
Ispent the last few weeks torn.
Why didn’t Dylan come to rescue me at the wedding? Why haven’t I heard from him? Why can’t I stop thinking about Alex? Why does my pulse race every time I see him?
I had been calling and texting Dylan regularly since my father arranged this marriage, but Dylan never responded. Even on the day of the wedding, I heard nothing. He never said he’d rescue me. I couldn’t see why he wouldn’t, though.
He said he loved me.
Didn’t he?
Wait.
Did he?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized he hadn’t. I tried to remember him saying anything loving to me, but I couldn’t.
This is my father’s fault. If he hadn’t arranged for me to meet Alex, if I hadn’t felt that rush when our eyes met, I would still be happy with Dylan.
But was I happy with Dylan? Or was I staying with him because it annoyed my father so much? I was starting to question what I had been so sure about before.
In the meantime, I spend my days avoiding the man I’m dying to get to know better. The man who cuts such a sexy figure in his suit that I wonder why I never liked men in suits before.
I can’t love him, though. I can’t even like him. He’s just a pawn my father is using to keep Dylan and me apart.
I’m desperate. I need to see Dylan. I need him to say the words I know he feels. Or I need to finally get some closure and accept the truth about him. Luckily, I know exactly where to find him.
As the limo approaches Spumoni Gardens, I spot Dylan sitting at a table with Clive and another of Dad’s security detail.
“Right here, Reggie,” I say as I point to the restaurant. “Stay here. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’m just meeting an old friend.”
“Yes, Miss,” he says.
His eyes flick up to the rearview mirror, then back at me.
This is it. This is where I learn the truth.
I take a deep breath before opening the car door and walking over to Dylan. I’m so focused on him that I don’t see anything else going on.
“Hi, guys. Can you give us a minute, please?” I ask.
The two other men look at each other and then get up without a word. They sit at a nearby table, leaving Dylan alone with me.
“Where have you been?” I ask.
“Where have I been,” he scoffs. “Like that’s any of your business.”
“What’s going on, Dylan? Did I do something wrong?”
“Has your dad given me a raise or a promotion yet? If the answer is no, then yes, you did something wrong.”
“Is that all you care about? I ask, motioning with my hands as I extend the word ‘all’.
“Why are you here?” he asks.
“Because I want to know how you feel about me. I just need to hear you say it.”
My heart is racing from adrenaline. Why is he acting this way? Has he always been like this? Maybe I was too blind to notice.
“Say it? Say what? This is ridiculous. It’s not like I’m getting anything out of you being here.”
“All you have to do is tell my dad how you feel about me,” I say.
“And why would I do that?” Dylan asks.
“If you do that, then I can get an annulment, and we can be together. He just wants to hear that you love me.”
“But I don’t.”
The wind is knocked out of me, but somehow I keep talking because nothing is making sense. I’m surprised, but not at the same time. I’m hurt, but either. I should be devastated, but all I can think of is how my father was right all along, and that angers me.
“But you have to! You do love me. We made love, you called me your baby, and you said you wanted to be with me.”
Dylan laughs. “Yeah, baby. Because that’s what guys do to get some pussy. Plus, I thought you would put in the good word with your dad and get me some extra cheddar cheese.” He motions with his hands as if he’s passing out money. “Now, that would’ve been worth putting up with you.”