Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
She leaned back so she could peek at his face. “Then why are you laughing?”
“Because,” he admitted as he brought her to the nursery, which was connected to their room, “I didn’t mean it literally.”
Mairi paled. A moment later, she whispered, “I. AM. SUCH. AN. IDIOT.”
Damen stilled.
He had to.
He was laughing so hard he might be in danger of losing his hold on his wife if he took another step.
She began beating on his chest, which didn’t have much of an effect since her costume also involved padded claws. This, of course, made her husband laugh again.
“You should have made it clear,” she hissed. Mairi glared at him, but the laughter on her husband’s beautiful face was so irresistible she soon found herself laughing as well.
“Yes, I should,” Damen managed to say despite him having a hard time controlling his mirth. Kissing her nose, he murmured, “Now that you’ve done this, I think your version of how cougars dress is much better. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.” And he meant it.
“Hmph.”
Entering their daughter’s room, they both became quiet. Nala was fast asleep in her crib, her face even more cherubic now that her cheeks had filled up with baby fat.
“She’s so cute, isn’t she?” Mairi whispered.
“Yes.” He sounded so grim it almost made her smile.
“You make it sound bad,” she teased.
“It is. It means I’ll be beating a lot of boys who’d no doubt try to take her away from us.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to happen for so many more years, Damen.”
“I still hate the idea,” he grunted.
When the door opened behind them and Jane entered the room, Mairi waved weakly at the nanny in greeting. She found her current position embarrassing, but she knew better now than to think of wriggling away. It would only make Damen do something more embarrassing.
“We’ll be leaving now,” Damen told the nanny. “Good night.”
Jane was grinning widely. “Good night, Mr. and Mrs. L.”
When they were inside their bedroom, Damen slowly let his wife down. “Now,” he said with a wicked smile. “To undress my little cougar.”
“Shut up.” She covered her face, mortified anew. “I can’t believe I didn’t get you.” Lowering her hands, she told him, “I don’t even know how the other kind of cougar dresses like.”
“Trust me,” he said feelingly, “your version is unbelievably cuter. But...before I take this off you, can you do that thing for me?”
Her eyes widened. “No.” She knew exactly what he was talking about. She shook her head. “NO.”
He looked at her under his lashes.
Oh my.
Her Greek billionaire was giving her his own version of a puppy look.
Oh, oh, oh, my.
“Fine.” She closed her eyes. Looking at him, she said, “RAWR.” And this time, she had actual claws, albeit padded, to do it with. And then she saw the phone in his hand.
“Damen!” She tried swiping the phone out of his hold, but Damen had stretched his arm up, making it impossible for her to reach.
“And you know what the good thing about this is, sweetheart?” His lips slowly curved in a smirk. “My phone’s capable of using video screensavers.”
“Nooooo!”
Laughing, he quickly placed the phone on top of one of the room’s wall-mounted shelves, far above Mairi’s reach. And then he was carrying her to bed.
“I love you,” he murmured. “This was the most fantastic birthday I’ve ever had.”
She peeked at his face. “You mean it?” She had been nervous, wondering if he would be disappointed by how simple their celebration was. But he had been held up in the office the whole day because of a business emergency, and she had worried he would be too tired afterwards to attend an actual party, even if it was in his honor.
He nodded. “It is. And now, I really need to get you out of this suit.” Turning Mairi on her back, he unzipped the suit, taking the time to kiss every inch of skin he exposed, causing Mairi to shiver. After, he helped her out of it and when she was down to her underwear, it was her turn to undress him. Even though they had been married for over a year now, her fingers still ended up fumbling on the buttons, her desire and love for Damen making her nervous.
“You still haven’t changed,” he murmured.
Her shoulders slumped. “Yeah.”
“It wasn’t a complaint, sweetheart. Far from it.”
“Hmph.” But she ended up giggling when he suddenly leaned forward and bit her neck as if in punishment for doubting him.
“I think it’s time we do away with these, too.” A second later, he was ripping her lacy underwear away from her body.
Mairi gasped. “Those were new!”
“I’ll buy you new ones.”
“But...” She didn’t know whether to be amused or exasperated. “You could have just made me take them off!”
He raised a brow. “Where’d be the fun in that if I did?” And then he didn’t let her speak anymore, ending the rest of her protest with a deep and hungry kiss.