Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 145634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
I look back at the restaurant one last time, the bright red blood still visible from this far away.
I shouldn’t have done that.
I just can’t allow a man to treat a woman like that. But the way Emma’s pushing me away makes it more than obvious I shouldn’t have done that.
It’s quiet in the car. Too fucking quiet. The small cuts on my knuckles are irritating the shit out of me as I drive on the interstate, taking us closer to my house, and her sister's.
I don’t want to end the night like this. I want her to come home with me. I wanna make it up to her. I twist my hand on the wheel and swallow down my pride.
“I’m sorry,” I finally say, my voice rough and low. I’m staring straight ahead, but I can feel those beautiful hazel eyes on me. I chance a look at her and she doesn’t seem angry, or disappointed. Instead there’s a different look in her eyes, the same look she gave me that first day all those years ago. Like she’s trying to figure me out. Trying to decide who I am.
“He was a dick,” she finally says, ignoring my apology. My skin tingles with an uncomfortable heat as we get closer to the off ramp. My heart is clenching tight in my chest.
“Yeah. You okay?” I ask her.
“I’m fine,” she answers quickly. She finally sits back in her seat a bit, but she still looks tense.
“I mean it,” I say and look at her and wait for her eyes to meet mine. “I’m sorry.”
Her expression softens and she puts her small hand on my lap, leaning toward me slightly.
“It’s alright,” she says softly. But that look is still in her eyes.
“I want you, Sweetheart.” I look back toward the road, and realize I have to decide soon where I’m taking her. “Come home with me tonight.”
“I’m not like that.” She shakes her head a bit and pulls away from me. “I’m really sorry I gave you that impression.”
“Like what?”
“Just an easy lay,” she answers absently.
“Where the fuck did that come from?” I ask her with some of my anger coming through. Before she can answer, I continue. “I’ve wanted you since high school. I don’t fuck around. I don’t let people in. But you’re there. Somehow I never had a choice on whether or not I could let you in.”
“It’s just that I’m going back-” Emma starts to say, but I’m shutting that shit down. She can tell me she hates what I do, over and over again. I can live with that. But I won’t let her think that she’s just an easy lay for me. Joking around? Sure. But actually believing it? No. She better fucking not.
“This isn’t me thinking you’re a one-night stand. I want you.” I emphasize the last part and feel a prickling sensation along my skin as she stares back at me. I can see she’s deciding whether or not she believes me. I’ve never given her any reason not to, but it’s been so long. I still feel everything from back then as if it was yesterday. I can only hope she does, too.
“Just give me the night to convince you,” I plead with her. I know I fucked tonight up. I know she’s worried about the shit I do, and the man I am. But I just need her touch. “Don’t think about anything else. It’s just you and me right now.”
I turn the car onto the exit ramp, and now I have to go one of two ways. Left takes me home; right takes me to her sister’s.
“Just tonight?” I ask her, keeping my car in the left lane, but looking behind me in the rearview, ready to steer the car to the right if she tells me to.
Finally, she nods and answers, “Just tonight.” My body relaxes slightly, the adrenaline still coursing through me.
I have her for the night. If nothing else, I have her for tonight.
CHAPTER 9
Emma
My body feels so hot, and then so cold, alternating between the two and leaving me feeling helpless. I’ve never felt so anxious, so uncomfortable before. So worried. My fingers touch the dip in my throat as I glance at Derek and then back out of the window.
Derek’s calmed down some, but I haven’t. How can he be so at ease after what just happened?
The guy had it coming to him, but it was just so intense.
I look out of the window and watch all of the beautiful houses pass by as he drives us through his neighborhood. They put my sister’s house to shame.
I’m barely taking them in though. I’m too worked up and on edge, preoccupied with visions of him gripping that asshole by the collar and lifting him nearly off the ground.