Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“They keep homes.”
“You have a cleaner for that.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you ever thought about how badly we mesh?”
“Mesh?”
“We’re not suited. You’re used to your life, and I’m used to mine. I like going to college. Being free to do my own thing. If I want to spend the day in my mom’s sewing room, I can do it. I can be around Stuart and the orphanage. I don’t have to ask permission.”
He watched as she twisted the ring on her finger.
“I’ve seen the women you’ve been with. Your mistresses, the women you’ve slept with. I don’t look like them. I’m not … blonde, or beautiful, or slender. I’m not refined. We don’t mesh.”
Roman took a step toward her, then another.
Alex stepped back, then did so again, and again, until her back hit the wall, and she had nowhere to go.
Roman pressed his palms on either side of her head, keeping her in place and also making it so his body was close to hers. There was no escape, not unless she wanted to press her body flush against his.
She was trapped.
“What are you doing?”
“You keep talking about how we don’t fit, but have we ever given it a try? I know I haven’t given this a shot, but I’ve got to say, Alex, your lips are looking real fucking good right now.”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do.”
“You don’t want to cause a war or be responsible for death, and I don’t want that either. It has taken us a lifetime to be strong. We need Liam, and it embarrasses me to admit that. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep us free. To make our streets safe.”
He closed the distance, and Alex’s head was pressed against the wall. She seemed to try to escape through it.
“So how about we have a little … experiment?”
“Experiment?” she asked, frowning.
“Yes, how about we see how much we don’t mesh?”
“How?”
“Simple. We start with a kiss. Just some kissing, nothing too … heavy. My hands will stay on the walls. Just our lips will touch.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“I’ve never given you a reason to doubt me before.”
“And what does this experiment prove?” she asked.
At least she wasn’t hitting him and telling him to get the fuck out. “We’ll see how far our … meshing abilities go. If we enjoy the kiss, then we will give it time, and we will keep enjoying kissing. If it doesn’t, then we will come to some arrangement that means this marriage can survive.”
“I think this is ridiculous. We can just come to some arrangement where it can work. I agree with the latter.”
“And you want a marriage that is completely cold and dead?” he asked. He didn’t have a clue what Alex wanted, and this was a shot in the dark. There was a chance this could all backfire on him, but he was willing to take that chance. Mainly because he had orders, but also, a small slither of him wanted to taste those luscious lips.
He’d never noticed how plump and inviting they were, and if he had, then he hadn’t given it a thought of actually enjoying her.
“No, I don’t.”
“I’m not offering you love, Alex. I don’t think I’m capable of giving it. I don’t even know what it is.”
“I don’t want love, but I also don’t want … I don’t want to hate being near you. If being with you means we have to come to some sort of compromise, then yes, I will … do it. I’ll at least try it.” She smiled at him.
He didn’t know why being close to her made his dick ache. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said.
“Okay.”
There wasn’t much space between them, and he noticed how nervous Alex looked. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“So you’re not judging me too early.”
She smiled, but he waited until her eyes slid closed, and then he slammed his lips down on hers.
It was hard keeping his hands to himself, but he clenched them into fists where they rested on the wall.
One kiss, and he felt so fucking free.
Alex let out a little whimper, and her hands went to his chest. They didn’t move, just stayed perfectly poised on his body.
Tracing the curve of her lips, he heard her gasp and felt her open to him. He plundered her mouth with his tongue, deepening the kiss. She hadn’t bitten him or pulled away, and he figured this was a success.
He’d never given much thought to kissing, but Alex’s lips were fucking stunning, and he found himself intoxicated with her lips.
Chapter Seven
Alex glanced across the dining room table. Last night, she kissed her husband, and this morning, he hadn’t been anywhere to be found. She hadn’t gone looking for him, and Millie had told her that Roman, Lucas, and Liam headed out early, so she spent the day sewing.