Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 130414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
I’d tame her, all right.
After all—I’d already caged her.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Romeo
Four hours later, the lull of sanity came to an abrupt end. Shortbread was awake and quite sober, judging by the time it took her to tumble to the carpet in a panic, kicking my shins as she realized she’d slept on top of me.
“Get off me,” she roared from her place on the floor.
I flipped another page of my newspaper. I’d been reading the same article for approximately three months. It was hard to concentrate with her pressed against my cock. I normally prided myself on being immune to women’s charms. Then again, it had been a while since I spent so much time next to a gorgeous one.
“I was never on top of you.” And never would be, for that matter.
Shortbread frowned, crossed her ankles, then slapped her forehead. The memories of the last twelve hours must’ve rushed through her system. I hoped she remembered everything. That we were now legally married. That she’d drunk enough to fill a bathtub. That she’d vomited on everything but the plane’s wings, propositioned me with the finesse of a telemarketer, then passed out on top of me.
“I think I’m going to throw up again just from the memory of rubbing myself against you.” She covered her mouth, visibly shivering. “I hope I didn’t catch an STD from my proximity to you.”
“Say all your prayers tonight, and I might just spare you my genital warts.” I yawned, though internally, I itched to yell at her that, if she was so worried about sexually transmitted diseases, she should be thankful she didn’t end up with Madison A Pack of Condoms A Night Licht. The man had enough notches on his belt to make a pasta sieve.
She eyed me with disbelief. “Be serious. Have you checked lately?”
“No. But I haven’t been sexually active recently, either.”
She paused, frowning at me. “You haven’t?” I shook my head, unsure why I’d chosen to explain myself to this utter hot mess of a human. “Not even Morgan?”
Especially not Morgan. I wouldn’t touch Morgan if the world ran out of women and the two of us had to repopulate it. Civilization had a good run, and frankly, it blew it.
“No one.”
The wheels began churning in that pretty head of hers, but I didn’t care enough to wonder what she was thinking. Whatever it was, suffice to say I’d be in complete disagreement with it.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually considering being faithful.” She pulled a face like it was a bad thing. Was her type cheating scumbags? That would explain why she still pined for Licht.
“A hole is a hole. Might as well be yours.”
Tipping her head back, she laughed joylessly. “No wonder your parents named you after the epitome of romantic heroes. They must’ve known what a dreamboat you’d be.”
“My parents named me Romeo after my father, who was named after his father.” The buck stopped with me, though. No more Romeo Costas. The world could thank me later.
She bit her lip, still on the floor. “I have been wondering about … sex things.”
I rested the newspaper on my lap, sending her a leveled look. “Is that an invitation?”
“Will you … RSVP?” She bit down a grin. Another laugh fizzed in my throat. When she wasn’t a waste of space, she was surprisingly bearable.
I arched a brow. “Is the host still under the influence?”
Her cheeks colored pink. “No.”
“Will you try to kill me?” I asked slowly, like a parent chiding a child.
“Not in this instance.”
A beat of silence passed between us. I was highly aware of the stewardess busying herself in the kitchen, pretending like she wasn’t eavesdropping on our bizarre conversation. I was no voyeur, but I wasn’t anxious about the middle-aged woman watching, either.
Tossing the newspaper aside, I patted my knee. “Come sit on my lap.”
“Manners,” she said, in the same tone I’d used for her toothbrush demand.
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Dallas to learn about the pleasures of sex through Tumblr and a dildo. Then Zach’s words drifted into my memory. Try to make an effort. There was no reason to butt horns with this delectable, strong-headed, simple creature before me. Our short time spent together would be more pleasant if I humored her every once in a while.
“Please.” The word tasted foreign. I pulled both corners of my lips up, trying my hand at a smile.
“Ugh, stop making that face. It looks like you’re planning to eat me.” I was planning to eat her, though not in the way her innocent head thought. She peeked around, disoriented, completely missing the fact that there was a stewardess behind her. “Oh, whatever. Life’s too short, and if anyone ever asks, I’ll deny ever getting close to you.” She stood and made her way to me. Shortbread draped herself across my lap, blinking up at me expectantly. “What now?”