Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Since then, he’d been hungry to prove his worth.
Clearly, he was coming back from doing some sort of work for the family, because his face was bruised, his lip split, and his nose was still caked with dried blood.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without blood or bruises on him,” Saff said, shaking her head as Coal made a beeline for Renzo who had his arm draped around his wife’s waist. “I’m gonna go eavesdrop,” she said, then walked off, saving me from having to try to convince her I wasn’t lying about anything when I kind of was.
I made a round, saying a quick hello to the other capos, just so no one would question where I’d been lately.
Then I made my way quietly out, hoping no one but the guard at the door noticed.
Normally, I was one of the last to leave, never the kind to walk away from a good time.
I tried to tell myself it was just to save myself from more evasions and lies.
The problem was, though, that I knew the truth.
Wanting to leave had nothing to do with the party.
And everything to do with the woman at home in my bed.
Or, as it turned out, stubbornly camped out on my couch.
I really should have anticipated that.
But she wasn’t going to get her way.
Walking over, I carefully placed the gun out of reach, fished the knife out from under her pillow, and picked up the mace from where it had fallen on the floor before finally peeling back her blanket and sliding my arms under her body.
I expected her to pitch a fit when she realized I was holding her. I didn’t anticipate the way she softened into me. Like she wanted to be there.
Exactly where I wanted her too.
It was too short of a walk to the bedroom, no matter how much I slowed my pace. And before long I was lowering her down onto the mattress.
But before I could turn and walk away, I found my wrist snagged in her hand.
I turned back, finding her watching me with something in her eyes that had my chest feeling tight.
“Stay.”
CHAPTER TEN
Cinna
Did I actually just say that out loud?
Sure, I’d been thinking that.
But I didn’t actually want him to stay.
Right?
The thing was, as I watched his head tip to the side, a question in his eyes, I knew I did.
I wanted him to stay.
I wanted a whole lot more than that.
And maybe, just this once, I could actually get what I truly wanted in life. Even if it only lasted one night. Because tomorrow, I was going to leave. Then try to pretend all of this didn’t happen.
So tonight? Tonight I was going to give in to what had been growing between us for literally years.
“Yeah?” he asked, his voice a soft caress.
“Yeah,” I agreed, releasing his wrist, leaving it in his hands.
He stepped back, and my heart sank for one short, agonizing second, before I saw him reach toward his wrists, removing his cufflinks, and leaving them on the nightstand.
Next was his watch.
His jacket.
Anticipation sizzled across my nerve endings as he tugged the hem of his shirt out of his slacks, then worked at his buttons.
I watched the sliver of skin grow wider as each button opened, as the motions spread the material wider.
Then, with one quick motion, the shirt was gone.
I was helpless but to let my gaze slide over him, watching the way his muscles twitched as he moved.
I followed the movement of his hands as he reached for his belt, working it free, then sliding it from the loops with a whooshing noise that had no right to be as sexy as it was.
His hands moved to his button and zip, pausing, until my gaze slid up to his face, finding him watching me with heavy-lidded eyes.
“See something you like, love?” he asked, his words making a shiver course through me.
I was pushing myself up then, struggling a bit with only one good hand, and ribs that were still aching, but I managed to get to a seated position, then slid my legs off the edge of the bed, leaving me sitting with my head at a suggestive position.
“Show me more,” I demanded, hearing a thickness in my own voice as the desire began to spread through me.
That rumble moved through him, and I watched as his hands pushed the button through, then slid down the zipper.
His slacks fell down, pooling at his legs, forgotten by both of us, as he stood there in nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs that were doing next to nothing to hide the proof of his desire.
My hand lifted, my fingertip teasing down the length of him, making his breath hiss out, and his abdominal muscles go taut.
“I can’t…” I said, lifting my braced hand.