Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I was gasping when he withdrew then pushed off the bed. “Wait right there.”
What the hell was he doing to me?
He strode for the bathroom, so freaking tall and wearing nothing but his underwear, his shoulders wide and his back rippling with taut, packed muscle. His ass was round and perfect, and I was sure this man was set on complete annihilation.
He glanced back at me from the doorway. “And don’t even think about taking off, Aster. There’s no use in hiding from me. I’ll just come and find you.”
“But what if I get you into trouble?” Old murmurings rocked loose, a tease and our heart’s greatest secret.
Pure devotion was embedded in his smirk. “Do I look like the kind of guy who cares?”
TWENTY-SIX
LOGAN
Tuesday morning, I was in my closet getting ready so I could head into the office. I could hear Aster on the other side of the wall, moving around in the kitchen.
It brought a wistful smile to my mouth because I had to wonder if maybe I just felt her.
The energy that rippled through the air.
A soft, lulling whisper that tremored along the floors and climbed into my spirit.
I got the sense that I’d sank into who she was and had become a part of her being.
But it’d always been that way with us.
Held by an attraction that pulled and pressed and compelled.
A gravity that neither of us could resist.
Three days had passed since I’d dragged her into my room, and I hadn’t let her go since.
During that time, I’d reminded her again and again that she was precious. A fucking treasure, but she still hadn’t quite accepted what that meant.
Each night, I held her in her sleep. Held her through her fitful dreams that incited a fury inside me that I could barely keep restrained.
A fury that one day I would unleash on the monster who had the girl a prisoner to the type of nightmares I still didn’t understand.
Where she’d sweat and whimper and beg to be set free.
I’d whisper in her ear that it was going to be alright. That I’d die before I let anyone get to her.
I knew that was part of her dread, too.
She believed her being here put me in danger.
It did.
I wasn’t a fool.
It was a calculated risk.
And she was worth any cost.
I strode back through the bathroom and grabbed my suit jacket from where I had it draped on the back of a chair, and I headed out the door.
I slammed right into her presence.
Aster was barefoot by the island, slathering butter over a piece of toast. Her hair wild and pulled into a reckless knot on her head. A black sweatshirt draped off one delicious shoulder, and she wore these tight leggings that made her ass look juicy and ripe.
A growl got free.
I wanted to devour her.
Take her.
Hold her.
Keep her.
She felt me staring, the way she took a cautious peek my way and the sweet, bashful smile tweaked at the edge of her gorgeous mouth.
“Holy shit. I must have died and went to heaven because there’s an angel in my kitchen.”
I gave her the cheesiest line I could find because I wanted to see the blush rise to the surface of her skin. I ate up the way she fought the amusement as she stood there shifting on her cute little feet trying to act like I didn’t affect her.
“You think you’re some kind of charmer, huh?” Her teeth raked her bottom lip like she could hold in the giggle.
Fucking loved that sound.
Aster happy.
“The most charming there is. Have you even met me? I mean, I’m so charming, that’s Prince to you.” I let go of the same sort of tease I would have in a group of my favorite people. When I was playing outrageous because outrageous and carefree was the only way to keep myself from taking a swift trip to Los Angeles so I could go on a murder spree.
It was the one city Trent had made me swear an oath never to return to. An oath I’d broken because I’d promised this girl I would always find my way back to her.
I beat down any kind of bitterness that tried to sprout when I thought back to the devastation that return visit had spawned.
The hatred I’d held for years. The hurt. This agony that I’d thought would go on for the rest of my days.
I wondered when looking at her had stopped hurting quite so bad.
When a piece of me understood she’d had little choice, even when the woman was still keeping me protected from the details. But she was going to have to figure out I wanted to hold them all, no matter how ugly they might be.
Trust me, the way I needed to trust her.
Fully.
Wholly.
Without reservation or question.
Fuck, I wanted it. To look at her and never again think of what she’d done.