Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
“I left the seat a bit moist this afternoon. I’ll be driving this until it dries out.”
I try to hold it but I can’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry, I know it isn’t funny.”
“That’s alright, sweetheart. I like to hear you laugh.”
He opens the door for me, and I nearly sit on the bouquet of roses he left on the seat.
“Are those for me?”
“They are. Do you like them?”
“I love them. Thank you. I’ve never gotten flowers before.”
“Sure you have. I’ve seen them hand you bouquets many times after you’ve won a meet.”
“That’s different. Those are ceremonial. They aren’t flowers from a…well…from a man.”
“Happy to be the first, then.” He closes my door, and I sniff the roses until they tickle my nose.
He gets into the driver’s seat but turns to face me. “I have something else for you, too.” He reaches into the backseat and pulls out a small gift bag.
“What is this for?”
“I know that scene today was hard on you. It wasn’t right to make you worry. You should be focused on your training and nothing else. This is my apology gift to you.”
“But you didn’t need to do that. I know you were just defending me, and I’m glad you did. Nobody has ever looked out for me like that before.”
“Not even your father?”
“Especially not him. I don’t know if you noticed, but my father is oblivious to everything that doesn’t make him money.”
“Still, I bought it for you because I wanted to do something nice for you. Open it.”
I feel like a little kid at Christmas as I pull the little, black box from the bag. It’s jewelry. It has to be. I open the box and gasp when I see the diamond pendant inside. “MLG,” it reads. “It’s my initials. It’s beautiful.”
“May I put it on you?”
“Oh. Yes, of course,” I answer and remove the tiny gold cross I have on. It’s from my confirmation and, until now, was the nicest necklace I owned.
I lift my hair, and Malcolm clasps the gold chain around my neck. Once it’s secure, he runs his fingers across the pendant. The feeling of his hand on my chest makes my breath hitch. He looks up at me, and without thinking, I kiss him. I try to pull away, but he takes the back of my head in his big hand and holds me in place. I feel his tongue on my lips and part them to allow him inside.
He explores my mouth in slow, gentle lapping motions, and I clutch his broad shoulders. After, he looks down at me and smiles. There’s a light in his eyes that wasn’t there before. He looks peaceful for the first time since we’ve met.
“Thank you,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.
He embraces me tightly, and I don’t want him to let go.
“We’d better get moving or we’ll miss our reservation,” he tells me so I let go of his neck.
The ride to the restaurant takes less than ten minutes. As the sun sets, the temperature drops several degrees and the wind begins to blow swirling wisps of leftover snow from the sidewalk.
Malcolm takes me under his arm to shield me from the wind and walks briskly to the restaurant entrance. It’s a very high-end place designed to look like a ranch house with rock walls and beamed ceilings. The tall fireplace at the back of the dining room is roaring and crackling to add to the ambiance. We’re escorted to an intimate table for two facing the fire.
“This is a nice place. How did you find it?”
“I cheated. I asked the concierge at my hotel for a recommendation. He said it’s very romantic and the food is delicious.”
“Romantic?”
He leans in and takes both of my hands in his. “I don’t want to play games. By now you must know that my interest in you isn’t just business. We have chemistry, a connection. I know you feel it. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have let me kiss you like that.”
“I do feel it. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”
“That’s good, little girl, because I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
I look down at my lap and wiggle in my chair.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something?”
I look back up at him, feeling just like the little girl that he keeps calling me. “I don’t know why you feel that way about me. I have practically no life experience and absolutely no experience with men. I just don’t want you to get close to me and be disappointed with me.”
He leaps out of his seat and comes around to my side of the table. Dropping to his knees, he takes my hands in my lap. “Look at me. Right here, in my eyes.”
My face is hot. I scan the room to see if anyone is watching us and then lock eyes with him.