Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 90075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
My abraded skin stung just from the softest stroking, let alone rough scrubbing.
Nerves danced down my spine as he massaged my muscles and followed the lash marks all the way down to my ass. His fingers dipped into my crack, unapologetically claiming me with soft pets after fucking me until I screamed.
I swayed into the wall, grabbing hold of the soap rack.
My pulse sped up; my poor, abused clit pulsed for attention.
Almost as if he sensed my gathering need, his hands trailed from my back to my belly and down, down, down.
I groaned as he ran his fingers over my pussy. “Nick...what...?”
“Let me wash you,” he breathed. “Nothing more.”
I did my best not to let my heart run away with me, hoping so damn much that this meant he’d changed his mind and tonight wouldn’t be the end. But that hope slowly perished as his hand dropped lower, spreading my folds and rubbing coconut suds into my sex.
His touch was methodical and almost clinical, dipping inside me a little as if scooping out whatever remnants of semen remained. Only once he’d cleaned me thoroughly, did he bend his knees, turn me around, and nudge my legs apart.
His eyes locked on my core as his hands ran along the insides of my thighs.
Shadows darkened his face as he washed away the stickiness, the silver streams of dried pleasure.
I flinched as he washed right down to my feet before standing to his full height and trading body wash for shampoo. I lost track of time as his fingers slinked into my wet hair and the scrape of his nails on my scalp threatened to buckle my knees.
“Hold onto the wall,” he breathed as he massaged my wild chestnut curls.
I obeyed with trembling hands, swept away by his every touch.
By the time he rinsed me, applied conditioner, then ran his powerful hands over my every inch to ensure he’d washed away all our sin, I was dripping wet and desperate for him.
Blinking back haze, I drank in his bareness.
His cock hung heavy with another erection.
Whatever rules he wanted to keep between us had no sway over his body.
Reaching for him, I whispered, “The night isn’t over. We could be together...one last time.”
His fingers snapped around my wrist, just as mine latched around his hardness. “Ella...don’t.”
“You want me.”
He looked away, his dick jumping in my hand. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to take you.” His eyes shot to the bathroom window, where the sun slowly lightened the navy night. “Besides, dawn is here. The night is over.” Yanking my hand off him, he shut off the water, then stumbled out of the shower. With jerky motions, he wrapped his towel around his waist, trapping his erection against his belly.
Without looking back at me, he tossed my towel in my direction, then stalked from the bathroom.
All the heat from the shower. All the aching from his hands. All the softness from his caring...every single emotion solidified into the coldest, harshest ice.
My heart fissured.
My soul fractured.
I refused to look at myself in the mirror as tears fell.
I didn’t bother brushing my hair or putting on my usual nighttime skincare. All I wanted to do was go to bed and forget tonight had ever happened.
How could he be so heartless?
How could he turn off his feelings?
How could he hurt me so easily?
Enough.
Anger stomped all over my grief.
He’s not worth it.
You knew that.
That’s why you wanted him to share you with Hunter.
You wanted to make him suffer, just like he’s made you suffer.
The threesome was to empower you, not to make you sad.
Forget him.
With my hands balled and skin puckered in goosebumps, I marched to my room and slammed to a halt.
Nick sat on my bed in black cotton trackpants, his chest bare and glittering from the shower. He’d closed my curtains, removed my throw pillows, and turned my sheets down.
My room glowed with soft light and in any other fantasy, I would drop my towel, climb onto his lap, and make him take me.
But this wasn’t a fantasy, and I was done with him hurting me.
“Get out, Nicholas.”
“Not until I tend to your wounds.” Holding up a tube of manuka honey and aloe vera cream, he shrugged. “They’re bad. I wish I had some arnica to stop the bruising, but at least this will heal the superficial cuts.”
Stalking toward him, I held out my hand. “Give me the cream. I can do it.”
Standing, he fisted the tube. “It’s my duty.”
“I don’t care about your duty.” I curled my upper lip. “Duty is what got us into this mess. Duty is what’s stopping you from giving in to this connection between us. Duty can bite my ass.”
He chewed a smile. “Pretty sure I bit your ass at some point this evening.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Try to change the subject.”
He stilled, his hazel eyes going unreadable. “I told you why I can’t be with you, Ella. It’s not because I don’t want to...I physically can’t.”