Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 31838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
“Things are going to be fine,” I say in a soothing rumble. “You’re safe with me, honey.”
Ellen nods, tripping along beside me as we make our way to the parking lot, but the truth is that she won’t be safe. After all, I want to ravage the sweet girl until she’s panting, moaning, and heaving beneath me, her curves flushed and her eyes sated. But Ellen doesn’t realize that yet … although it will only be a matter of time before she finds out.
4
Ellen
Getting in a car with a complete stranger is one thing. Having coffee with him is another. But agreeing to stay at his house less than an hour after meeting him? That's completely off-the-charts insane.
So why does it feel so right?
Ryder gets my bags out of the trunk and then shuts it, locking the vehicle simultaneously. My eyes bulge because he’s huge. His tall, muscular frame towers at least a head and a half above mine, and his forearms are easily the size of my thighs. Except his forearms are all muscle, whereas my thighs are soft and pudgy.
So I should be scared and wary, right? Like any smart girl, I should be turning down his offer and making my way to a women’s shelter as we speak. But instead, here I am, going to live with the handsome man. I know I should be frightened, but I’m not for some reason. At least, not in the dangerous sense. Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant? No one would hurt a pregnant lady, right? Hell, Ryder probably considers me damaged goods, and he's probably just being a kindly soul.
Shooting me a quick smile, Ryder strolls up the path to the house, both my bags slung effortlessly across one titanic shoulder. My jaw drops as I turn to look at the front garden for the first time because it’s gorgeous. The property itself isn’t huge, but it’s enclosed by tall, neatly pruned bushes. Meanwhile, behind the bushes, a flawless green lawn rolls up towards the house in perfectly designed rings. Each ring has a border of stark-white pebbles forming a path along the edges, and there’s a Japanese maple off to the right, while what look to be miniature orange trees make up a small bower on the left. The entire look is clean and modern, and even sculptural in some sense. It’s breathtaking.
“Wow, you really are a landscape architect aren’t you?” I breathe in amazement.
Ryder shoots me an amused look while walking up the path.
“Sure am,” he drawls. “Have been for over twenty years now.”
I nod with appreciation.
“So you did all this?”
“Yep,” comes another amused grunt. I follow him inside the cottage, and immediately, a sense of peace descends. Despite being small, the space is quiet, clean, and cool, and decorated in a sparse Japanese style with tatami mats and minimal furniture. There’s a lot of natural light and stillness, for lack of a better word. I wonder if Ryder did the interior décor himself.
“This is really beautiful,” I murmur.
Ryder grins.
“It’s small, but it's all I need,” he says. “I don’t believe in living in a palace when I’m only one person.”
I nod.
“Yeah, McMansions are the worst,” I shudder. “They look and feel gross.”
Ryder grins while striding to a nearby door.
“Yes, but living small also means that there’s only one bedroom in the place. It’s yours, sweetheart,” he says while depositing my bags inside the room.
Immediately, I object.
“Absolutely not!” say quickly. “I’m fine with the couch because I can’t possibly ask you to give up your bedroom for me. It’s too much.”
Ryder shakes his head.
“No, it’s fine,” he growls. “You’re pregnant. You should be comfortable.” The thoughtfulness of his gesture flushes my cheeks and I look away because truthfully, I’m a little embarrassed. I don’t want to tell him my real reason for not wanting to sleep in his bed because it’s humiliating. My body has been changing so much, and the fact is that some mornings, I wake up and there are two damp spots on my t-shirt. It’s not a huge deal, but the thought of lactating all over Ryder’s sheets is too personal, not to mention he’d probably think it’s really gross. As a result, I want to spare him the gore factor.
“No, please,” I say quickly. “I’m not here to put you out of your own home. I’m fine with the sofa.”
Ryder shoots a long look my way, but then nods, and picks up my bags again. We stride back out into the living room, and into the far corner of the space where a large bookshelf cordons off a small area. There’s a comfortable-looking sofa in a navy print inside, as well as a side table and several potted plants. The space looks like a reading nook with its warm, tranquil appeal. Even better, Ryder sets down my bags and pulls on the bottom part of the small sofa so that it opens into a bed.