Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
That ache that can only mean one thing.
Love.
I’ve fallen in love with Ethan Newhouse. Not falling in love—fallen in love. And I just cannot believe that.
If someone would have told me a week ago that I would be smitten by the billionaire whose event I was intent on disrupting, I would have laughed in their face. But here I am, lying in his bed night after night, making unbelievable love to him and wanting it more and more.
I glance over to my side of the bed to find it empty, which is a bit disappointing but understandable. With all this charitable donation work, Ethan has been crazy busy, and he’s probably been neglecting some of his other duties. So I slip out of bed, quickly shower and get dressed, and head downstairs to find two small sets of luggage by the front door.
As his personal assistant, I should have been notified if we were going somewhere—in fact, I should have been the one arranging things. But he didn’t say anything to me, which is strange. All I can think is that maybe someone showed up here this morning, and we’ll be entertaining.
“Hey there, gorgeous.” Ethan’s voice from behind me causes me to jump. I spin around and find him walking up from behind me, dressed in business casual, looking devastatingly sexy.
“Ethan!” I blurt out, placing a hand on my chest. “You-you scared me. What are these?” I point to the luggage at the door. “Is someone here?”
He shakes his head, chuckling, then slides his hands around my waist and pulls me close. His body is warm and strong, and he smells delicious, as he always does. I take a deep breath. Just being in his strong grip instantly starts to calm me.
“Nope. We’re going on a bit of a trip.”
“A trip?” I ask. “What do you mean? Where? I thought you had a lot of work to get to?”
Ethan smiles and plants a delicate kiss on my lips. “You know the great thing about being a billionaire?” he asks. “Work can come to you.”
I’ve sort of gotten used to riding in Ethan’s Rolls Royce and living in his incredible house, but as the car pulls up to the harbor to drop us off and I see an enormous yacht berthed at the dock, I realize that this man is still full of surprises.
“Is that…yours?” I ask, swallowing hard.
Ethan just grins and steps out of the car. I squirm over the seat and chase after him. “You have got to me kidding me!” I hiss as he walks casually in the direction of a man in a suit who is clearly there to welcome us onto the enormous boat. Or is it a ship?
“Look at that thing! What are you, a Russian oligarch or something?”
Ethan cracks up. “Don’t be ridiculous. Those guys have boats way bigger and way more expensive than mine. Those guys are the kinda guys you thought I was.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right…” I mutter as we step onto the dock.
“Welcome back, Mr. Newhouse,” the suited man says with a smile and a downward tilt of his head. “Everything is ready.”
“Thanks, Pauly,” Ethan replies, handing Pauly a crisp hundred dollar bill from his pocket. “This is Whitney. Treat her as well as you’d treat me.”
“Of course, sir.”
I try to think of something to say, but my mind is blank, so I just follow Ethan up the ramp onto the yacht. I thought I’d grown a bit accustomed to this life Ethan lives, but I guess I’m still getting used to it.
We leave the dock, and I watch the city slowly grow smaller and smaller as we go out to sea. I’m in awe as he shows me around the boat, and I try to wrap my head around the fact that all of this is now somehow a part of my life—that I’m welcome here.
There’s wood paneling everywhere, two living rooms, an entertainment room, a full kitchen and dining room, and five bedrooms—plus several more for staff. There are three decks, one front and one rear and another up top with a small pool and a hot tub.
“Unbelievable, Ethan,” I say with a smile. “It’s really unbelievable.”
“Glad you like it,” he says with a smile and a kiss. But as he takes me by the hand and pulls me close, a thought occurs to me that causes my stomach to sink and an unsettled feeling to come over me. Ethan must notice because he turns his eyes to me and frowns.
“What is it, gorgeous? What’s the matter?”
I shake my head, not wanting to ruin the incredible moment he’s clearly planned out with great care. “Nothing,” I say. “It’s nothing.”
“Well, it’s clearly nothing,” he replies. “Come on, spill it. What’s wrong?”
With a sigh, I let my hand drop from his and turn away from him and look back at the twinkling lights of the city.