Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“This is true. Besides. I’m the business side. I might be the busy one now, but soon it’s going to be you and Ryan.” A smile lights up her face, making me relax. Miles grabs Eden’s coffee, making it how she likes before handing it to her. Even that is annoyingly sweet.
“Well, I loved the website mockup. It’s beautiful. That logo is eye-catching and adorable.”
“Violet double majored in college. Marketing and business. Always trying to show me up to Mom. I get one degree and she goes and gets two.”
“I can’t help it if I’m the smarter, prettier twin,” I say smugly. “Our target is women. Packaging and branding are more important than you think. More so if people will be buying these to send as gifts.”
“So true,” Eden agrees.
“How about less bakery talk and more wedding talk?” Eden and I both groan loudly. My brother, being his sweet self, brought this wedding to me. Last week a lady showed up with a truck load of both wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses for Eden and me. He’s turned one of the living rooms into a showroom. At least that’s what it looks like. I give him a hard time, but he has moved heaven and earth for me. I will be forever grateful to him.
“That’s Mom’s area. She’s made for this kind of thing.” Now Miles groans because he knows I’m right, but she will also take over his life until the wedding.
“Violet. Turner is here to see you,” Nora alerts me from the doorway. She keeps this place stunning. It takes a whole freaking team. She’s sweet as can be until she’s not. Inside her lurks a drill sergeant that can pop out at any moment.
“Why?” I ask. I stand in place. There’s a part of me that wants to rush to the front door. The other part is telling me to flee back to my place. To hide away from whatever it is that he makes me feel.
“Why don’t you go ask him? The boy might look intimidating, but I don’t think he bites.” I want to laugh at her calling him a boy. Because he looks nothing short of a man.
Nora is right, though. Turner is intimidating to most people. He always towers over everyone in a room. He isn’t only tall but built too. Miles told me he was a Marine before he went into private security. He’s still built like one. I’d know because I’ve stared at every hard line of his body.
“He might bite if Violet asked him to.” My brother's comment is followed by a grunt, Eden nailing him with her elbow in his side.
Yes, I think he would. Turner has made it very clear that he wants me. I keep thinking he’ll lose interest at some point. Find some other woman to sweep off her feet. My chest aches thinking about that day. When will my tormenter stop taking from me? He still haunts me. No matter how hard I try to forget, the memory of what happened is still fresh in my mind.
“I’ll be back.” I know I’m not getting out of this. None of them are going to save me. My heart starts to race the closer I get to the entryway. When I turn the corner, I see him standing there, his eyes roaming all over me. My body heats at his perusal, wishing I had the courage to take a chance.
“Thought you might want these.” He motions to the boxes.
“You got them?” I rush over toward him.
“One day you’ll rush over for me and not boxes.” I ignore his comment, but my cheeks heat on their own accord.
“You didn’t have to do this, Sebastian.” A small smile pulls at his lips at me using his real name. A dimple I’ve never seen before appears, softening his face. Most call him by his last name, Turner, and a few call him Bach. He always corrects me if I call him anything else besides Sebastian. He doesn't do it to anyone else.
“I’d do anything for you, Violet. Especially when it makes you smile.” I lick my suddenly dry lips, finding myself moving closer to him. His eyes drop to my mouth.
“We can’t do this.” I place my hand on his chest, my actions the opposite of my words. Would one kiss really hurt? I could savor it. I’d finally know what he tastes like, instead of only imagining it.
“We can do anything you want, sweetheart.” He leans down slowly, making his intentions clear. He gives me time to pull away, but I don’t. I let my eyes fall closed, tilting my head back.
One kiss. That’s all we’ll ever have.
Chapter Three
Sebastian
I slip my hands up her back and hold her in place, not too tight so she feels suffocated and not too loose that she thinks I’m done. The problem is I’m never going to be done, and she never wants more. It’s a damned dilemma, and despite what I told my mother, I do long for more. Is that unreasonable? I want to take her to my home, make some babies, wake up to her pretty face, eat breakfast with her at my table. The simple pleasures that most people take for granted aren’t in the cards for me, but would I give this up to have the other with some other woman? No way.