Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Nick sits up, and his relaxed face slowly changes. One eyebrow rises and his jaw clenches. “What are you doing?”
I toss his clothes on to the bed. “What do you mean?”
“You just gave me your virginity and you hop out of bed like it was nothing. You start beating yourself up immediately? Why?”
I suddenly stop and turn in his direction. My eyes widen at the disbelief painted on his face. “No reason to make what we did into anything it isn’t. I’m a woman of my word. I told you that you’d get to fuck me before I die, so…” Yeah, I was an asshole, but assholes don’t get hurt.
Nick stands up and puts on his pants in a fluid motion, never taking his eyes off of me. Leaving his chest bare, he walks over to where I stand and places a hand on each side of my arms. He softly kisses my forehead.
“You aren’t fooling anyone, Lyriope.”
Okay, so maybe I’m not an asshole… even though it would have been a lot easier if I were.
I pull away and take a couple of steps back. I tighten my grip on the white sheet covering my body. “I’m just stating the obvious.” I shrug my shoulders, trying to seem casual.
“Stop,” Nick softly orders.
I know I’m pushing him away. Spiraling out of control because I don’t know how to handle emotions. I know I am doing what I always do. It’s easier this way. Easier to keep up the wall and keep him at bay.
Soft kisses, whispers of love are dangerous and just not the way I do things. And for Christ’s sake, where the fuck is the Nick Hudson monster I’d grown to… love? I want the dickhead to return. I want him to make it easy to hate him. I want him to hurt me. I want him to frighten me. I want him to make me regret the day I first met him at the Morelli party.
“Our contract is up. We really both should go our own separate ways.” Is it what I want? No. But I don’t know what to say or to do.
“I said, stop.” Nick’s voice is stern, unyielding. Almost a true warning that could end with me… hating him.
Good. That’s exactly what I need.
He closes the distance between us and lifts my chin so I’m looking into his eyes. He has full control over me. He gives me no choice.
Very slowly and very gently, he kisses me. I close my eyes and allow myself to feel the kiss. I allow the familiar feelings his touch gives me, to chip away at my wall.
With my eyes still closed, and my lips still near his, I whisper, “What do you want from me now?”
Nick kisses me lightly again. “I want you to stop.”
I don’t know what that means. Stop what? Stop protecting myself? I have to. If I don’t, then no one else will. I learned that at a very young age. It’s all on me. Survival of the heart is all on me.
“Stop,” he repeats.
I don’t know how to feel. I have no idea what to make of the most stunning man before me. He’s so strong, so masculine, so terrifying, and yet so soft and sensual when he wants to be. Nick makes me want to open up… to be free. But as quickly as I want to be open, I realize that staying closed is safer.
Nothing can become of this. Nothing at all. We live in two different worlds. He represents everything powerful and rich, and I’m simply the imposter who accidentally fell into this world.
“Okay, I’ll stop,” I reply while putting on the classic fake smile that Nick Hudson knows so well.
The smile that I have yet to master like him.
A smile that can conceal all the real emotion.
A smile that can hide everything.
If I give a Cheshire grin big enough, maybe we can just drop this conversation all together.
Nick traces his finger along my lips. “No. Not with me, Lyriope. The only time I want to see this smile is when I see the smile in your eyes, too.”
The artificial smile melts away under his touch. “I’m letting you off the hook now. You don’t have to try to protect me.” I look at him to see if I can read his true thoughts, but he gives nothing away.
“Let me decide what the next step is,” he says. “For now, let’s focus on the now. Not tomorrow.”
My eyes look deep within his, and I whisper, “Okay.” I’m not sure I can do that, but I nod in agreement anyway. I’m too tired to overthink this anymore.
“Let’s eat,” he says. “I’m starving.”
Chapter Twelve
Lyriope
Maybe I shouldn’t be walking the village alone. It’s dark, there isn’t a soul around, and I have no idea where I’m going.