Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
This time, I won’t leave, even if she pushes me.
“So?” Levi leans forwards as if he’s about to jump across the table.
“Out with it.” Aiden sounds more impatient than excited. “And before you say anything, remember, you spent the night at my house.”
“Hey!” Levi snaps his fingers at him. “Not fair. She could’ve spent the night at mine.”
My son glares down his nose at him. “Who said anything about fair? I’m going to crush you, Lev.”
“Cut down on your delusional pills, little Cousin.”
After eating from both plates, Aurora wipes her lips with her napkin. “I’ll go with nil.”
“You can’t go with nil,” Levi protests.
“Yeah, pick one.” Aiden motions at the one on the right — his. “That one.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t choose.” She smiles in a soft, bright way. “Both are one of the best steaks I’ve had.”
Levi puffs out his chest, but soon after, his along with everyone else’s attention turns to me. Five pair of eyes watch me as I savour the meat. They’re well-cooked, to the level of what I prefer, so that’s one point for both.
“Any day now, Jonathan.” Aiden taps his fingers on the table’s surface, letting his impatience show.
He takes after me in that department — I was never one for patience. Aiden’s problem is that he can be volatile. Not as much as Levi, but it’s there. He’ll learn to school his reaction better as he grows up.
“Yeah, Uncle. Suspense doesn’t suit you.” Levi’s sense of sarcasm is too similar to James’s. Sometimes, it feels as if my brother is sitting beside me, not his son.
“Neither,” I say.
Elsa’s and Astrid’s expressions fall. They were waiting for the result as much as their husbands.
Aurora kicks me under the table. Hard. The pointy part of her heel digs into my calf and remains there, but a smile plasters on her face for everyone to see.
Fuck me. This woman has a fire in her, and she’s not afraid of showing it whenever she deems necessary.
I suppress a groan as I place my fork on the table. “They’re both good. I won’t pick one.”
Aurora’s heel eases off me, but not before she rubs her leg against mine as if she’s soothing the pain. Her touch is gentle, caring — another side of her I’ve gotten infuriatingly used to.
Before I can grab her leg and keep it there, or better yet, have her sit on my lap, she retreats from me and focuses on the others.
Levi grins at Astrid, who strokes his shoulder as if she’s proud of him. Elsa takes Aiden’s hand in hers and a smug look fills his gaze. “Though, for the record, Jonathan liked my pasta the last time. That makes me the winner.”
“Nonsense.” Levi points a finger at me. “You’re spending the night at my place next time, Uncle. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“You, too, Aurora. Please come over,” Astrid tells her.
“We would love to,” Aurora says.
No, I wouldn’t love to. The only reason I spent the night at Aiden’s was because she was there.
Ironically enough, that’ll be how she’ll make me spend the night at Levi’s. Not sure if she’s doing it on purpose, but the smallest ways she’s affecting my life are starting to have a much larger impact.
It’s like she came into this family with a purpose and won’t stop until she achieves it.
After dinner, Aiden and Levi insist on making me watch their chess game. They won’t quit until one of them is considered the winner this night. Winning is in their blood, and I’m proud of the way they grew up — mishaps and all.
I sit across from them on a chair in the lounge area. Each of them occupies a sofa, with the glass chess board between them. I’m vaguely focused on their moves. While neither of them wins against me, their games are sporadic. Usually, the less distracted one beats the other.
A glass of cognac is cradled between my fingers, but I haven’t been drinking. My focus is on the woman who’s standing over the table in the other part of the lounge area. Her dark green dress clings to her slim figure and that arse I spanked right before dinner. It’s part of the reason why she’s currently standing, not sitting.
It was due to her attitude after an email exchange.
From: Jonathan King
To: Aurora Harper
Subject: Do Not Wear the Red Lipstick for Dinner Tonight.
Refer to subject.
From: Aurora Harper
To: Jonathan King
Subject: Do Not Wear the Red Lipstick for Dinner Tonight.
No.
From: Jonathan King
To: Aurora Harper
Subject: Do Not Wear the Red Lipstick for Dinner Tonight.
Don’t fucking push me, Aurora. That red lipstick is meant for me and me alone. No one else is allowed to see it, not even my son and nephew.
From: Aurora Harper
To: Jonathan King
Subject: Do Not Wear the Red Lipstick for Dinner Tonight.
Oops.
Attached is a picture of herself. She wasn’t only wearing the red lipstick, but she was also biting her lower lip while wearing a revealing dress that showed so much of her cleavage, she nearly flashed me her nipples.