Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
“This place is so adorable,” she comments, examining a hand-painted ceramic bowl.
I take her to the town square fountain. The rumor mill in town swears that the insanely large number of happy unions in town is due to the “magic” water. “I’ve heard about the Silver Spoon Falls water,” she looks over her shoulder at me, adding, “and its unique powers.” Staring into her eyes, what I’m feeling for her nearly overwhelms me.
Before things get out of control, I take her hand in mine to continue our exploration. From there, we visit the antique shop, the cozy bookstore, and the little bakery known for its legendary pastries. Michela’s eyes light up at each new sight, and I find myself falling even harder for her with every stop.
As the afternoon wears on, we make our way back to town and find a quaint little diner for a late lunch. We share a meal as the air around us crackles with sexual tension. It’s during dessert, a delectable homemade pie, that I broach the next part of our day.
“I was thinking,” I begin, trying to sound casual. “I want you to come to The Sterling Rope tomorrow night.”
She looks intrigued, her fork pausing mid-air. “The BDSM club?”
“Yeah,” I say, watching her carefully. While I love working at the club, I’ve suddenly discovered that nothing is more important to me than Michela, and it’s time to lay my cards on the table. “I want you to come to the club with me.”
Michela stares into my eyes and bites her juicy bottom lip. “It sounds… interesting, but do I need a membership to get in?” I guess my kitten has been investigating the club.
“I talked to the owner and got you a visitor’s past.” I don’t want there to be any confusion about my intentions. “There’s only one woman I ever want to take to the club, and that’s you. I need you more than my next breath.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widen as she stares, unblinking, her mouth falling open in disbelief. She takes a deep breath and blurts out. “I want that, too, but my brother…" she pauses for a second. "But you're not just anyone to him. You're his best friend, and I’m his little sister. Our world has rules, and I'm scared of what he might do if he feels betrayed or blindsided."
The knot in my stomach hardens into a solid lump. Lorenzo is indeed protective, fiercely so, and his position in the underworld adds a dangerous dimension to our situation. But Michela… she’s fucking everything to me. Choosing my words with care, I tell her, "I understand your concerns. And you're right—this isn't just about us. Lorenzo’s feelings and principles do complicate things. But I care about you deeply, and I won't let fear dictate our lives."
Care about her deeply? I almost smack my forehead at my poor choice of words.
Seeing Michela again drove home exactly how I feel about her, and those feelings are as far from brotherly as you can fucking get.
Chapter 4
Michela
The soft hum of conversation around us fades into the background as Ryan’s words sink in. “I’m in love with you, Michela.” His confession hangs in the air, heavy and electrifying. The candle between us flickers gently, casting shifting shadows over his earnest face.
I stare at him, my mind racing, trying to process what he’s just said. “You’re… you’re in love with me?” I repeat, my voice barely more than a whisper. It’s both a question and a statement as if saying it out loud might help me believe it. All my dreams are coming true, but my mind is too blown to believe what I’m hearing.
Ryan leans slightly closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “Yes.”
I blink, shaking my head as though to clear the fog of disbelief. “But… why? When did you realize this?”
He smiles softly, his expression a mixture of affection and patience. “I’ve been in love with you for longer than I can remember, but it really hit me when you came back into my life. Seeing you again made me realize just how much I’ve missed you, how incomplete my life has felt without you in it.”
I search his eyes, looking for any hint of hesitation or uncertainty, but all I see is sincerity. “Ryan, this… it’s a lot to take in. I just… I never thought you saw me that way.” My voice trembles as I speak, my heart caught in a whirlwind of emotions. This is what I’ve always dreamed of, but I’m terrified at the thought of getting my heart shattered.
Ryan reaches across the table, taking my hand in his. His touch is warm, grounding me in this moment. “Michela, you’ve always been special to me. Even when we were just friends, there was something about you that made everything better. When I moved away… there was always this void, this sense that something crucial was missing.”