Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I spritz my favorite perfume, J’adore, on my neck, wrists, and onto my already-done hair, which is down and curled around my shoulders. My makeup is on and light. Focus being on my lips, which are painted with my new favorite lipstick shade, Matte Raspberry.
I’ve just put my lipstick, wallet, and cell into my bag when there’s a knock at my door.
He’s here.
My heart takes off at a rapid pace.
I take my bag with me into the living room, grab my leather jacket and slip it on, and then open the door.
Hells bells, he looks good.
I mean, he always looks good, but this…is something different.
He’s dressed up—not that he normally looks scruffy, but he’s clearly made an effort. His hair is styled. His jaw is clean-shaven. He’s wearing a dark gray blazer with a black button-down shirt beneath it, dark blue jeans, and black biker boots on his feet.
Maybe he looks different to me because I’m looking at him through new eyes now.
I’m looking at him as more than a friend.
I get to kiss this guy.
I’m quite likely going to see him naked later and do all the good stuff with him.
That definitely changes everything, like how I now view him.
“Hi,” he says, voice deep and raspy. “You look beautiful, Ari.”
“So do you. Hot. Gorgeous, I mean.” For fuck’s sake.
He chuckles and then leans down and presses his lips to mine, tongue ever so lightly coming out to touch mine.
“Mmm,” he murmurs. “You taste good, too.”
He’s going to kill me, I swear.
“You sure you don’t want to skip the date and just get to the sex?”
He laughs a throaty sound, and I have to squeeze my thighs together.
He moves his lips to my ear. “Anyone ever tell you, the longer you wait to have something…someone, the better it will be?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s, Great things come to those who don’t wait.” I smile cheekily.
He chuckles again. Then, he kisses me. One quick, firm kiss that leaves me aching.
“You ready?” he asks, and I nod. He slips his hand into mine. “Let’s go do our date, so we can come back here…and I can make you come. Multiple times.”
Sweet Lord.
He leads me out of my apartment building and to his truck. He opens the door for me, and I get inside. I’ve gotten much better at climbing in this beast, and the high heels definitely help.
I buckle myself in and ask, “So, where are we eating?”
He shifts to look at me. “There’s this Thai place in East Village. It’s nothing fancy, but—”
“I was sold at Thai. And I don’t need fancy.”
“You deserve fancy. I just…I know you don’t go to bars, for the obvious reason, and I didn’t know if the same went for restaurants because they all serve fucking alcohol, but this Thai restaurant doesn’t have a liquor license. It’s one of those bring-your-own-booze restaurants, so there will be alcohol there, but they have outdoor seating, and you can’t drink out there, so…”
He’s babbling. Ares never babbles. And I feel bad that my problem with alcohol is causing him a problem. But I also love that he cares.
“Ares”—I place my hand over his—“I’m going to love it. I’ll be there with you, and that’s all I care about.”
His eyes meet mine, and I smile at him.
He turns his hand over, palm up, and links his fingers with mine.
Hand-holding. So simple. But so incredibly thrilling.
The touch of that one single part of his body against mine is sending my hormones haywire.
My hand looks tiny compared to his, but I don’t care. It makes me feel feminine. And I like the feeling.
He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to it. “I’m sorry, Ari.” His lips brush my skin as he speaks, “I didn’t see you the moment we met, and I’m so fucking sorry for that.”
“I don’t understand.”
He looks at me, and the look in his eyes…anguished, makes my heart clench. “Yesterday, when you came to my apartment and told me the truth and apologized, you were so fucking brave. And I was a coward because I should have been apologizing to you, too. For all the shit I’d said to you. The way I’d acted toward you.”
“It’s in the past, Ares. It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does. I judged you. I was a total asshole. And you’re this amazing, talented, incredibly strong, beautiful woman, who fights and slays her demons every damn day, and I’m a coward, who let my own shit get in the way of me seeing all of that…seeing who you are. And I’m so fucking sorry, Ari. But I promise, I will make it up to you. I will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” Another kiss to my hand. “I like you for who you are. Baggage and all, babe.”
And I’m done for.