Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Probably. If you’re good maybe I’ll show you after dinner.”
“I’m always good.” Her flirtatious tone put me in a better mood than I’d been since we parted ways several days ago.
“So good. Let’s see what the chef made for dinner.”
“Chef?” She lifted her pinky finger in the air. “Fancy pants.” She was unable to maintain her serious expression and burst out laughing. “Smells amazing though.” She inhaled deeply as I took her hand and led her into the kitchen. “Really amazing. Did this chef come with you?”
“Yeah, he’s amazing and he’s been traveling with me for about six years now.” I looked in the oven and smiled.
“You don’t have one place you live all the time?”
“No. I spend anywhere from one to three years overseeing my developments.” It was another reason I didn’t have many close relationships.
Nix froze and turned slowly until her eyes met mine. “So once this resort is up and running, you’ll move again?”
“Very likely.”
She swallowed and then nodded but her expression remained blank. “Then maybe we should consider this a fling with an end date.”
“Why?”
“Because,” she sighed. “I’m not a casual kind of girl and I’m not sure I can go into this knowing that we’re going to end even if things end up being wonderfully amazing and perfect. But a fling means we keep things light and carefree, nothing too serious.”
That wasn’t what I wanted at all. “Can I change your mind?”
She shrugged. “You can try.”
That’s what I set out to do over a delicious meal of lamb, potatoes and vegetables, charm her and romance her until there was no question that we owed ourselves this chance. “How’s the food?”
Her smile was brilliant. “Amazing. You have excellent taste in chefs, Lee.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her backhanded compliment. “I have excellent taste in many things.” My gaze was heated, leaving no doubt as to who I was talking about.
Pink bloomed on her cheeks, beautiful and brilliant. “Well I can’t fault your taste in most things, so you can have that one. Dessert will seal the deal one way or the other.”
I loved her playful side. It wasn’t a side I often saw with women, they were too busy trying to impress me or seduce me, Nix was just being herself. Always. “Before dessert, I’d like to show you something.”
“Etchings?” Her right brow arched high, her lips curled up into a teasing grin.
“That’s for later. This is something else altogether.” I rounded the table and put out my hand for her to take, when she did my body relaxed at the same time it caught fire. Just the touch of this woman was enough to set me aflame and it was growing damned addictive. “This is my favorite part of this property.”
“Let me guess, a tower where you keep a beautiful woman with long hair trapped?”
Her words teased another laugh from me. “Hardly. Come on.” I tugged her out of the house and across the expansive lawn until we reached the brick structure that sold me on this place. We climbed the spiral brick stairway until we reached the second floor and the ceiling opened up to the night sky.
“Wow,” she sighed, awe heavy in her tone. “What is this place?”
“Some kind of observatory, or at least what’s left of it. But this extra story makes me feel as if I’m closer to the sky. The stars seem to sparkle brighter and I can just make out a few details of the moon, with my telescope of course.” I pointed to the equipment on the other side of the room.
“Oh. My. God. This is amazing, Lee!” She touched the telescope reverently and pressed her eye through the view finder with a gasp. “It’s so beautiful!”
“It is,” I agreed, unable to take my eyes off her. Nix was beautiful but right now, excited and looking at me as if she’s seeing me for the first time, she took my breath away.
She looked up at me and smiled. “Such a charmer. I’m glad I get to see this side of you.”
“Come on.” I pointed to the haphazard pile of blankets I’d assembled so I could watch the sky in something resembling comfort.
Nix joined me on the blanket and settled with a happy sigh. “This is wonderful, Lee. I love this view.” She pressed her palm to mine and wrapped our fingers together. “This is…great.”
“Being with you here like this is fantastic, Nix.”
She turned her gaze to mine. “What an incredibly sweet thing to say. I feel the same.” She sat up and took my hands in hers. “Thank you for showing me this sexy yet oddly nerdy side of yourself.”
The way she looked at me, the way her big brown eyes glowed with joy, almost as if getting to know me made her happy, it was more than I could bear. “Nix,” I whispered as I speared my fingers through her hair and brought her mouth to mine.