Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
“Shhhh, please don’t be afraid. I’m sorry. I promise, you have nothing to worry about. I’ve got you, beautiful. I’ll never scare you like that again. You’re safe with me, okay? I know I’m a big guy, but I promise you, Joy, you’re safe with me. Just take in a deep breath for me, okay?”
A little sob left her as she tried to push me away, then she burst into tears and buried her face against the front of my button-down shirt. Her tears darkened the navy fabric to black as she cried. Each sob shook her small body and I held her tighter, trying to give her my strength.
I hated that she was crying, but damned if my entire body wasn’t lit up like a fucking bonfire as I finally held her in my arms. Despite all my fantasizing about this moment, I realized I’d underestimated how petite she was as I cradled her against me. If I wanted to, I could almost totally envelop her body in my own. I liked that, liked knowing I could shield her against the world and keep her safe. She seemed to have a presence bigger than she was, but curled up in my lap, she was a sweet little armful. The sugary, edible peach and strawberry scent of her perfume filled me as I held her close, trying to give her the comfort she so obviously needed. A sense of pride and satisfaction thundered through my veins as she clung to me, taking my strength without reservation, gripping me and allowing me to cuddle her close.
I never cuddled women, it just wasn’t something I had any desire to do. That’s not to say I never held a woman I was dating, I’m not that big of a dick, but it wasn’t a big deal to me. With Joy’s warmth seeping into me, I realized how amazing it could be to hold someone you loved, to immerse yourself in their presence. She somehow managed to shut out the world around us, leaving me in the blessed silence illuminated with her bright, gentle light.
My whole body seemed to vibrate with electricity but it was the feelings, the emotions unfurling inside of me that had me closing my eyes and resting my cheek on top of her curly little head. Warmth, euphoria, and desire all barreled through me with a strength that made my heart thunder as energy surged through me. It reminded me, strangely enough, of the one time I’d tried cocaine—a drug I liked way too much, so I never touched it again.
People were talking around us, but I ignored them. I hummed softly to Joy as I rocked her in my arms, trying to keep an erection from forming as she wiggled her plump little body against mine. Fuck, I was a right bastard to be thinking about anything sexual at a time like this, but Joy affected me like no woman ever has before. Her small hands wrapped around me, hugging me back, and I tried to stifle the groan that wanted to escape from somewhere in the pit of my chest. Her big, soft tits pressed against my body, and I was sure I could feel her hard nipples poking me.
Finally, her hold on me eased. Her sobs petered off into hiccups before she said in a husky voice, “I’m so sorry. I’m not usually like this. I’m getting you all snotty.”
I attempted to smooth her wild dark blonde curls back, but they had a mind of their own and wrapped around my fingers instead, tempting me to touch the soft, fluffy mass of her hair. The white bandage on her temple brought me back to reality. She was crying because I scared her with my temper—and that was the slap in the face I needed to regain control of myself, something very important to me. With my rage, when I lost control, people died.
Moving slowly, I stood then set her on her feet, holding her steady in case she needed it. “Better?”
She blinked at me, then frowned and said in an empty voice, “Better…do I know you? You seem familiar.”
Clearing my throat, I had to bite back a grin as I wondered what her reaction would be when she placed me.
I didn’t have to wonder long, because suddenly those pretty bowed lips of hers turned down in a frown. Her icy green eyes narrowed in anger as she spat out, “You.”
“Yep, me.”
“What are you doing here?”
I don’t know what it is about her, or what it says about me, but I loved it when she got angry at me. On some deep, fucked up level, her attitude made my need to dominate her, to drown in her submission, roar to life. It was like she was begging me to stand up to her, to take control, to prove I was strong enough for her.