Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 37184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Stylish...and stunned, she noted nervously, and Jane’s voice came out a croak as she asked, “May I come in?”
Christian seemed to recover himself. “Of course.” As he drew her in, his glance went over her shoulder, and he murmured absently, “Thanks, Dave.”
“It was my pleasure, sir.”
The door swung close as Dave walked back to the elevator, and Christian turned back to Jane. She flashed him an uncertain smile. “Umm...hi?”
He laughed, and he mimicked her, saying, “Umm, hi.” Then he hauled her to him, and before Jane could speak, he was already kissing her hard.
“This is a pleasant surprise.” And the kiss became deeper and rougher. “I thought you’d be at the trade show the whole day.” Christian pushed her against the door, his mouth moving hungrily down her jaw, all the way to her neck, her breasts—-
His name came out of her in a helpless moan.
It was so hard to think, to remember—-
But then she felt Christian’s hands pushing her skirt up.
Jane panicked, and her brain cells started functioning again. “No,” she managed to say. “Wait.”
The movement of Christian’s hands immediately stopped, and the heat of his touch began to burn the bare skin of her thighs. “What is it, pet?”
She gulped. “I have something to tell you.”
Christian pulled away at the tremulous note in her voice. “What is it?”
“Jared...”
A hard, possessive look entered Christian’s azure eyes. “Didn’t I tell you I don’t like it when you think about another man?”
“You did, but—-” Her voice caught. His hands had started moving again.
“So why the fuck are we still talking about him?” By now, her skirt was bunched up her waist, and his fingers had started skimming the edge of her panties.
“Because...” Oh God, she was halfway to losing her her mind now. “Because—-” Somehow, she managed to keep a portion of her brain functioning, enough to desperately grab his hand and prevent it from moving another inch.
His eyes swung to hers, demanding an explanation, and she gulped.
“We really have to talk about Jared one last time.” A part of her hated the fact that she even had to bring it up, and there was even a part of her that still had trouble accepting Jared’s feelings were for real.
She was just Jane Cooper. She was ordinary. She was more than lucky enough to have someone like Christian Ravenhearst desiring her, but to have an equally good-looking and powerful man want her?
It didn’t make sense.
It wasn’t even supposed to happen.
But it did – and Jane knew she would never feel completely at ease until she spoke to Christian about it.
Jane took a deep breath. “About Jared—-”
“He’s made his move, and you finally realize he’s not fooling around?” Jane’s eyes widened in shock, and Christian smiled humorlessly. “I’ve known him far longer than you have, pet.”
And that’s what I’m afraid of, Jane thought miserably. Christian and Jared were friends far longer than she and Christian had been engaged. If push came to shove, or if Jared ever chose to lie about their interactions – who would Christian believe?
“He never disrespected me.” She suddenly felt a need to make that clear.
Christian nodded. “He wouldn’t be my friend if he did.”
Jane started gnawing on her lip. “I’m not even sure why...”
“He wants you for himself?”
The words made her fidget uncomfortably. She just wasn’t used to situations that made her seem so much more desirable than she really was.
Lowering her gaze to her feet, she mumbled, “You don’t think I’m to blame?” Jane chewed on her lip harder, asking haltingly, “You don’t think I led him on or anything?”
Silence.
Jane’s heart began to hammer against her chest. Oh no. What if—-
And then Christian said with a sigh, “How is it still not obvious that I trust you completely, pet?”
Jane’s body visibly shook with relief. “Thank God. I was so afraid—-” This time, she could afford to smile, albeit a little tremulously. “I thought if I talked to you about him, you’d suddenly flip out and think it’s my fault something like this happened.”
“Idiot,” Christian muttered under his breath. “Don’t you know how much you’ve come to mean to me?”
She shook her head. She didn’t think she was able to mean anything to him.
In response, Christian took her right hand and pressed it over his heart, and Jane’s lips parted in shock when she found it beating rather hard.
Her gaze flew up to him.
“You look incredulous,” Christian observed, amused.
“I am,” she confessed.
“So now you know.” He bent his head and brushed her mouth with his, saying against her lips, “You always excite me.”
His hands on her thighs suddenly tightened, and she squeaked in surprise.
“Anything else?
“Well...” Jane’s voice drifted off. He had started stroking the side of her thighs, and it was making her forget everything, even her name.
His hands stilled. “Just say it.” This time, his voice took on a commanding note, and a shiver of awareness ran down her spine.