Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“I know, sweet girl. I know. But who’s been protecting you?” He strokes my cheeks with his thumbs. I don’t have a response. We both know it should have been my mother, but she protected me as much as a farmer protects his cattle. “From now on, your answer to that question is my name. Say it, Tabitha.”
“Vlad protects me,” I say instantly, the words falling from my lips easily.
“Damn right I do,” he growls, before his lips are on mine.
I forget where we are and fall into this moment with him. He always makes me forget my surroundings. When he’s near me, everything melts away and I don’t have a worry in the world. He’s right. I know he will protect me. I can feel it in my bones. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this knight to rescue me. My knight.
He pulls back, his breathing as heavy as mine. “We can’t do this here. I don’t like people seeing you like this.” His possessive words jolt me back to reality, and I remember where we are. I pull back a little, and Vlad’s hold tightens for a moment before he releases me. He’s giving me a warning. I better not run. I can’t believe I forgot we are in a room of people and I was openly kissing a man. A princess must never behave like that with any man who is not her husband. And even then, public displays of affection aren’t well looked upon.
I can see Vlad’s whole body tighten. He looks like he’s about to blow. He doesn’t like us hiding. He doesn’t like that for most of the day we’ve had to pretend we don’t belong to each other. Though I’m sure if people looked closely they could see it. His eyes always follow me, and he’s always calling me away to “help” with something, a.k.a. a make-out session in some closed off room. He’d pull me away, insisting he needed me, and I believed him. If I hadn’t given in with those stolen moments I think I would have been over his shoulder and out of here long ago.
I reach out and touch his arm, trying to get him under control. “Not here. This is my sister’s wedding.” He relaxes a little at my words and touch, but I can still see him fighting himself. I know he wants to pick me up and throw me over his shoulder. Even though I’ve only known him for a brief time, I already know that’s his go-to move to get me where he wants me. He simply picks me up and puts me there.
“You’ve had me chasing you all day.” I think there’s a hint of pout in his voice. “You’ve been walking around wearing that fucking dress you have on, which you’re going to pay for when we get home.”
“You like chasing me,” I say in a tease, seeing him calm down a little. My heart flutters at the word home. I love when he goes caveman on me, even though this isn’t the place or the time. Not tonight.
He grasps my hip. “I like catching you more.” The fingers on my hips flex and dig into me. “Your bag is already in my car. You’re coming home with me tonight.” A question isn’t being asked.
“I told you I would,” I sass back, and roll my eyes at him, making him smile. I love how easily our banter comes already. I’m so easy around him and feel more like myself than I ever have.
“I’m going to make it all come true,” he says, bringing me into him a little more, and I know what he’s talking about. Last night when we lay in bed, he asked me about my dreams. If I could pick my life, what would it be? In the dark it was easy to give life to what I wanted. I didn’t want to be a princess. I wanted to live in a home with a man I loved, who adored and loved me, too. I wanted to have a herd of children. “I’m going to give you everything you ever wanted, Tabitha, but you will always be a princess. Now you’ll only be my princess.”
I want that to be true, to only be his, but I know it is only a matter of time before people find out what we’ve been up to. We haven’t been careful. It’s hard to be when you’re in love. It’s impossible to feel this and not let it somehow show. I know someone is going to try to take my fairy tale, but I have a feeling my knight will never let that happen.
6
Vlad
I don’t stop as I walk straight to my room and kick the door closed behind me. Tabitha giggles as I toss her on the bed. She sits up and watches me strip out of my clothes.