Total pages in book: 189
Estimated words: 178200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
“Same nightmare?”
His head lowered against her shoulder. Trust his wife to know what was happening, even without a word being spoken.
“You know it’s silly, right?” A pause, and her fingers on his back stilled as well. When he didn’t speak, she whispered, “I’ll never leave you again.”
After a beat, he said tautly, “You don’t know that.”
She shook her head. Nudged his shoulder until he took the hint and rolled them over, him on his back, his wife on top, but their bodies still intimately connected.
A tender smile formed on her lips. “Of course I do.” She pressed her mouth to his, and as his lips opened, her tongue slid in, making him gasp.
When she pulled away, both of them were breathing harder. For Damen, it was not the only thing of his body that was hard.
“I love you. And you...love me, right?”
He said grimly, “There’s no fucking question about it.”
“Then neither of us is going to leave. It’s that simple, Damen. You, me, and Nala. The three of us are forever.”
Her words washed over him, its sweetness doing its best to eliminate the fears that still lingered in his heart.
He asked slowly, “What do you think...of moving to Florida permanently? You’d be closer to your aunts and...”
Her eyes were wide. “W-what about your work?”
“I can work anywhere,” he said simply. “Would you like that?” He had expected she would, which was why her hesitation bemused him.
Until she spoke.
“What about you? Will you be happy there? What about Diana?”
“My sister would be more than happy to transfer to the school where Katya is studying and...” He held her by the nape. “I will be happy wherever you are.” He pulled her down, kissing her hungrily, and when Mairi’s nipples pricked his chest, he knew the night was far from over for both of them.
Forcing himself to pull away so he could finish their conversation for good, he cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. “I want us to start fresh and here...in Greece...there are just too many damn memories.”
She bit her lip. “But Florida...that’s where you...”
He knew right away what she couldn’t say, knew she was talking about the time he had almost gotten beaten to death as he tried to fight against the men preventing him from talking to Mairi.
“I don’t consider that a bad memory, matakia mou.”
“Y-you don’t?”
“That was one of the few moments I could prove to you I truly love you,” he said tightly. “How can I ever consider that a bad memory?”
His words made her smile tremulously. “You w-were hospitalized, s-so many broken ribs, and you had even been u-unconscious for a time.” She choked, holding back both tears and laughter. “How indeed?”
He laughed. Licking her tears, raining kisses over her face, he said, “I love you,” over and over. He couldn’t believe how good it felt, being able to say the words.
When her tears were dry, he asked quietly, “What do you think?”
She laid a hand against his cheek. “Wherever you want to go, Damen.”
Chapter 3
The sound of an alarm clock buzzing drilled into the silence of the room, causing its sole occupant to stir. Slim, petite, and dark-haired, the girl barely made an impression on the vast bed. Looking at her, most people would be forgiven for thinking of her as a teenager. But she wasn’t that. At all.
Even as she woke up slowly, her fingers were already moving, searching for the feel of a familiar hard body that should be next to her in bed. But it wasn’t, and this made her eyes flutter open.
Oh.
She really was alone.
A note lying against the pillow next to her caught her gaze, and slowly she reached for it.
The masculine handwriting on the note never failed to make her smile, and the thought that her husband, once a self-confessed unbeliever of love, was writing her a note made her lips curve in a wider smile.
Good morning, my love.
I’ve left early for work. Forgive me for not waking you up – I thought you’d need your rest after last night. I’d apologize for that, too – if it wouldn’t be a lie. If you want the truth, I look forward to making love to you over and over tonight again.
If you want it crass...I’m counting the seconds until I can fuck you into passing out.
An embarrassed laugh escaped her at the last sentence. Even now, the fact that her extremely sophisticated husband could talk so dirty made her squirm in a mixture of self-consciousness and desire.
Her eyes drifted back to the rest of the note.
Did that make you wet, sweetheart? I bet it did.
Can’t wait to see you again. Call me when you’re up.
Your husband,
Damen
For several long moments, Mairi could only gaze at the note, her heart bursting with so much happiness that even now it scared her. It was crazy, how it felt like she loved Damen Leventis more and more each day. It just kept growing, deepening, at a terrifying rate – so much so, she couldn’t help ask herself.