Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Hey, my beautiful Lily,” I say as I pull her against my chest for a hug. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She nods and tilts her head back so I can press a kiss to her mouth.
We enter her apartment, and while I grab her overnight bag, Lily retrieves a shopping bag with ingredients from the kitchen counter.
I take in the extraordinary women who’s agreed to date me, thinking I’m the luckiest bastard alive.
She’s mine for the next two days.
The sudden thought makes my heart constrict with emotions – everything from pride to falling hopelessly in love with her.
I’m well aware it’s all happening pretty fast, but I’m too far gone to care.
If someone had to ask me why I’ve grown so attached to Lily in such a short amount of time, I wouldn’t be able to answer the question. It just happened.
Even though she’s the opposite of me, everything about her fits me perfectly.
Leaving her apartment, I wait until we’re taking the elevator down to the lobby before I ask, “How was your day?”
“Good. I’ve set up a website so I can sell some of my older paintings, and I started working on the last piece in my collection.”
As the doors slide open, I say, “I’m glad you had a good day.”
“How was yours?” she asks.
I open the car door and set her luggage and the groceries on the backseat. “The day felt long.” The corner of my mouth lifts as I shut the rear door and open the passenger’s side. “I just wanted to get done with work so I could get to you.”
I can see she appreciates my words. She steals a kiss before climbing into the car.
When I get in behind the steering wheel, I ask, “Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
We drive the short distance to The Ritz, and as we’re taking the elevator up to my penthouse, I notice the nervousness on Lily’s face.
The doors slide open, and she glances around when we step into my foyer.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a woman over. Obviously, Harper, Naomi, and Ellie don’t count.
Lily slowly walks to the kitchen and places the groceries on the counter before walking closer to the floor-to-ceiling windows to look at Central Park down below. “The view from up here is spectacular.”
“It is,’ I agree.
I continue to watch her closely as she glances at the living room, the dining area, and the balcony.
The décor is sleek and modern – a typical penthouse. I have photos of my family standing on a mantelpiece. There’s also one of Dylan and me on our graduation day.
The furniture is dark gray, and I have a couple of selected art pieces decorating the walls.
Other than that, I haven’t put much of a personal touch to the penthouse.
“Your place is beautiful,” Lily says, then she turns her gaze to me, and looking uncertain, she asks, “Can I get to work preparing the meal?”
Shaking my head, I pull two wine glasses from the cupboard and pour us some wine. “Let’s relax for a while.”
“Okay.”
Carrying the glasses to the living room, I say, “Come take a seat.”
When I hand her a glass of wine, she perches her butt on the edge of the couch as if she’s ready to make a run for it, should I make any sudden moves.
Keeping my tone soft, I say, “Relax, Lily. I don’t bite.” A smirk tugs at my mouth. “Unless you want me to.”
A burst of laughter escapes her as she scoots back on the couch, getting comfortable.
“I love your paintings,” she mentions.
I glance at the pieces on the walls. “I have a friend who owns a gallery. To support her, I’ve bought an art piece here and there over the years.” I take a sip of my wine, then ask, “Have you heard of Eloise Torres?”
Excitement lights up in her eyes. “I have. I’m obsessed with the exhibitions her gallery hosts. They’re always vibrant and speak to my soul.”
“I’ve known Eloise for over four years,” I tell Lily. “She was my first high-profile client.” I let out a chuckle. “We have a running joke where if we meet for a casual dinner, she pays me a hundred dollars.”
There’s a look of caution in Lily’s eyes when she asks, “How often do you accompany clients to events?”
Turning my body so I can lean my shoulder against the back of the couch, I answer, “Not often at all. I’m actually in the process of training one of my employees to deal with any emergencies that may arise.”
Lily’s eyes glide over the living room before she asks, “Do you have any other female friends?”
Nodding, I answer truthfully, “Harper is my best friend, but she’s happily married to Daniel, who’s also a close friend of mine. You’ll meet them soon enough.”
“I’d like that,” she murmurs. Glancing in the direction of the kitchen, she says, “I better start with dinner. Will you show me where everything is?”