Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Cheeks flaming, I let my arms fall to my sides. As my nipples harden under his scrutiny, I study the nothingness of night through the windows.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispers.
From the corner of my eye, I spy him getting to his feet, the movement graceful and silent for such a large man. Inch by careful inch, he slides a palm along my cheek, bringing my attention back to him.
“We share something incredible. I’ve never been sexually intimate with a woman, and you’ve never been with a man. That’s a special foundation for a life spent together.”
“I have been with a man.” Sebastian and his unforgettable arctic eyes flash through my mind, and the visual is strong enough to weaken my knees. Being with him was more than physical. More than lustful. He took total control of my heart the second he entered my body, and the manner is which he did it is unimportant.
“I’m aware Sebastian took you anally,” he says as if he has a direct line to my thoughts. “But what I’m talking about is beyond meaningless pleasure. No one in this tower can give you what I can.”
“What’s that?”
“Virginity.” He traces the outline of my lips with his thumb.
“What about honor? Can you give me that?”
His brows furrow. “Of course.”
“You said you wouldn’t touch me tonight,” I mumble against his caress.
As if the reminder burned him, he jerks away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was doing it. I guess I’m just dying to touch you.”
“What’s stopping you?” My scornful tone is far from an invitation. It’s not as if I can fight him off.
“My promise to you is what stops me.” He steps away, a gentle smile forming on his wide mouth, and turns down the bedsheets. “You need time to get to know and trust me.”
“What if that never happens?”
Halting, one hand on the mattress, he frowns, strength fading from those aggravating lips. “I’ll let you freshen up first.” He gestures to the bathroom before settling on the edge of the bed to wait.
“Aren’t you sleeping in the other room?”
“No.”
I blink several times, my gaze sweeping the white comforter, as if that soft-looking material will give me an answer. “Then why are there two beds if we’re not going to use them?”
“The spare is available for times when we need space.”
“We need space now.”
Another irritating smile, and then his gaze lowers to the apex of my thighs. “Are you uncontrollably aroused?”
“What?” My eyes widen. “No!”
“Then we don’t need space.” He nods toward the bathroom. “You’ve got five minutes before I join you in there.”
“That isn’t enough time.” My skin care regimen alone takes twice as long.
“Then you’d better hurry.”
Instead of arguing, I rush into our shared en-suite bathroom and barricade myself behind the door. It’s the only space inside our sleeping quarters with a barrier, and I’m thankful for that bit of privacy, even if the door doesn’t lock. As I brush my teeth, I stare at the girl in the mirror.
Most days, I don’t recognize her anymore, and it has nothing to do with outward appearances. Something fundamental has shifted inside, taking on the form of a woman with too much self-loathing and not enough strength. My heart and body yearn for a man who doesn’t deserve me while logic says I should want the safe choice.
Then there’s the current issue of the naked man in the other room. Somehow, I’ll have to find the courage to crawl into that bed with him and sleep.
And trust that he won’t touch me.
Time will tell if he’s a man of his word, but I have no doubt he’ll come in here any moment, just like he promised. After hurrying through a minimized version of my skin care routine, I take a deep breath and pull open the door.
He’s waiting on the other side. “Not a second to spare.”
Snubbing him with silence, I slip by, careful to avoid contact, and climb into bed. He leaves the door to the bathroom open, and as I wrap as much of the blanket around my body as I can without hogging the entire thing, I spy him brushing his teeth. His backside is to me, broad shoulders tapering to a fit ass. The man doesn’t have an ounce of fat on him—Miles is all toned muscle and sculpted glutes from this view.
He spits into the sink, and then our gazes collide in the mirror. Two heavy seconds pass, making my heart jump. Warmth spreads low in my belly. There’s no denying he’s a beautiful man, but still, confusion coils around me. I hide my face, cheeks growing warm from getting caught watching. A couple minutes later, the lights shut off, plunging the room into darkness, and I feel the bed dip behind me.
“I won’t bite, Novalee.” He shifts, and even if I were facing him, I doubt I’d be able to see him in the darkness.