Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
7
Bianca
I don’t feel so good.
I’m not sick. At least, I don’t think so.
But there has been a horrible restlessness in my stomach all day long. My spine feels brittle and my skin is uncomfortably clammy. After sneaking off the farm at first light, I arrived back to the city in the afternoon. I had just enough time to shower and change for my shift at Le Chic, before dashing out of my building again, so I really haven’t had a lot of time to think. But standing behind the counter now, watching women pluck dresses and blouses off the racks, the lack of motion gives me nothing but time to think.
Of him.
I can’t stop thinking of him.
How he must have reacted when he woke up and I was gone.
The sides of my throat turn raw and gulping water is only making it worse. A woman asks me a question on the other side of the store and I nod dumbly, no idea what she said. It feels like I’m having an out-of-body experience. My body is here, but I…
Did I leave my heart on the farm? Was I kidding myself to think I could just meet that glorious man, give myself to him and then walk away?
No, I did the right thing. I have my big meeting tomorrow.
It’s everything I’ve worked for. The pain in my chest will pass. It has to.
Right?
My shift drags on. Hours pass. Images of Dusty begin to bombard me. His touch haunts me. I can feel his hands on my thighs, his mouth on my nipples. His powerful body moving on top of mine. Somehow, I know he would love the hot pink pencil skirt I’m wearing today, the black bandana I tied across my breasts, leaving my midriff bare. My panties start to soak themselves imagining how eager he’d be to lick me. Drive his tongue up inside of me.
“Bianca, do you need to take a break?” asks my co-worker. “You look flushed.”
“I’m fine,” I say, my tone like gravel. “I just…I had a crazy night.”
She nods in sympathy. “Working hungover is the worst.”
I force a laugh and go back to the inventory sheet in front of me. “No arguments here.”
A collective murmur kicks up around the store. Something changes in the air, like a change in the energy. A prickle starts at the nape of my neck and travels all the way to the crown of my head. Is it my imagination or is the ground trembling beneath my feet a little?
A shadow darkens the counter and slowly, I look up, my pulse bouncing up, down and sideways at the sight that greets me.
Dusty is here.
He’s inside the boutique.
In an old suit that barely fits his huge body, a bouquet of peonies and daisies in his fist.
My heart spins like a dreidel. The urge to launch myself over the counter into his arms is fierce, but I’m so shocked that all I can do is stare up at him as he lays the flowers down in front of me, his heart shining in his eyes. “Beg pardon, Bianca, but I’ll be bringing you back to the farm now.”
That snaps me wide awake. “Excuse me?”
“Hell, darlin’.” He makes a rough adjustment to his white, starched collar, his gaze traveling over my breasts, tummy and hips. “Do you ever look anything but perfect?”
“I…thanks…?”
“Lord, I’m sweating just looking at you.”
“What about you? You’re wearing a suit,” I say, dazedly. What is going on here? I’m so happy to see him I could burst, but I have the distinct fear that I’m seconds from being kidnapped. Also…wow. He’s so hot.
He was sexy in ratty overalls, but in a suit, he’s a straight up Daddy.
Mine.
My panties were already wet from daydreaming about him, but they’re practically stuck to me now. This farmer drove to the city to find me, remembered the name of the place I work—and he brought flowers. “D-did you put the suit on just to come see me?”
“Just to come see you? Bianca, you’re an event.”
A soft expulsion of air puffs out of me, my heart thunking like a flat tire.
“My truck is outside. I’m fitting to put you in it now.”
“What?” Once again, I’m propelled from my stupor. “No, Dusty. You can’t just come here and abduct me. I live here.”
“You were given a warning, Bianca. You ignored it.” I squeak and spin in a circle when he begins to skirt the counter, coming around to the back where I’m standing. There’s no escape, nowhere to run. And when he hauls me onto my toes, breathing hard against my mouth, I don’t want to escape. A dangerous feeling, to be sure. “Where is your apartment, darlin’. I’m going to bring you there and remind you what’s between us. A few hours of whining and scratching at me and you’ll come with me. As docile as a lamb.”