Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
If something is worth having, it’s worth working for it.
Right.
He deepened the kiss. She was hesitant at first. Shy. Almost nervous. And that wasn’t like his girl. She usually met every challenge head-on. Again, like her sex kitten panties, this side of her was only for him.
And fuck if that didn’t make him feel a thousand feet tall.
But he finally drew back, because he knew she likely needed a breather.
Lord knew, he did. He hadn’t been this close to coming in his pants since he was a horny teenager.
“Come here, Rainbow.”
“Huh?”
He had to grin as he took her hand and led her to the sofa. He sat and tugged on her hand. She tried to sit next to him.
But he wasn’t having that.
He drew her onto his lap, trapping her against his chest. She held herself stiffly.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Holding you to give you a moment to calm.”
“Calm? I’m calm.”
“Nah, you’re not. Your heart is racing and your skin is flushed.”
She tried to get out of his hold. But he worked out daily and he could hold her easily.
“Baby, you might want to stop wriggling around on me,” he said with a groan.
She froze. And then she obviously caught on as to why he wanted to get her to be still.
Her eyes widened and she glared down at him. “That’s your dick.”
He burst into laughter. “Ah, yep. I know. It’s been attached to me for thirty-three years.”
“Your dick is . . . hard, and it’s pressing into me. Maxim!”
“I love it when you say my name. Much better than when you say your nickname for me.”
“I don’t have a nickname for you.”
He grinned. “You do. You just don’t remember.”
“I don’t remember . . . dude, I think you’re the one with memory issues. I’d know if I had a nickname for you.”
“Would you? Because you have a nickname for me, you just don’t remember. So I’m thinking that you don’t know.”
“Can you please let me up?”
“We’re dating now.”
She gave him a bewildered look. “I don’t think we are. And even if we were, what does that have to do with anything?”
“While we’re together, you sit on my lap. If you can’t be on my lap, then you’re tucked into my side. If that’s not possible, like when we’re in the car, then I’ve got my hand on you. Do you understand?”
“I understand that you’re bonkers.”
“I like you, Aston,” he said, deciding to lay it out straight to her. When she stiffened, he knew she understood that he was speaking the truth. “I want to get to know you. And I don’t intend for this to be a quick fuck. I know you’re worried that I’ll hurt you, but guarding yourself against getting hurt by never getting involved with someone in the first place sounds really lonely.”
“It is.”
“I can’t promise that I won’t ever hurt you,” he told her slowly. “Because I can’t predict the future. But I do promise to try really hard not to.”
“I don’t want to hurt you either.”
And yep . . . he was falling for this girl. Fast.
“I know you’ll try not to hurt me, okay?” he said.
She nodded shakily. “This is probably a really stupid idea.”
“Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and trust that the other person will catch you. I’m here to catch you, baby.”
“I hope so. I really do.” Turning, she buried her face in his neck. He held her tight.
Fuck. Had someone let her down before? Someone she trusted?
He ran his hand up and down her back, feeling her shake slightly. She shifted around again and he hissed. She stilled then drew back to give him a guilty look. “Sorry.”
“Baby, that ass of yours is a lethal weapon.”
“Are you in pain?”
“Yes.”
“Well, good. You spanked my bottom and it hurts. That wasn’t nice.”
“Yeah, and now your ass is definitely getting its revenge.”
She surprised him by grinning.
“I like when you smile.” He ran a finger along her lower lip, and to his shock, she bit it.
Damn, he also liked this playful side of her. Reaching behind her, he drew out the ugly scrunchie holding her hair in a bun.
“What are you doing?”
“I wanted to see your hair down. It’s beautiful.” Although there was something off about it. The color. “Do you dye it?”
She stiffened. Why was she upset? Lots of women dyed their hair. Men too. It wasn’t something to worry about.
“I . . . I . . .”
“Rainbow, if you’re about to lie to me, you should know that your second rule is no lying. I’m sure I’ve made it clear that I don’t like lies. Not sure why you’d lie about this, though. I don’t give a shit if you dye your hair.”
She heaved out a breath. “Yeah, I do. And I don’t see why I need rules.”