Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“Pace, you have anything pressing?” he asked without breaking eye contact.
Pace answered from behind Zane. “We have a few things to go over but---”
“Let’s catch up in about an hour,” Zane said, still not tearing his eyes away from me. “We’ll get you outfitted with the translation device then.”
“Sure.” Pace left the lab.
“I’m about to remove this piercing in your ear. Okay?”
I nodded at Zane and felt my face go hot. He finally looked away as he put a tool to my ear. A click sound resulted in the piercing from the upper ridge of my ear landing in his hand.
He reached into a drawer and had a small metal square that held a pink earring like the blue one he’d just removed.
He attached it to my ear. There was a minor pinch. I winced.
He winced, too. “I’m so sorry.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay. Just a teeny pinch.”
He rubbed the ridge of my ear with his fingertip and then licked his lips. He looked like he wanted to kiss it better. I wanted him to kiss it better.
He stared at my ear. I stared at his mouth. His eyes moved to mine.
“Hi,” I said.
He smirked and his face lit up. “Hi.” He shifted on his feet a little, looking uncomfortable for a minute.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“With?” he answered.
“My ear jewelry?”
He chuckled. “Oh. That. Well, it’s pink.”
“Hm.”
Pink meant unmarried.
“It should change to blue in about another minute if it’s also defective.”
“Okay,” I said. “Then we wait?”
“We do,” he returned, and his head shook just subtly.
“Why are you shaking your head at me?”
“Because of the way you keep staring at my mouth.”
“Oh. Am I?” I jolted, more than a little embarrassed.
He chuckled softly. “You weren’t aware?”
I bit my lip. “Sorry. It’s just … the movement doesn’t match your words.”
His mouth quirked. “I don’t mind it. It’s just that it makes me want to…” He stopped and moistened his lips.
I waited for him to finish.
Instead, he moved in slowly and then his lips were touching mine.
Oh. Oh wow.
God, they were soft. And warm. My lips parted and I hesitated about half a second, but then my fingers were in his soft, curly hair, and oh my word. His kiss went hungrier, his tongue was twirling around the tip of mine. I whimpered, feeling my panties become wet.
His right palm cupped my jaw as his left arm went around me and then my breasts were pressed against his chest. His fingers were then in my hair and his mouth got even hungrier.
Whoa. He was kissing me like he had a point to make. My bones felt liquid. My panties felt hot.
His phone started to make noise.
Shit. Again?
“Shit,” he muttered, mimicking my thoughts and pulled back to answer it.
“Throw it out the fucking window,” I whispered.
Whoa. Did I say that aloud?
He laughed at me.
I was winded. I was breathless. But serious. My lips were hot and tingly. My breasts were feeling heavy. I was wet for him. This was absolutely the most turned on I had ever been.
In. My. Life.
Zane Zenith could kiss.
I knew it yesterday, but today? Whoa. My heart was racing. I wanted to take that phone off him and throw it, throw it hard in retaliation for its’ audacity, then attack him with my mouth.
Instead, I stared at him, breathless, my chest rising and falling. His eyes were on my mouth. He licked his lips and then spoke into the phone, which was now at his ear.
I licked mine in reflex. His eyes went even more heated and then they lazily traveled from my eyes to my toes.
“Hello, Spar,” he said belatedly, giving me the peace sign before turning to go back into his office, thrusting a hand through his curls. My fingers tingled, remembering the feel of his hair, remembering how it felt to be against his chest. I blew out a breath and gripped the sides of the counter I sat on so I could keep myself upright.
I saw him adjust his crotch as he talked on the phone. Uh… wow. I’d given him a… boner? I wanted to giggle for some reason. I felt giddy, proud of myself, even. I looked over my shoulder, catching my reflection in a TV screen that was off and seeing that the shiny metal instrument he’d used to remove the earring had a wide handle, so I lifted it and used it like a mirror, lifting my hair to inspect the new earring. It was still pink. The one that sat on the counter that he’d removed was still blue.
Hm.
Zane was back a moment later. “Sorry about the interruption, shortcake. That was Ollie’s grandfather, Spar. He’s invited us to come to dinner, but I’ve told him your ankle is still bothering you, so we’ll reschedule. Still pink, is it?” He looked perplexed.
“Yeah. Um, shortcake?”