Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Yes.”
“And you would go on a date with me?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. We’re making progress.” He tugs my hands apart and lifts one of them to his cheek to rub my knuckles against his skin before kissing them.
I’m mesmerized. I want more. I want it worse than I’ve ever let myself want before.
“Now, I’m not a fan of lying to your parents. Not forever. But you’re a grown woman. Twenty-two years old. You can surely go on a date without informing them, right?”
“Yeah.” He’s right about that, but how many dates can I go on without telling them?
“Do you have plans for tomorrow?”
I swallow. This is unexpected. “No,” I whisper. Am I losing my mind?
“How about if I pick you up at ten and you spend the day with me? I’m greedy. I want twelve hours.” He’s smiling again.
“Where would we go?” What if someone my parents know sees us?
“My place. No one will ever know you’re there.”
I sit taller. The thought of going to his house makes me both nervous and excited.
He cups my cheek. “Don’t panic, Zia. I would never expect you to do anything you’re not ready for. I just want to spend the day with you. You’ll let Chase and Josie know where you’ll be and check in with Josie so she knows you’re safe. How’s that?”
“I’m not scared of you,” I counter.
“I’m glad, but you should never go to a man’s house without telling someone where you’ll be. It’s not safe.”
“Okay.” Wait. What have I agreed to?
Gabriel kisses my fingers again. “It’s settled.”
Chapter Two
I’m so nervous that I’ve been up since seven pacing my apartment. I only slept a few hours last night, off and on. Mostly I tossed and turned. I’ve picked up my phone, thinking to cancel this date, about a hundred times, but I never manage to dial Gabriel’s number or even type a text.
He’s going to be here to pick me up any minute, and I’m a mess. I have no idea what to wear. He’s never seen my adult, but I can’t exactly walk out of my apartment wearing a frilly dress and pigtails. It’s not Halloween. People would stare at me.
I considered jeans and a T-shirt. That’s what I wear most days to go to class. But that seems too informal. Lazy. So, I’ve settled on a black dress and sandals. The dress is probably too fancy for a date to Gabriel’s house, but with the dainty gold sandals, it’s not quite as overdressed.
Lord knows I own several “little black dresses.” My mother insists they are a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. I’ve chosen the simplest one. I’ve also left my hair down. I doubt Gabriel has ever seen me without pigtails, unless he’s happened to notice me when I’ve first arrived at the Dungeon before changing in the locker room.
When a knock sounds at my door, I jump and squeal a bit as though I wasn’t expecting the interruption to my thoughts.
After rushing over to the door, I look through the peephole and then open it.
Gabriel is standing there looking exactly like he always does. His jeans are a lighter blue than what he usually wears to the club, but they fit him the same. He has on a navy polo instead of a black shirt, but his loafers are the same, and he’s just as sexy as always.
He grins. “Did I scare you?”
My face heats. I guess he heard me squeal. “I was in my head. You startled me.”
“Are you going to invite me in, Little one?”
Oh right. I take a few steps back and open the door wider. “My apartment is pretty boring,” I say as if it needs an apology.
“I don’t think it’s boring. You’re a college student. I wouldn’t expect it to be your dream home.” He shuts the door behind him. As soon as he does, he steps closer and lifts my chin with one finger. “You look gorgeous, Zia. I’ve never seen you without pigtails and pretty Little dresses.”
I flush. “I wasn’t sure what to wear,” I admit.
“That’s okay. You can wear whatever makes you comfortable when we get to my house.”
“Oh. Should I bring some things with me?”
“Nope. I have everything you could need.”
I frown. “You have other clothes I could wear?” That makes no sense.
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve been pretending you’re mine for months. I’ve made my home someplace you can be yourself, including putting some clothes I thought you would like in your closet.”
“My closet?” My voice squeaks at a much higher pitch than I usually speak in.
He cups my face. “Don’t panic. I’m just prepared.”
I swallow. He’s far more prepared than I would have ever dreamed. It’s one date. He surely didn’t buy me a bunch of things and make changes to his house for today.
“Are you ready, Little one?”
I nod, even though I’m panicking inside. I’m not sure if it’s because this is a huge step for me or the fact that he’s been planning to have me in his home for a while. Probably a combination of both.