Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“It was a habit I picked up in prison,” he answers without sounding ashamed.
I already know that he served time, but I don’t know any of the details. I’ve never asked because it didn’t matter to me.
“Did you ever look it up, what I was convicted of?”
I shake my head. I know from the rumors around town that it was murder. I’ve always figured that if Roman were involved, there had to be a good reason.
He’s silent for a long moment. “When I was young, I started hanging out with some guys who were trouble. We committed petty crimes together, stupid teenage stuff. Graffiti on the local bridge, shoplifting candy bars, and vandalizing a movie theater. Then one day, we got it in our heads to rob a bank. I went along with it because I was dumb and thought the world owed me something.” He shakes his head sadly.
I’m quiet, giving him space to tell his story. I want to reach out and touch him, to take his hand and offer him comfort in this moment. But I sense how hard this is for him to talk about, so I don’t do that. Instead, I offer him the one thing I can, a listening ear.
“I didn’t pull the trigger, but a security guard tried to intervene when we held up the bank. My buddies all fled, but the police caught me. I went away for years and got out on good behavior in my late twenties. I sat around feeling sorry for myself after that. I was convinced life had given me a shit hand. Then one day, I realized what I’d done. I took a dad away from his three daughters. I took a husband away from his wife. I destroyed a family, and that’s not something I can ever fix.” His voice breaks with those last words.
I don’t know how to comfort him. It’s not the type of thing you can take back, and we both know it. “You’re not the same man.”
“That same lost little kid is still inside of me,” When he speaks now, his voice is soft. I can feel his spirit breaking under the weight of his shame.
“That might be true. But if you were given the same path again today, I know you would make different choices. You’ve learned, and you’ve grown.”
“Doesn’t change what I am.”
“Well, it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
His head snaps up at my admission, and the next thing I know, he’s on the couch beside me. He pulls me into his lap. “You’re a gift I don’t deserve, and I’m going to show you how precious you are.”
6
GABBY
“You’re a gift I don’t deserve, and I’m going to show you how precious you are,” Roman says.
When he pulls me into his lap, my wanton body immediately begins grinding down on his hardness. My hands go to his bare shoulders, and I like the way his eyes darken now that I’m touching him.
“That’s right, kitten. Use my body to get yourself off.”
I lean forward and fuse our lips together, but the moment my lips touch his, his hand is tangling in my hair. He uses his grip to control my head, plundering my mouth and deepening our kiss. The way he nips at me sends tingles throughout my body.
I writhe on his lap, grinding my pelvis against his. It would be embarrassing except that he’s so hard. He wants this as much as I do. I love it when he groans and grabs a handful of my ass, squeezing my cheek roughly in his big palm.
“Fuck,” he says when he breaks the kiss long enough to let me suck in oxygen. But I don’t want oxygen. I want more of him. More of Roman, my sexy mountain man.
I moan his name and press kisses to the sensitive skin of his neck, the way he did to me last night. I move my hips in slow circles, another rush of moisture hitting my panties.
Everything in me clenches and stars explode behind my eyes. I squeeze my thighs together and hump his lap shamelessly, chasing that release. When I’m done, I slump against him and he lets out a soft chuckle.
My cheeks heat, and I try to scramble off of him. But he refuses to let me go, holding me prisoner right there.
He captures my chin in his hand and growls at me. “Don’t you run away. Don’t you act like this is something dirty or something to be ashamed of. My body exists to provide for you. If an orgasm is what you need, I’ll damn sure be the man taking care of you.”
I don’t know what to say to that. But before I can reply, my stomach growls and lets both of us know how hungry I am.
He smiles at me. “Providing for you includes breakfast.”