Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“I call you Em when I’m thinking of stripping you naked and burying myself in you,” I counter.
I watch as her mouth opens and then snaps shut. I grin when her cheeks fill with color and the blush spreads until even her ears are pink. I never thought having a woman who was innocent would be exciting.
I was so wrong.
“Stop that.”
“Stop what?” I murmur. I brace my hands on the arms of her chair, then stretch over her so that I whisper the words against her ear. I drag the ridge of my nose along the inside of her neck, breathing her sweet scent inside. She even smells innocent—clean and pure with just a hint of a floral scent. It’s nothing heavy at all, more like wildflowers blooming on a sunny day. All I know is that it is addicting. Emilia is addicting.
“You can’t kiss me and make me agree to sign that contract, Niko. It’s silly. If something happens to you, I’m not marrying you. That’s like agreeing to spend the rest of my life alone. Besides, it’s a ludicrous proposition.”
“It may not be needed, but we both know what kind of world I live in. Dante’s father was shot down in his prime. I need this for my sanity, so that if something happens, I can still take care of you.”
“How can you take care of me if you’re not alive? Surely, you can see that your contract is insane.”
“Then just sign it to humor me,” I cajole as I kiss along her neck and up to her cheek.
“Niko, what kind of game are you playing here?” she asks, her words breaking into a moan as I rake my teeth against the tender flesh of her neck.
“I’m not playing, Em. You said you wanted to experiment and I’m showing you how good having a husband nearby to experiment on could be,” I respond while I slide my hands up under her shirt.
This is new. Having known Emilia since she was a kid, I haven’t allowed myself to recognize the woman that she’s grown into. Kissing her was like opening Pandora’s box. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, it’s as if my world has been shifted on its axis. I’m not letting her go. If I have to use trickery to get what I want, then so be it. I’ve accepted that Emilia is mine. Now, I’m going to protect her—even if she fights me tooth and nail.
Emilia’s hand moves down to try and stop mine. Her hold warms my skin even through the fabric of her shirt. “What are you doing?” she asks, sounding panicked. “My father could walk in.”
“Maxwell is attending meetings in town today. It’s just you and me here and I feel the need to touch my fiancée.”
“N-Niko… this isn’t going to make me ch-change my mind.”
I can practically feel the nervousness coming off her in waves. Who knew that would be such a turn on?
“Relax, Em. I just want to make you feel good.”
“I don’t feel bad,” she whines. “I’m not sick.”
“I am,” I whisper, palming her breasts. I press against her and begin nibbling on her lips. I run my tongue along them, before slipping inside, tasting her mouth.
She moans and I swallow the sound down as the kiss deepens. Her tongue slides against mine, dancing and teasing without realizing it. I growl as I explore, memorizing the taste of her and the heat that we are creating together. We kiss until my lungs burn for the need of oxygen. When we pull apart, I’m rewarded by her ragged breathing.
Her eyes are dilated, her lips swollen, and the look of her has my cock so fucking hard that it’s painful. How could I not see what this woman was going to do to me? I want her with a ferociousness that I never knew existed. “W-w-we sh-shouldn’t,” she stutters as I push her shirt up and lift it over her head. “You said you were sick.”
She may be trying to deny me with her words, but she doesn’t keep me from taking her shirt off. She wants me as much as I want her. Emilia may not understand the significance of that—but I do. I had resigned myself to a marriage with her. Still, knowing that the attraction between us translates to magic when we’re together, soothes over whatever reservations I had.
“I am, sweetheart. You have me burning up. It’s a fever only you can quench.”
She may think that’s a line, but it’s not. It’s a shock, but not an altogether unwelcomed one. I push her bra up and out of the way. I want to strip her so there’s nothing between us. That’s can’t happen right now. Today, I’m just giving her a taste. Emilia is going to learn what a hard negotiator I am.