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 hold out my hand, palm out, and wait. She brings her hand to put it on top of mine. I hide my smile. She reads my mind easily and doesn’t even recognize how in tune to one another we are. I do though, and it pleases me beyond words. Emilia will be perfect in my world. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it before sliding the ring onto her finger. “You belong to me, sweetheart and soon, you will be in my bed every night, wearing nothing but this ring and the wedding band that will bind us together forever.”
She stands, completely naked, goes up on the tips of her toes and initiates our kiss, showing me again, there’s a fire inside of her. I’m going to make it my mission to bring it out in her. I won’t rest until I do.
CHAPTER 21
Emilia
Three Days Later
“How is my girl?” Niko’s voice purrs in my ear. Tingles of awareness spark every single nerve ending in my body. I stretch, enjoying the sensation as I burrow down under the covers.
It has been three long days since Niko left. I haven’t seen him since the night at the beach and I miss him. Truth be told, I ache for him. I still can’t believe I let him do that to me in the middle of the beach, or that even after two orgasms, I still wanted more. I hate that he still held back, but I don’t think a man can fake the way Niko was with me that night. I could read the hunger on his face. It’s going to be okay. We may have gotten together differently than what is normal for others, but we are together and there is a connection between us to build on. For me it goes deeper than that. It’s emotional. I think I love him. If it’s not love yet, it soon will be. I’m just terrified to trust him. If he hurts me, it may destroy me.
“I miss you,” I finally respond, feeling vulnerable, but not wanting to lie to him.
“I feel the same way about you, sweetheart. More than I should,” he says, his voice gruff. He doesn’t sound happy that he misses me, and I try not to let that hurt. He’s a man and Niko is definitely not a hearts and flowers kind of guy. “I do have some bad news, though.”
My heart contracts a little in my chest. I rub the slight sting of pain I feel. “Bad news?”
“These meetings are taking longer than I anticipated. It looks like your father and I may be here for another week.”
“Oh,” I respond, unable to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
“I’m sorry, Em. It can’t be helped. Your father is pretty happy about that fact, only because he doesn’t want to deal with his sister and the others she’s bringing with her. I don’t like leaving you this long, especially knowing what you’ll be facing with them. Let me fly you out here.”
“No, that would be silly. I’ll be fine. I can deal with them for a little while. Besides, this way you might miss me so much you won’t call our next evening together over so quickly.”
He lets out a soft laugh and the sound slides through me. It’s not as free as the last time he laughed for me, but it’s there. “Who knew my innocent, little fiancée was going to be so insatiable?”
“Is that bad?” I murmur, grinning so deeply that my face hurts.
“It’s good, Em. All of you is good.”
“You sure you can’t come home and say the heck with the meetings?” I joke.
“You have no idea how much I truly want to, sweetheart. I can’t, though. I don’t think it would be good for us to start off married life by pissing off DeLuca.”
“Probably not.”
“Definitely not. You’d be looking for a new fiancé and attending my funeral.”
“Don’t joke about that, Niko.”
“Careful,” he warns. “It almost sounds like you’re getting attached to me.”
“I could be,” I tease, knowing I’m way past that.
“Good. I better go. It’s three in the morning here and we’re meeting again at eight.”
“I hate time differences,” I grumble.
“You could agree to come here,” he tries again.
“You just hurry and get your business done over there and come home, deal?”
“I have to say, I’ve never really been in a hurry to get back stateside before. Having you has changed that. I’ll see you soon, Emilia, and I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I smile, thinking I love how he goes back and forth from calling me Em and Emilia. The tone in his voice is different each time.
“I’m going to Zoe’s tonight,” I remind him. “If I call you tomorrow, it will probably be from her house.”
“So, you’re saying I’m not going to get phone sex?” he mutters. His words startle a laugh out of me.