Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Veronica nods, her smile widening. “Then screw the press. Screw the gossip mill. Screw other people’s opinions. If you want it, chase it like one of your stories. I won’t stand in your way.”
Maddie leaps from the couch and walks across the room, pulling her mom into a hug. Veronica laughs in delight and wraps her arms around her daughter. Over Maddie’s shoulder, Veronica gives me a look. The wordless message is clear.
Take care of her.
I nod. I always will.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Madison
A week after we told Mom the truth, Jacob walks into our apartment. His apartment, I correct myself, though he’s told me countless times I can think of it as mine, too. The day after we told Mom, I stayed the night, and I’ve never left.
Slowly, I’ve been moving my stuff here. It’s heaven waking up to Jacob every morning, nuzzling close to him every night.
There’s speculation in the media, people wondering who I am and what Jacob and I are to each other. Without the deal at stake—since Trent nuked it the second he published the photos—Jacob doesn’t care.
“Let them gossip,” he said a couple of nights ago. “We have each other. They have their pathetic rumors.”
I stand when Jacob walks into the living room wearing his work gear. I’ve spent the day working on my website, paying attention to a few smaller pieces submitted by my readers.
When Jacob told me I could quit my waitressing job, I said no. I didn’t have to. Honestly, it didn’t take much persuading, especially when he said, “I’m your man. Your future husband. I’m going to provide for you always.”
He strides over to me and sweeps me into his arms. He does this every day as if he can’t wait to kiss me. We sink together, savoring the contact, savoring the steamy closeness. We’ll never stop wanting this. We’re incapable of stopping.
“It’s over,” he says, holding me tight once the kiss is done. “The deal’s finally buried. We ate a lot in legal fees, but so did Trent, and now he’s got a watchdog on his ass for journalistic malpractice, not to mention the fact he was taking those dogs to run underground dog fights if you can believe it. He’s got a long, hard road ahead of him.”
“How does it end?” I ask.
“Most likely, he’ll have to step down as CEO. He might even do some jail time. Hopefully, somebody with more integrity will take his place. Either way, it will go public eventually. His stock is already falling because of the dog situation.”
“Publishing those photos was the stupidest thing he’s ever done.”
“Agreed, but I’m glad he did, on some level.”
“Why?” I ask, shocked.
“Because now the whole world knows you belong to me. Anybody who’s ever met me knows I’m off the table, and the same goes for you.”
“Not that many people were—”
I’m about to offer up a self-hating comment, but Jacob interrupts me with a kiss.
“What did I say about putting yourself down, eh?” he says.
I grin. “Sorry. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“I want the entire world to know we’re together,” he says, “which is why I’m taking you on a ride.”
“What sort of ride?”
At first, I felt a little silly when I put this steamy suggestion into my voice, but this past week, we’ve grown too close for me to brand my desire as a joke. We’ve had sex countless times in different positions. The most nerve-inducing was the first time I went on top. I had to bite back a thousand comments about my body, about how I shake or move in unappealing ways.
The second the sex began, I knew I was wrong. He grabbed my hips, moving them in time with my motions, and then helped me toward the end when my body got tired, and all the while, he was groaning, staring, captivated.
“Get your mind out of the gutter,” he teases, sliding his hand down to my ass and squeezing possessively.
“Not that sort of ride?”
“No. I’m taking you up in a helicopter.”
“You’re being very mysterious. You know that, right?”
“I’ve got to keep you on your toes.”
“Me too,” I say, delighted. “Forever is a long time, after all.”
“Think you’ll get bored?”
I love the way we banter and tease, always with a current of passion flowing beneath the surface, imbuing every single word.
“I could live a million lifetimes with you, Jacob, and never get bored. Not once.”
As exhilarating as the helicopter ride is, I spend much of it watching Jacob. He sits opposite me, the harness cutting into his body and emphasizing his powerful form. I wonder if the day will ever come when I tire of admiring his physical strength, the bulging muscles that hypnotize me, draw me in, and escort my thoughts swiftly to the bedroom.
But there’s something wrong. Or not wrong, maybe, but different. It’s clear in how he looks at me, his intense eyes passing across me quickly, and his hands most of all. He’s fidgeting, something I can’t remember him doing before. He won’t tell me where we’re heading.