Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
I take my time getting ready, slipping into a fitted cream-colored turtleneck sweater, soft black leggings that mold to my curves. I smooth on the makeup, feeling like I’m getting ready for something important, something... life-changing. When I look at myself in the mirror, I barely recognize the girl staring back. I feel like a princess.
The mansion feels even larger as I wander through its halls, my footsteps echoing off the marble floors. Everything about this place is opulent—rich wood accents, towering windows, chandeliers that sparkle like stars. I feel like I’ve stepped into a fairytale, but I can’t shake the unease creeping up my spine. Why would someone like Nathan want someone like me in his world?
I search for him, my thoughts swirling, until I hear his voice—sharp, frustrated, coming from one of the rooms off the hallway. I pause, glancing around the corner, and see him on the phone, his back to me. His muscles are tense, his tone clipped as he speaks in low, hushed tones. It’s clear this isn’t a conversation he wants anyone overhearing.
I wait, unsure of whether to interrupt, but before I can make a decision, Nathan turns, his eyes locking on mine. His expression softens, the tension melting from his face as he ends the call.
“You’re ready,” he says, his voice warm now, as if nothing had happened.
I nod, feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze. “These clothes... they’re beautiful.”
He steps closer, his hand resting lightly on my arm. “They suit you. You look... perfect.”
My cheeks flush, but before I can respond, Nathan offers me his arm. “Come. Let’s take a walk.”
NATHAN
After retrieving our coats, I take her hand, guiding her out into the crisp winter air. The grounds of the estate are covered in a blanket of fresh snow, the towering trees casting long shadows in the fading light. There’s something about walking through the stillness of it all that calms me, but tonight, with Isabella beside me, I feel anything but calm.
Her hand is soft and small in mine, and I glance down at her as we walk. She looks perfect, wrapped in the luxurious coat I had delivered earlier, her cheeks flushed from the cold. She’s nervous, I can tell, but I want her to see this place the way I do—to feel the peace that comes with being here.
We walk in silence for a while, the only sound the crunch of snow beneath our feet. I can feel her tension, the way she glances at me like she’s still trying to figure out why I want her here. But I know why. I’ve known since the moment I saw her.
“This place is beautiful,” she says softly, her voice breaking the quiet.
I nod, squeezing her hand gently. “It’s been in my family for generations,” I say, my voice low. “I grew up running through these woods with my brothers. This estate... it’s my home.”
She looks up at me, her wide eyes shining in the dim light. “You’re lucky to have a place like this,” she whispers.
I pause, turning to face her, my hand still holding hers. “I’d be luckier if I had someone to share it with,” I say, my voice rougher than I intended.
She laughs softly, shaking her head. “We’re strangers, Nathan. I’m not from a world like yours.”
I step closer, pulling her gently toward me, my hands sliding to her waist. “You could be,” I murmur, my voice soft but insistent. “You belong here, with me.”
Her eyes widen, and for a moment, everything stills. The air between us feels heavy with something unsaid, something that’s been building since the moment we met. And before I can stop myself, I lean down, capturing her lips with mine.
The kiss is soft at first, tentative, but the moment she responds, everything changes. My hands tighten on her waist, pulling her closer, and the heat between us ignites. She melts into me, her fingers clutching my coat, and I can feel the desperation in her touch—the same desperation I’ve been fighting since I first laid eyes on her.
I pull back just enough to look at her, her lips swollen, her breath coming fast. “Come with me,” I murmur, my voice rough with need. “I want you, Isabella.”
She hesitates for a moment, but then she nods, her cheeks flushed with more than just the cold. “Okay.”
The second the door to my bedroom closes behind us, something in me shifts. I’ve been in control my whole life, built everything from nothing, and kept myself guarded against anything that might make me weak. But now, looking at Isabella—her innocent eyes wide and vulnerable, her lips parted in anticipation—I feel that control slipping. I want her. In every way.
Her small hand is warm in mine as I lead her to the bed, and I can already feel my cock hardening with the thought of what’s about to happen. But I’m going to take my time. I’m going to make her feel cherished, worshipped, because that’s what she deserves.