Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
She bit her lip. “But Florida...that’s where you...”
He knew right away what she couldn’t say, knew she was talking about the time he had almost gotten beaten to death as he tried to fight against the men preventing him from talking to Mairi.
“I don’t consider that a bad memory, matakia mou.”
“Y-you don’t?”
“That was one of the few moments I could prove to you I truly love you,” he said tightly. “How can I ever consider that a bad memory?”
His words made her smile tremulously. “You w-were hospitalized, s-so many broken ribs, and you had even been u-unconscious for a time.” She choked, holding back both tears and laughter. “How indeed?”
He laughed. Licking her tears, raining kisses over her face, he said, “I love you,” over and over. He couldn’t believe how good it felt, being able to say the words.
When her tears were dry, he asked quietly, “What do you think?”
She laid a hand against his cheek. “Wherever you want to go, Damen.”
Chapter 3
THE SOUND OF AN ALARM clock buzzing drilled into the silence of the room, causing its sole occupant to stir. Slim, petite, and dark-haired, the girl barely made an impression on the vast bed. Looking at her, most people would be forgiven for thinking of her as a teenager. But she wasn’t that. At all.
Even as she woke up slowly, her fingers were already moving, searching for the feel of a familiar hard body that should be next to her in bed. But it wasn’t, and this made her eyes flutter open.
Oh.
She really was alone.
A note lying against the pillow next to her caught her gaze, and slowly she reached for it.
The masculine handwriting on the note never failed to make her smile, and the thought that her husband, once a self-confessed unbeliever of love, was writing her a note made her lips curve in a wider smile.
Good morning, my love.
I’ve left early for work. Forgive me for not waking you up – I thought you’d need your rest after last night. I’d apologize for that, too – if it wouldn’t be a lie. If you want the truth, I look forward to making love to you over and over tonight again.
If you want it crass...I’m counting the seconds until I can fuck you into passing out.
An embarrassed laugh escaped her at the last sentence. Even now, the fact that her extremely sophisticated husband could talk so dirty made her squirm in a mixture of self-consciousness and desire.
Her eyes drifted back to the rest of the note.
Did that make you wet, sweetheart? I bet it did.
Can’t wait to see you again. Call me when you’re up.
Your husband,
Damen
For several long moments, Mairi could only gaze at the note, her heart bursting with so much happiness that even now it scared her. It was crazy, how it felt like she loved Damen Leventis more and more each day. It just kept growing, deepening, at a terrifying rate – so much so, she couldn’t help ask herself.
Could life truly be this beautiful forever?
As soon as the insidious thought entered her mind, she pushed it away just as quickly. Reaching for Damen’s note, she folded it carefully and took the note with her as she got up from bed. Padding towards her dressing table in one corner of the room, she pulled the drawer open and placed it inside, together with the other notes from Damen that she lovingly cherished.
Pushing the drawer closed, she headed back to bed and reached for her phone on the table.
Mairi: Good morning. I got your note, but I still miss you.
She hesitated before sending it, wondering if it sounded too clingy. Normally she tried to keep it cool, not wanting to risk making her Greek billionaire feel claustrophobic in their marriage.
Whoever said about married couples with fairy tale weddings living happily ever after had it wrong, Mairi thought. Every day of her marriage was a dream come true, but it was also hard work, the way everything felt like a rollercoaster. Her little one was a blessing, and though she loved their baby to pieces, she couldn’t help worrying. Damen Leventis had lived by his own rules all his life. Wasn’t it inevitable he would feel tied down by their life?
Biting her lip, she decided to clear the entire message and start again.
Mairi: Good morning. I got your note – thank you. I’m going to keep it, too. I hope you don’t tire yourself too much at work. I look forward to seeing you tonight, too. I love you. Your wife, Mairi Tanner-Leventis
Sent.
And that was that, Mairi thought. It wasn’t really what she wanted to say, but none of it was a lie either.
She headed to their huge en-suite bathroom, one that also made headlines when Damen allowed a popular lifestyle magazine to feature their home in exchange for having a percentage of their sales donated to charity. The bathroom was tasteful and decadent at the same time, decorated in shades of black, gold, and purple.