Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
I tested out the waters and moved my hand to her thigh, feeling the soft skin of those beautiful legs. My eyes stayed on the road with my hand on the wheel, so I didn’t see her reaction if she had one.
She didn’t push my hand away. Instead, she hooked her arm around my forearm, her small hand resting partially on top of mine, her skin cold to the touch against the heat of my skin.
We drove the rest of the way in silence, the radio off.
She wasn’t a talker like most women. She didn’t run her mouth a million miles a minute. Whenever she spoke, it was deliberate and purposeful. Silence was a sign of confidence, so if she could withstand the tension that built between us, that meant her spine was metal rather than jelly.
I parked the Range Rover then placed my hand against her lower back as I guided her to the entrance. Even in her sky-high heels, she was still a foot shorter than me. My hand rested right above the top of her perky ass, and I wanted to slide it down farther.
I pulled out her chair when we made it to our table then sat across from her.
She was a bombshell in that little black dress, thin straps over her shoulders, her tits stretching the fabric the way my arms nearly ripped through my shirt. She’d taped down her nipples instead of wearing a bra, but she was cold, so her nipples were slightly visible as they pebbled.
I’d offer her my jacket if I had one.
But I was glad I didn’t.
I ordered two scotches the second the waitress walked up, then we were left alone again.
“I appreciate scotch, but I don’t drink it the way you do.”
“You’ll get there.”
A little smile moved on to her full lips. “I’d be hammered all day if I drank that much.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I had a buzz. Scotch was like water to me now.
The waitress returned with the two glasses.
“She’ll also have a water.”
The waitress nodded and walked away.
“I’ll drink yours if you don’t want it.”
“And you’ll be able to drive out of here?” she asked incredulously.
“I can do more than drive, sweetheart.”
Her smile slowly disappeared, and so did her gaze.
I was desperate to know what had happened between her and her husband, but I would never ask. I didn’t like to pull information out of people, only receive it freely…unless they were stupid enough to cross me.
The fact that she’d asked me to dinner told me some of the story—that she was either ready to give the open marriage a try or she was ready to move on. Maybe she would tell me by the end of the night.
The waitress returned with the water.
“Thank you,” Astrid said quietly, her eyes dark with the shadow she wore. She had catlike eyes, and she’d done something with her makeup to make them appear bigger, smokier and sultrier.
This woman sold art, but she could easily sell herself. I’d been with escorts who charged a million dollars for the evening—and she could charge double. I hadn’t fucked her yet, but even if she just lay there while I did all the work, that’d be just fine with me.
I picked up the menu and took a look. “I hope you aren’t getting another salad.”
She smirked slightly, like she might laugh. “I don’t want to look bloated.”
“Why?”
She seemed to realize what she’d just admitted and looked down into her water glass before she took a drink. “Just don’t.”
“A belly isn’t going to make my dick less hard, sweetheart.”
Her eyes immediately flicked up.
“Get what you want,” I said. “I’m getting the lasagna.” I set the menu down, confident in my selection.
She continued to stare at me before she looked at the menu again.
When the waitress returned to the table, I ordered first to give her another moment to decide. “I’ll take the meat lasagna.”
She took one final look at the menu before she handed it over. “I’ll have the same.”
I smirked before I took a drink. “Attagirl.”
“My parents are from Milan,” she said. “We moved to Florence when I was about ten.”
“They still live in the city?”
“No…they’re gone.”
I gave a slow nod in understanding, absorbing her sadness. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while now.”
“Can I ask what happened?” Unless her parents were older when they had her, they should still be mobile and healthy. It must have been a tragedy, like a car accident.
“Well, my mom got sick. By the time they caught it, there was nothing they could do. She was gone in three weeks. And then my dad…” She stopped and stared at her water glass, taking a moment to combat the pain inside. “He killed himself a month after she was gone. He just couldn’t live without her…” She moved her stare from the water glass to her half-eaten plate, keeping her emotion locked behind an invisible dam as best she could.