Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 21
VIVIENNE
“I felt guilt for so long because I had them telling me that it was me and nothing to do with them.” His voice quivers as he says this, and I can’t even pretend I’m okay because I’m not. The tears are running down my face like a stream. His story cut me to the core. My head is still reeling as his words play over and over in my head, I almost ended my life. I can’t even fathom feeling that lonely. My heart broke for him having no one. Not one person to fight for him. Not one person to hold his hand.
When he jumped up and ran down the stairs, I had no idea what he was going to do. To be honest, the only thing that went through my head was he was going to bring me his books to sign. But it was so much more than that. He came back and showed me the book I made my assistant send to the foundation, never thinking that it would go for the price it did. I even joked and put in a bid for it, but then it went above and beyond. I always wondered who bid on it.
My hand leaves the book, and I finally do what I’ve wanted to do since he told me his story. I cup his cheek in my hand, my fingers tingling with his scruff. “You are so brave.” My thumb rubs the wetness of his cheek. My whole body screams at me to kiss him. My head, my body, my heart, they are all in sync. My head moves in closer to his, stopping midway. If this is going to happen, he’s got to meet me halfway. I have to know I’m not the only one feeling this. My eyes stare into his, both of us not moving. My eyes plead with him to take that last step. My heart is pounding so hard and so fast I’m surprised it’s not coming out of my chest. He is the one who takes the final leap toward me, crushing his lips on mine.
His hands drop the book between us as they go into my hair, the both of us closing the rest of the gap between us. My head moves to the side as my mouth opens for him, and his tongue slides in with mine. We moan as our tongues go around and around. I get up on my knees, and he follows my movement, neither of us breaking the kiss. My hand moves from his face to around his neck, trying to get us even closer to each other. I’m so lost in the kiss; I don’t notice Beatrice trying to get between us before she barks. I can’t help but laugh, breaking the kiss. “Does she not like to share her master?”
“I have no idea.” He kisses my lips again softly. “I haven’t kissed a girl.” I pull back to look at him.
“Lie detector says that’s a lie.” I laugh.
“You.” He kisses my lips. “Didn’t.” He repeats the kiss, his hand moving from my hair to my cheek as he holds my face in his hand. “Let.” He rubs his nose with mine before kissing me again. “Me.” He kisses me, his tongue sliding into my mouth. “Finish.”
“I’m all for you finishing.” I wink at him. “Beatrice, not so much.” He throws his head back and he laughs. His hands fall off my face, and I want to grab his hands back to touch me. I lean in one more time to kiss his lips. “There, you can kiss him all you want,” I tell Beatrice as I get up, and she lies down on the book.
“Hey,” Xavier says, “my book.” He pushes her to the side, grabbing the book and dusting it off. I can’t help my laughter. “It’s a first edition.” He gawks at me.
“I have another one if that one gets messed up,” I assure him. “Should we do lunch?”
“I guess.” He gets up. “Since kissing is off the table.”
“Kissing is definitely on the table,” I tell him. “We can do the kissing after we make lunch.”
He gets up with the book in one hand as he walks next to me, grabbing my hand in his. I look down at our hands, and I have this overwhelming sense that I’ve done this before. “What’s wrong?” he asks, and I just shake my head. How does one explain that it feels like we’ve done this before without sounding like a crazy person?
“Just hungry,” I lie to him because, truth be told, my stomach is still doing flip-flops from his kiss. We’ve shared one kiss, one amazing kiss. A kiss that, if I’m being honest, I want to do again and again and again.
He lets my hand go to walk in front of me, getting to the last step and then holding out his hand for me. “Thank you,” I say, standing right in front of him. I smile up at him, and his eyes are a soft blue right now. “That was very chivalrous of you.” He laughs at me, bending his head to kiss me. I can’t even help myself from leaning into him. Wanting to feel his skin on me, he slips one arm around my waist, pulling me to him as I wrap my arms around his neck.