Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“I’m done now. You can have the bathroom,” Sterling says from behind me.
He waits in the hallway while I quickly brush my teeth. Then, I do a sniff test on my pits and apply the smallest amount of my natural deodorant. Nothing like smelling like unnatural tacos when a hot guy rips off my shirt. That’s not the first impression I want to make when Sterling sees me partially naked, which is going to happen. Because we at least have to pretend to undress. I’ve already decided he can strip me down to my bra and panties, and since I’m wearing boy shorts and a sports bra, it won’t be that weird. I won’t be any less clothed than when I wear a bikini, I guess.
Jesus, it’s not the same at all. Not one bit.
That’s why my heart is racing hard enough to knock me over backward when I get out of the bathroom. And it picks up as we walk to the bedroom together.
When we enter the bedroom, we stand by the bed for one awkward second.
“Are we doing this?” I whisper yelp. I shut my eyes. I can’t look at him. I feel like I’m going to break a rib with my crazy, erratic heartbeat.
“If you’re still okay with it.”
“I am,” I murmur.
“How should we start? I don’t want to do something you aren’t comfortable with.”
I’m half pleased that he’s the world’s most perfect gentleman and half-starved to have his hands on me. He’s hot and sexy. And he’s my husband. We already agreed we’d try this. I’ve been awake for basically three days straight, thinking about this moment. How far? I don’t think I’ll want him to stop. That’s how far. How far? I’d like his hands all over me, his mouth and his tongue and—
“I’m okay. I’m comfortable if you take off my shirt and pants. I prepared ahead of time with appropriate underwear.”
“Ahh, good. That’s good.”
“How far should I take things for you?” I ask.
“Underwear sounds good.”
“But we should like…kiss, right? As we undress each other?” Please, god, let this man kiss me. I’m dying here. It’s crazy, but I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. Never mind the cousins. I just want to do this. My frozen bits need warming up as the AC is still blasting in the bedroom. It’s going to be nice to get under those covers and have someone else keep me warm.
Being held tight and pressed up against the full hard length of a man who is sexy enough to make my legs jiggly jelly. I nearly start to hyperventilate.
Thank god that’s when Sterling steps into my space, puts his strong hands on my shoulders, and hauls me against his wall of epic muscle. His hands slide down my arms and grasp mine. I can’t feel any bulge in his jeans, so maybe he’s not as turned on as I am. Maybe he’s too cold, and it’s hiding, or he’s just not into this. Maybe he doesn’t find me attractive, and he’s just taking one for the team, or because he has to when we agreed we were doing this. Or it could be that it’s never going to be real for him. Maybe—
There. His eyes go dark, his pupils widening. I still don’t feel anything jutting into my belly or pulsing or hard cock action, but his eyes are dark. There is something there. And when I glance at his throat, I see him swallow hard. I see his pulse leaping as fast as mine is. I hear the stutter in his breath.
He lowers his face, and I tilt mine up, but he doesn’t go for the lip smash, the mouth crush, or the teeth and tongue tangler. Instead, his lips whisper over the side of my neck. They’re like velvet. And then, oh god, his tongue. His tongue makes contact with my skin, tasting me, and he hums low in his throat like I’m even better than those seven or more tacos he ate at dinner.
To eat seven tacos, one really has to enjoy them.
I do the only thing I can do and wrap my arms around his neck, press myself so hard against him that there isn’t space for one of those taco farts I was thinking about earlier, and then pull his face down to mine. I don’t go for bumper car lip action either. I just very lightly press my lips to his, almost hesitating, almost as if I’m asking a question.
It’s like someone did a number on the AC, and it shut itself off. Because the room suddenly erupts in fire. I taste the mint on his lips, the goodness, and the man beneath the freshly brushed teeth, and there’s no stopping the spread of that wildfire. There’s no stopping me.
Chapter seventeen
Sterling
There’s no stopping what Weland has awoken with that kiss.