Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 112600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Hollis leaned forward on the couch and looked directly into my eyes. “I’m not going to lie to you. That probably is what got me off my ass. But does the reason I pulled my head out of my ass even matter?”
I searched his eyes. He seemed so sincere… Yet so had Tobias when he said his vows at our wedding. This man could easily crush me. But let’s face it, I’d already given a piece of my heart to him, and it was going to happen whether I dated him or not. I suppose I might as well get a few good dates out of it.
“Fine. But I want to eat at the restaurant in the Mandarin Hotel. When I worked for Soren, I had to meet assholes at the Aviary bar there, and the restaurant always smelled so good. It’s out of my price range.”
The corner of Hollis’s lip twitched. “Done. Anything else?”
Hmm… As long as he was asking…
“I’ve never taken a carriage ride through Central Park.”
“We can do that.”
“Or gone ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza.”
That lip twitched again. “It’s July, but maybe at Christmastime.”
My heart swelled. Christmas was a good five months away. That simple answer told me he wasn’t planning a short fling—not intentionally, anyway.
“Anything else?” He raised a brow.
I tapped my finger to my lip. I’d been teasing, but something important did come to mind. “We don’t tell Hailey what’s going on between us—not at first, anyway. She already wants us to be a family, and I don’t want to disappoint her if things don’t work out.”
Hollis’s mouth formed a straight line, but he nodded. “That’s fine.”
I picked up my wine and drank a sip. “I guess we have a deal then.”
Hollis’s eyes sparkled. “Not yet. You haven’t heard my terms.”
My brows jumped. “Your terms?”
He smirked. “That’s right. Don’t I get terms?”
“I guess that depends on what they are.”
Hollis reached out and took the wine glass from my hand. He lifted it to his lips and proceeded to gulp the remainder. Setting it on the table, he extended his hand to me.
I hesitated, but eventually placed my hand in his. The second I did, Hollis yanked hard, and I was out of my chair and onto his lap. He cupped my cheek. “Number one. No other men. Especially not Benito.”
I pretended to deliberate and then shrugged. “I guess so.”
He scooped a hand under my ass and squeezed. Hard. “Cute. Number two, if we’re not going to be having sex for a while, you’ll need to wear something other than lace panties.”
I pulled my head back. “You don’t like my lace panties?”
“I love them. But since I’ll have to take care of myself for the time being, you’ll be leaving your panties behind at the end of our dates. The lace can be chafing.”
My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe he’d just told me he rubbed my panties against his dick so hard that it chafed him.
“I’ll need to amend my conditions, please.”
He arched a brow.
“I’ll need some new panties. I only have one or two pairs that aren’t lace.”
Hollis flashed a wicked grin. “That would be my pleasure.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Are we done?”
“No. I have one more condition.”
“Shoot.”
He looked me up and down. “Don’t wear this dress on any of our dates.”
I pouted. “You don’t like my dress?”
“Just the opposite. I fucking love it. If you wear it, I won’t be able to stop myself from ripping it off you and fucking you up against the wall at some point.”
I swallowed. Oooohhh. Up against the wall. That sounds really good.
Hollis growled. “I need a fourth condition.”
“What?”
“Don’t look like that around me.”
“Like what?”
“Like you really want me to fuck you up against the wall.”
My eyes softened.
Hollis pulled me against his chest and pressed a sweet kiss to my forehead. “Are we good?”
I nodded. “I think so.”
‘Then I better go.”
“Go? Why?”
“Because your ass is sitting on my dick, and I’m going to try to break rule number one in the next five minutes if I don’t, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart. I liked that.
Hollis brushed his lips with mine. “Tomorrow night. Seven o’clock.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
“Get some sleep.”
I walked him to the door.
“Be careful driving.”
He’d made it a few steps out of my house when I called after him. “Hollis?”
He turned back.
I reached under my dress and slid my panties down my legs. Stepping out, I picked up the black lace thong and tossed it at him. “Sorry. You’ll have to deal with a little chafing tonight.”
He caught my thong and lifted it to his nose, taking a deep whiff. “Mmmm… Missed this.”
The sight of him smelling my underwear was so damn erotic. Apparently Hollis might not be the only one handling himself tonight.
Seeing my face, he winked. “I’ll pick you up some batteries when I get your new panties.”