Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
He shakes his head, amusement crossing his handsome features. “Terrifying watchdogs, aren’t they? Well, there you go. Those are the children you’ll be babysitting.”
I whip around to face him, trying to see if he’s joking. “Y-your dogs?”
He nods. “Thor and Hercules. Listen, it’s late. I’m going to show you to your room. You can shower, watch television, whatever you want, but I have to get some rest. It’s been a long day.”
“Will the kitten be okay?”
He points to her curled up on Thor’s bed—I know because his name is embroidered in bold letters on the side. “What do you think?”
Despite our weird situation, I laugh softly. The safest place for this kitten is with the dogs.
I follow Chris up the stairs to the second floor. From here, I can look down on the entry and the huge living room. The heavy silk curtains, plush velvet sofa, two gilded mirrors, and of course, the chandelier—everything just screams luxury, and I wonder if I’m allowed to touch anything or if he’s worried I’ll just dirty the trappings of his wealth.
“Come on. It’s this way.” He leads me down the hall, and to be fair to the guy, he doesn’t snap at me whenever I stop to admire the antique furniture and artwork hanging on the walls. He patiently waits until I’m done.
We stop and he opens a door, showing me inside. He clicks on the light and the room comes into view. Oh wow. It’s huge with a plush, white carpet, a sitting area, and a king-size bed full of embroidered pillows and a duvet in shades of white and lavender. The walls are painted ivory, and the moonlight filters through the ivory lace curtains.
He walks across the room to show me the bathroom with its huge soaker tub, marble shower, and vanity table.
It’s like I’ve stepped into a different world. I feel so out of place here. I’m afraid that if I touch anything, it will disappear like a mirage under my fingertips.
“Uhm. This is really nice. But…since I had no idea I wouldn’t be coming back to my home anymore, I don’t have anything to wear to bed. What do I do about my clothes?”
Something flares in his eyes, and he sucks his bottom lip between his teeth. “Hold on. I’ll be right back.”
So there’s no wife and kids after all. That thought excites me more than it should. What’s wrong with me? He and my father made a deal and traded me like some kind of property. I should be mad as hell right now…but I’m not…not at him at least. My father, however, is an entirely different matter.
Besides, if Chris is planning something nefarious, I doubt he’ll bring me to his home like a guest. He’ll trap me in a dungeon somewhere if that’s his plan. I can’t exactly fight him. I’m not even half his size, but despite how dangerous he is, I can’t find it in me to fear him. I just can’t. Based on what I’ve seen so far, I doubt he’s going to hurt me.
He comes back into the room, carrying a white tee shirt. He walks straight up to me and holds it against my body. His big hands on my shoulders make me feel all warm and tingly inside, and my core clenches.
Something crackles between us, the air now thick and charged, and his hands tighten. I let out a breathy sigh and his nostrils flare.
“It’s big but it’ll get you through the night.” A vein protrudes on his forehead, and he looks like he’s on the verge of telling me something but ultimately decides against it. He steps back as though I’ve burned him.
“What about tomorrow or the next day or however long you plan on keeping me?”
“I’ll have someone take you shopping in the morning.” He turns to leave but stops and adds, “After you feed the dogs and take them out.”
Once he leaves, I breathe a sigh of relief. He can feel the tension too, right? It’s not just me, right? I’m not supposed to be attracted to this guy who essentially bought me, but that’s exactly what’s happening.
With nothing else to do, I begin to poke around. The bathroom has a floor-to-ceiling cabinet and I open it. I pull out a towel the size of a bed sheet and rub it against my cheek. I didn’t know towels came this soft and smelled like lavender. There are soaps, shampoos, bath salts, and even lotions in the cabinet, so I decide to try out the big fancy tub before bed.
As I lie in the warm, bubbling water, I close my eyes and try to make sense of my situation. If Chris Cassella wanted to hurt me, he wouldn’t put me in a room like this. He’d have me sleeping with the dogs or worse.