Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
She swallows visibly, her doe eyes wide as she gives me a shy smile. Her fingers still hover over the piano keys, seemingly paralyzed by my sudden intrusion into her private moment.
"That was…" I begin, but words fail me. How do you describe something so profoundly moving?
She gives me a shy smile, dropping her gaze down to the keys before looking back at me again. "It's about you," she whispers softly.
Her words hit me right in the fucking heart, leaving me raw and exposed. Except, there is no pain. There's only warmth and love. This woman, this radiant, beautiful woman owns me, body and soul. It's incredible how fast and hard I've fallen for her. Like a damn landslide.
I place Koda back on the floor. He huffs at me, clearly annoyed that I'm done petting him. But his big feelings last all of two seconds before he's distracted by a mote of dust hovering in the air. He jumps, trying to catch it in his mouth.
I stride toward Sutton, pulling her up off the bench to press my lips to hers.
The kiss is fierce and desperate, a hunger I can't contain. Because it feels like I'm starving for her touch, her taste, a single second of her affection. She melts into me, her body fitting against mine like we were made for each other.
My hands glide down her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin T-shirt she wears. Her arms wind around my neck, holding on tight as if I'm all that matters in this world. Our kiss intensifies, our tongues seeking and finding one another, dancing wildly.
She pulls away with a gasp, looking up at me with wide eyes. It takes all my strength not to devour her lips again, but I need to hear what she has to say.
"I saw," she whispers, biting her lip nervously. "I saw the pictures."
"I know." I cup her cheek, brushing my thumb across her plump bottom lip. "I'm sorry this happened, Sunshine."
She shakes her head. "It's not your fault," she insists softly. "But people are going to talk."
I pull away from her slightly and look into those hazel eyes of hers. "Let them talk," I murmur darkly, leaning in again to feather another kiss across her lips. "As long as they don't hurt you."
She smiles shyly against my mouth before peeling herself away from my embrace and stepping back. "We should talk about this," she says firmly, heading to the couch near the fireplace where we've spent so many nights together already—although there is no fire burning in the grate tonight.
I follow closely behind, quirking a brow. "I assume you're aware of the madhouse outside by now?"
Her mouth goes slack. "Madhouse?" she echoes.
I take her hands in mine, not breaking eye contact, trying to keep my words gentle, "Yeah, locals trying to get a glimpse of the famed Sutton Reynolds." I say with a chuckle. "They haven't breached our fortress here yet but it's only a matter of time."
Panic flashes in her doe-like eyes and my heart clenches. This is new territory for Sutton—she's never dated before me—and she's been dreading the loss of our privacy for a while now. I think part of her is still afraid it's going to send me running. That isn't going to happen, but it's going to take more than a few hours for her to realize that.
"The deputy outside is keeping them at bay," I assure her.
"You have a deputy parked outside?" Her eyes are wide as saucers as she looks around like she can see through the walls to the chaos brewing on the other side.
"Not me. I assumed you did."
"No." Her brows furrow with confusion and then she groans, dropping her head into her hands. "My dad must have called them."
"I guess he's seen the pictures?"
She musters up a weak smile. "I think so," she whispers. "Um, my mom was going to break the news to him." Her throat works as she swallows convulsively. "You should know…I asked them to come."
Her lips purse as she waits for my reaction. Her hazel eyes are fixed on me as she bites down on her lower lip nervously. "They'll be here sometime tonight," she admits, her voice hushed. "I figured it would be best to get them here before the paparazzi."
I keep my gaze steady, thoughtful but not surprised. I can't say I wasn't expecting this. I mean, it was only a matter of time before they came looking for their little girl. If she were mine, I'd certainly come looking for the motherfucker in the photos with her.
She chuckles nervously at my continued silence, her dimples appearing in full force as she tries to cover up her apprehension. "Surprised?"
"Not really," I admit, giving her a slight shrug while a smirk pulls at the corners of my lips. "I mean, it's Bentley and Cami Reynolds. They aren't exactly going to let their daughter live it up in the mountains with some former military grump without making sure he's worth a damn, Sunshine."