Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
I leave Everleigh to whisper good night to our son and walk to the living room.
I’m fucking nervous. There’s been such a huge build-up to the kiss, and I feel pressured not to fuck it up.
Shrugging my suit jacket off, I roll up the sleeves of my dress shirt. My eyes keep flicking to the hallway, but when too much time passes and there’s no sign of Everleigh, I frown.
What’s keeping her?
I check that the front door is locked, and when she’s still MIA, I head down the hallway.
I peek into Vincent’s room, and not seeing her, I walk to her bedroom. I nudge the door open, and hearing running water, I slowly move closer to the bathroom.
A smile spreads over my face when I catch her staring at her reflection in the mirror.
“You’re a confident woman. It’s just a kiss. Don’t pass out on the man. Jesus.” She places a trembling hand over her stomach. “The butterflies are going to make me puke. Crap. No puking. That would be a sure turn-off.”
Fucking. Cute.
Sneaking back to the living room, I take a seat and make myself comfortable.
I hear her soft footsteps coming down the hallway and quickly pull out my phone, pretending to read something.
“Hey,” she whispers.
As I glance up, I tuck the device away. “Hey.”
She’s changed out of the dress into a pair of leggings and a T-shirt.
“Soooo….” She gives me an anxious look. “Ahh…do you want some coffee?”
I shake my head and pat the cushion beside me. “Come sit, moya malen'kaya lyubov'.” Cautiously she moves closer, taking a seat. “Did you enjoy dinner?”
She nods. “It was really amazing. Thank you.”
“Vincent looked adorable,” I mention.
A smile spreads over her face. “He did.”
“Sorry for keeping you out of work today,” I say, wanting to make her feel comfortable before I kiss her.
“I’ll catch up tomorrow.” She leans back and lets out a relieved sigh. The tension leaves her face. “I’ll have to get the tuxedo dry-cleaned.”
I reach for the side of her head and brush the strands of hair away. “I’ll take care of it.”
Her eyes flit over my face, and I can see she’s waiting for me to make my move.
“I’m not going to kiss you tonight,” I say, wanting to see her reaction.
Her face goes slack before a frown forms on her forehead. “Oh…okay.”
Seeing how disappointed she is, I grip hold of her hips and pull her onto my lap. When she’s straddling me, I lift my hands to her face. The fingers of my left hand slip into her silky hair, and I brush over the soft skin along her jawline with my right hand.
“Did you have sleepless nights because of me?”
“When?”
“The past four years.”
When she nods, I feel a sense of relief. It wasn’t just me.
“So, at least I crossed your mind?”
Again she nods. “Every day.”
I stare at her until the world falls away. “I needed to hear that. It felt like I was the only one who remembered the bond we formed in that room.”
Everleigh brings her hands to the sides of my neck, and with a world of affection in her eyes, she admits, “I never forgot, Alek.” She leans closer and softly presses her mouth to mine. It’s only for a moment before she pulls back. “We’ll always have a special connection.”
This time I won’t tolerate a ‘but.’
I pull her closer again, and with an inch between us, I keep her eyes imprisoned as I say, “You’re embedded in my soul, Everleigh. To remove you would rip me apart.” Emotion washes over her features, and I move a little closer. “You’re the only woman for me. Always and forever.”
“Alek,” she breathes, an expression of awe on her face.
Again I just stare at her, letting the tension build between us.
I move close enough to brush my lips against hers, and I hear how her breath catches in her throat.
Lowering my right hand to her neck, I feel her pulse racing beneath her skin.
The corners of my mouth lift, and I watch as the anticipation becomes too much for her.
Everleigh is breathless, desperation darkening her eyes.
Unable to bear a second longer, my lips claim hers. She gasps from the intensity between us, and I thrust my tongue into her mouth.
I taste the sweetness of Everleigh and instantly get drunk. Gripping her tighter, I tilt my head before I devour her as if she’s the last meal I’ll ever have.
She lets out a moan, her fingers weaving into my hair.
Everleigh kisses me back with the same amount of passion, and it ignites an inferno between us.
“Oh God,” she whimpers right before she seals her mouth to mine again.
Holding her to me, I adjust myself on the couch to sit up straighter, the kiss becoming wild and bordering on filthy. I’m a second away from losing control, but I can’t bring myself to stop.