Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
“You will do it again,” he warned. “These lips are mine. This face is mine. This body is mine. To do with what I want. Including kiss.”
Lord, he was arrogant.
Totally possessive.
And so damn sexy that she found herself leaning into him for another kiss before she realized what she was doing.
Bad, Jilly.
“No. No more kissing while I’m ill. I forbid it.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Do you really think you get to forbid anything?”
“If you can do it, so can I.”
“Really? And what will you do if I don’t do as you want, sweet baby?” He looked amused at the idea.
“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll spank you.”
He started to laugh.
Jilly gaped at him, unable to even muster annoyance at him laughing at her. Because she didn’t think she’d ever heard him laugh before.
The man rarely smiled. He was so bogged down by everything he had to do. By his life. His responsibilities.
And yet, right now, he was laughing.
So she didn’t care that it was kind of at her expense.
Suddenly, he grabbed her hip and turned her to face him, her legs straddling his. Then he cupped her face between his hands.
“You’re so cute, baby.”
“I am?”
“You are.” He lightly nipped at her lips. “So adorable, thinking you get to spank me. Or make the rules.”
Dear Lord.
What was she going to do with him?
“I’m trying to keep you safe,” she told him.
“Which is my job.” Suddenly, his face grew serious and her stomach dropped.
Uh-oh.
Was he going to take it all back? Tell her that he hadn’t meant it? That he didn’t want her? That he regretted the kiss?
She knew it was too good to last.
But she’d hoped that it might have lasted more than five minutes.
“Which is why you’re coming back with me. It’s safer at my house, where I can protect you more easily. I will have your word that you will allow me to keep you safe.”
Her head was spinning and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath.
“I still don’t understand what’s happening here. All of a sudden, you want me? And I have to move into your house and do what you say?”
Did that summarize it?
Not that she really cared about the safety aspect. Or all that stuff about doing what he said.
She was a big girl and she knew what she was getting into. And she didn’t want to put herself at risk, so she’d likely agree to most of what he wanted her to do.
Within reason.
“Not all of a sudden. I told you, I’ve always seen you.”
Because she mattered.
She blinked back her tears.
“I matter?” she reiterated the words he’d told her earlier.
“Baby, you’re all that matters.”
“This still seems like a complete turnaround. Last night, I went to sleep and we were just friends. Today, I wake up to you packing my bags and telling me I’m moving in with you and that you . . . that you want me. That is what you’re saying, right?”
“Yes, that is what I’m saying. I tried to deny my feelings for you, but some things fell into place last night.”
“Oh, what’s that?”
“Learning that you’ve been keeping a big secret from me. And that even though I told myself I was protecting you by keeping a distance, all that allowed you to do was put yourself in danger!”
Uh-oh.
This conversation was taking a turn.
“Maybe we should just get back to the kissing. I don’t care about the germs anymore. I’ll take my chances on giving you my flu.”
“Nice try. I’m not being distracted from this.”
She tensed, which caused her to start coughing again. Now that the adrenaline rush was fading, she was starting to feel hot and ill again.
“Shit. I think you’re getting warm again. We shouldn’t be talking about all this until you’re safely in bed.”
“At your house?” she clarified.
“Yes. I need you somewhere safer. Where I can keep an eye on you.”
He stood and laid her on the bed. For some reason, he just stood there, staring down at her.
Something like a sense of foreboding ran through her. What was going on? Why was he looking at her like that?
As she started coughing again, he reached over for a bottle of water, holding it for her to sip from. “Once I move you into my house, there’s no backing away. There’s no leaving me. Do you understand that, Jilly? When I own something, I keep it. I don’t ever let it go.”
“You can’t own a person,” she protested weakly.
Why were her insides dancing for joy?
There was something seriously wrong with her. He declared he owned her and she wanted to dance for joy.
Regent just smiled. “You’ll discover that you’re wrong. You’re going to be mine.”
“And you’ll be mine.” She figured she could get behind that if it went both ways.
“Yes, baby. Of course I am. Would I give up smoking for just anyone?”