Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“Wait, did you forget something?” I ask when we turn on the same street as the office. I hadn’t thought to ask where he lives.
“I live here.”
“At the office?”
“Top floor.” Eros pulls around back. A white garage door opens, and he pulls inside. The light flicks on to reveal a row of about five stalls. He drives past them. Another garage door opens, and he pulls into it. The door closes behind us.
“Holy crap, Batman!” I gasp as we begin to rise. “You have a car elevator?”
“I couldn’t help myself.” I burst into laughter. If you have an abundance of money, what else would you do with it? As soon as I sense a halt, a door unexpectedly opens before us.
“Am I looking into your living room?”
“I call it the sitting room.”
“Shut up.” I smack his arm.
“I’ll get your bags.” I get out of the car, walking into his place. Eros is right behind me. “Close the lift door, Alectrona.” I watch as the door closes and then seals. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Holy crap. You can’t even really see that it’s a door once it's closed.” I run my fingers along the wall. “This place is definitely a step up from mine. I mean, I bet you don’t have Pop-Tarts and all, but—"
“There are two remaining boxes of strawberry Pop-Tarts and one of S'mores.” I stop moving and glance around. The fuck? I mouth to Eros.
“That’s Alectrona.”
“The goddess of the sun is Siri 2.0 in your home?”
“Alectrona, this is Lev Valentina. She’ll have full access to the building to come and go as she pleases. Make sure she is added. You’ll find any additional information you need on her in her company file.”
“I will get it added. Welcome, Ms. Valentina.”
“Thanks, ah, just call me Lev.”
“Lev it is. Is there anything else you require?”
“No, Alectrona. Sleep mode,” Eros says. “Now she won’t answer random questions. It’s only ever me here, so I leave it on most of the time.” I swear I’ve been transported to a different universe.
“That’s insane, you know.”
“It is. I did some work for a tech genius. We traded skills, and now I have Alectrona.” That is pretty cool but also a reminder that we come from two different worlds. Hell, even if Eros was still only a cowboy who lived on a ranch his whole life and roped cattle, we still would be miles apart socially.
“Why Alectrona?”
“Alectrona brings the sun each morning when she opens the curtains and blinds.”
“Oh, we’re by the river. I bet the view is killer.”
“The main reason I bought this place.” I glance around. While everything is new and shiny, there is still a warmth to Eros’s place.
"I was imagining your place would be decorated with all leather and have gray walls." This is definitely not what I was expecting.
"It probably would have been if not for my mom. Come on. Let's get you settled in, and I’ll give you a tour.”
I like the sound of that. A lot… but I can’t help but remind myself that with every good always comes two bads.
12
EROS
“Eros.” Lev stands with her hands on her hips, glaring at me as I set her bags down inside my walk-in closet. “You don’t have a spare room, really?”
“I never said that I did.”
“Oh, don’t play innocent. You conveniently left that part out. So you just think I’m going to share a bed with you?”
“Now hold on.” I smirk. “Don’t be getting any ideas. You gotta ask for it before you get it,” I remind her.
“You know what?” She narrows her eyes at me, and I relish the fact that I’m about to get a tongue-lashing from her.
“No, but I reckon you’re going to tell me, darling.”
“Don’t even lay that damn drawl of yours on me.” Her hand drops from her hips. “Fine, we can share a bed, but only because I enjoy watching movies in bed and I had a lot of fun the other night. Not to mention this bed is massive and looks like a big cloud of comfort and warmth. Those are the only reasons I’m agreeing to this.”
“I promise to make sure you have fun every night you’re in bed with me.”
“What the hell am I going to do with you?” Her words go straight to my dick. There are plenty of things I can say right now, but she’s not ready to hear them.
“Anything you want.” Lev’s smile grows brighter, giving me what I’m after. It kills me when that sadness creeps into her eyes. I’ll say and do whatever I have to to take it away. I clear the space between us.
Lev doesn’t stop me or protest when I lift her by the hips and sit her on the tall island in the center of my closet. Our closet now. It brings her so that she is eye level with me. I step between her thighs, getting as close to her as I can. Her lilac smell teases me.