Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“What happened to that dream?”
“My parents died, and it was just Roman and me. Those dreams changed.”
“What changed?” His voice is rough, like he’s waiting on bated breath for me to speak and has a vested interest in what I’ll say.
“Things I thought were important no longer mattered compared to the hell my life became after they died.” I open my eyes and look at him. “Like I said before, I was hungry. So fourteen-year-old Sasha only dreamed of enough money for food.”
It was something that hit me hard the other day when he was sharing because it wasn’t unlike my story.
“When I met him, I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
“It was. Then it wasn’t. As you know, Roman started making money, and things got better. I didn’t understand what he was doing to provide. I was just thankful.”
From where he sits beside me, I can hear his sharp inhale. He knows he’s the reason for the change and, ultimately, the reason for the downfall too.
I don’t let him sit in that train of thought, moving on to answer more of his question.
“Then I was nineteen and dreamed of hiding from Roman. To make sure that he didn’t steal the money I had saved to satiate his drug addiction.”
He presses his fisted hands against his forehead. “I wish I knew.” When he lowers his arms, I can see the pained expression on his face. He doesn’t say more, but I know he means about the drugs, and I believe him.
“No more talking, okay?” I suggest, wanting to be done and get back to relaxing.
“Okay,” he agrees.
We both settle in to watch the movie, but not long after, the couple on the screen starts to kiss. I try to keep my attention on the movie, but it’s difficult with the heat of him beside me. His chair is too close. From the corner of my eye, I can see him watching me. My breathing accelerates as I take him in.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” My question comes out breathy and full of need.
He leans across the small space that divides my chair from his. “Like you want to be devoured.”
“Maybe I do.” The words come out just barely a whisper, but he doesn’t miss them.
Instead, he does just that. He leans down to capture my lips in a rough kiss. Devouring.
Unspoken words are said. I want you. I need you.
The lust hangs heavily in the air. It is nearly suffocating because it’s so potent.
I ache for him.
His warm hands splay across my back, and I moan at the contact. Gideon answers by pulling me over the divide until I’m seated on his lap.
He never stops. He never breaks our kiss.
If anything, his mouth becomes more desperate for me. Electric energy sizzles between us. Like little fireflies finally being let out of a glass jar.
His nickname for me.
The thing about fireflies is, once you let them out, can they ever be caught again?
And more importantly, do I even want to be?
35
GIDEON
I need her.
I want to take my time.
I want to worship every inch of her body.
The look in Sasha’s eyes makes me feel hungry for whatever she’s willing to feed me. The way her pupils are dilated and hazy is addicting. I want to fuck her right here, right now, but I can’t. The first time I have her won’t be in a theater chair.
Grabbing Sasha tighter, I move to a standing position, with her still secure in my arms as I do.
“What are you doing?” she squeaks as I walk toward my bedroom.
“Don’t ask stupid questions.” I smack her ass playfully, and she yelps.
There are too many damn stairs, and I consider taking them two at a time, but instead, I take a deep breath to calm the raging inferno building inside me.
I need to take my time with her. Rushing this won’t satisfy me.
When we are on the landing, I make the turn toward my room, picking up my pace, eager to get her alone and naked. If she’ll allow. Making it to my quarters in record time, I swing the door open with my free hand and kick it shut with my foot.
I don’t slow my approach to the bed, throwing her down on it and crouching over her.
“I’m going to kiss you…amongst other things.” I smirk down at her, and that’s the only warning I give before my lips descend and clash against hers with a brutal force.
My hands run up her bare legs to where she’s only wearing a pair of flimsy pajama shorts.
I slip a finger inside the hem on her thigh, tracing circles on her skin. She isn’t wearing panties, and I growl in response.
“I need to taste you,” I mutter against her lips. She nods. “I need words, firefly.”
“Yes.” That one word is breathy and sexy as hell.