Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Mom and I never ate that much at one time. She used to say it was bad for me. I never believed her, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I may have rarely left the estate, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a million things brought to us.
Every week, there would be boxes upon boxes of clothes and shoes. She would spend hours making us try everything on, but I didn’t understand it. We never went anywhere, nor did the clothes. Over the years, they have slowly filled up spare rooms in the house, but they were never used. She can be rather vain at times, but it always felt like a waste.
Phillip gently lowers me onto the bed, and I peek around, noticing I’m in the master bedroom. Oh crap. Are we going to sleep together?
“I’ll close these.” He nods to the windows and then hits a button. Thick curtains slide over the floor-to-ceiling glass, and it blocks out the rising sun.
“I think this one might be my favorite.” I run my hand against the soft fabric, thinking that the bed reminds me of a cloud. My bed at my mother’s house is hard as a rock. She always said it was better for my back, but Phillip has impeccable posture. Everything about him is impeccable.
“What?”
“Favorite home.” My mother has money, but she’s never updated the house. She kept us stuck in a weird purgatory my entire life.
“You haven’t seen the rest.” He unbuttons the sleeves of his shirt, pulling it out from his slacks. I try not to stare at him while he undresses, but I can’t control myself.
“There’s so much to see out there.” I motion toward the closed curtains.
He’s quiet for a long second, and I wonder if I said something wrong. Did I give myself away?
“If you get some rest, I’ll take you out tomorrow.” He smiles and shakes his head. “Or I suppose today.”
“Really?” I scramble to my knees, and Phillip undoes his belt. In one quick jerk, he pulls it free, and I never realized something so simple could be so hot. I press my thighs together where there’s a tingle forming. One that keeps coming and going around him.
“You might not remember but my favorite thing to do is give my wife anything she wants,” he says, and a flutter sweeps through my stomach.
He’s being so kind to me, and I don’t understand why. I’m sure it isn’t hard for him to get a date. I have to be missing something.
A few of the nurses checked him out, and it annoyed me. He was my husband, or so they should’ve believed he was. Honestly, I can’t blame them even though Phillip never glanced their way. Even when he would ask a question, his eyes would stay on me.
“A bookstore?” I suggest.
A million times I begged to go into one, but my mom wouldn’t let me. I have a tablet at home, but only she was allowed to connect it to the Internet to download things she approved of. Then she would turn the connection back off. A few times she’d forget and I would download any free romance books I could find. There were always so many others I’d see and want, but I knew if I tried to buy one, she’d notice. Then she would take the tablet from me completely.
“We can go to a bookstore if you want.”
“Get coffee in there too?” There are always coffee shops next to or inside of bookstores. I've noticed the times we’ve driven past them.
“You don’t have to ask, Audrey. If we’re out and you see something you want, tell me and we’ll go. You don’t need permission.” His words are so sweet, but I notice a hint of annoyance in his expression. It’s often one my mother has with me.
“I don’t actually like coffee.”
“They have other things besides coffee,” he chuckles, making me smile. The sound has that tingle inside me growing. Phillip starts undoing the buttons of his shirt.
“Like what?” I ask absently so I can keep watching him without being creepy.
“Hot chocolate. I’m sure you can get one of those frozen ones with whip cream without coffee.
“I’ve only ever had black coffee. It’s disgusting.”
I have no clue how people drink the stuff. That was the only way my mother would give it to me. She, however, would always add something called Baileys to hers, but I wasn’t allowed to have that.
“How about we order you a couple of different ones for you to try.”
“Like taste testing?” I bounce on my knees.
“We’re only talking about coffee and you’re getting energized. We’re supposed to be going to bed.”
“Oh, sorry.” I drop down on my bottom, and he leans closer.
“Audrey.” He reaches out, cupping my chin. “I’m teasing you.” His thumb brushes back and forth on my cheek. His hold is soft, but his thumb has a roughness to it that makes goosebumps break out across my arms.