Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“I’ll have to send someone to get your things,” I tell her. “Do you live on or off campus?”
“Off,” she replies. “On-campus housing was just too expensive.”
“Well, you tell my men the address, and they’ll bring everything over.”
“You’re making me feel like…” Anna’s voice trails off like she’s embarrassed to say what’s next.
“Like what?” I ask.
“I dunno,” she says, swinging one of her legs.
“Say it,” I goad her, poking her gently in the side. She giggles.
“Like a princess or something!”
I chuckle and pull her close. “Well, that’s good, baby. Because from now on, you’re my princess.”
14
Anna
The feel of the luxurious fabric on my skin is so foreign and wonderful that I can’t help but smile as I step out of the dressing room and pose for Blake, who is sitting on a chair that looks more like a throne, which is of course fitting for him.
I’m doing my best to put on a sexy face, but the corners of my lips are twisting up as I look at him. I’m just having way too much fun.
“What do you think of this one?” I ask.
“Much better.” Blake nods. “Not that you didn’t look sexy as hell in the last one.”
I’ve never tried on lingerie before. There’s something hot about it. There’s something even hotter about showing it off for Blake, knowing he’s sitting out there waiting for me with an opinion on each one.
“Hey, if you didn’t like me in it…” I tease.
“Oh, I liked you,” he replies. “But it didn’t show off how sexy you truly are. And that’s what was wrong with it.”
Blake always has something to say. I can never stump him no matter how hard I try. Even when I try to tease him, he just plays right along like he was born for it. Who would have thought the scariest kingpin in the city would have such a wit and sense of humor to him?
“You’re smooth,” I say, pointing a finger his way.
It’s hard to see him as a violent criminal through my eyes. So many men across the city fear him, but I don’t know if I ever could. He’s been delicate with me, he’s saved me, and now he’s treating me like a princess.
How can I fear a man like that?
After all, Blake is a man with a complicated past. Somehow when I analyzed him, I got everything right. Blake had a very terrible childhood that forged him into the man he is today, but I get a sense that he wishes he could change who he is. Or at least change the life he’s living.
I can picture a life with him now—a life where I go to school and come back to spend time with him. And all that does is cause a fuzzy feeling to expand inside my chest. A fuzzy feeling accompanied by a glow.
Am I falling in love with this man?
The thought excites and frightens me at the same time. I can’t even imagine how my life will change if I allow myself to accept Blake into my heart. But at the same time, I don’t know that I have any choice in the matter.
I’m changing into an all-white set of lingerie now that makes me feel like an angel when I look at myself in the mirror. An angel for the devil. What could be more fitting?
For some reason, my heart is pounding pretty quickly as I step out of the dressing room this time, and the fitting room lady isn’t even here. Blake sent her away so he and I could be alone.
“Now that is gorgeous,” he says as I emerge. “You look like an angel, baby.”
Just what I was thinking.
“You think so?” I feel myself blushing.
“A sexy, lingerie-wearing angel,” he replies. I don’t even know what to do with myself. All his kindness is bordering on too much for me. Bouncing back and forth in all the foster care that has been my life has taught me to expect nothing but cruelty from the world, and now to receive this kind of treatment from Blake Lockwood of all people is just crazy.
It’s like a war of thoughts going on inside me. On one hand, I’m thinking about taking him into my mouth so I can taste him and taking him inside me again so I can be filled up by him once more. But at the same time, I’m thinking about simply being held by him and sheltered in his arms, falling asleep beside him and waking up in his bed and feeling safe, knowing this man will protect me from anything and everything the world sends my way.
“I like that you like it,” I say softly. My voice is barely even working right now.
“Oh, I like it all right,” Blake replies. He indicates the tent in the fabric between his legs. “You can see what you’re doing to me.”