Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
I would have liked to have goaded her further, see her fly into a magnificent rage, and then take her while she is kicking and screaming, and turn her into putty in my arms, but there will be time for that later.
“My apologies. I should have said young ladies,” I concede softly.
I gesture to the waiter loitering by the door. He jumps to attention and comes out.
“One chocolate cake to go.”
“Yes, my Lord,” he says politely and hurries away.
“Thank you for the cake… and dinner. It really was delicious,” she mumbles awkwardly into the tense silence.
“The pleasure was all mine.”
She chews her bottom lip. “I guess I should call for my taxi now.”
“It’s already taken care of.”
She nods. “Oh, okay.”
The waiter comes back carrying a black carrier bag tied with a red ribbon and puts it on the table in front of her.
“There is a small tub of ice cream so if you are not going to eat it as you get home you should put it in the freezer. Your dessert will be best if you warm up the chocolate sauce first. Seven seconds in a microwave oven will give it the perfect consistency and heat,” he tells her.
She looks up at him, bestows a sweet smile, and thanks him. He smiles back at her. The smile is tentative and tinged with sexual attraction. He wants her!
Black fury explodes in my guts. It surges into my veins like poison and curls my hands into fists. She is mine. How dare he even look at her? An animal-like growl spews from deep within me.
Startled, both of them turn to look at me. With a fearful look at me, he hurries away.
She opens her mouth, no doubt to question me about the primitive sound, but I stare at her with such intensity that she is sucked into my world and held transfixed by the naked craving for her she sees in my eyes. She forgets her question.
“Shall we go?” I murmur, standing up.
Before she can get her senses together, I am around to her side. Confused, she grabs the bag and stands. Her knees wobble slightly. We walk together to the entrance. Not touching, but I am so aware of her, my skin tingles. The hostess comes out with her coat and I take it from her. My hands itch to touch her skin, but I resist the urge. She is so close I can hear her heart beating. Her scent of apricots and rain on freshly mown grass fills my nostrils. As she thrusts her hands through the sleeves, I am so close to the white curve of her neck I feel almost dizzy with the need to dip my head and kiss that smooth skin.
I slip her coat over her shoulders and take a step back. She turns around to face me. The overhead light falls on her upturned face, turning her eyes into enormous pools of liquid desire.
“Well, goodnight then,” she whispers.
Chapter 14
Autumn
He doesn’t wish me goodnight. Instead, he moves forward and goes down the steps towards the taxi. Something about the way he moves reminds me of a stalking animal. It is quiet, sleek, and designed not to alarm. But there is hidden power there. A shocking amount of it. Of that I am certain. He walks over to the driver’s side and looks down at him, his aristocratic face stern and proud.
“Drive carefully,” he instructs.
The man says something I cannot hear, and he nods and hands him what looks like some folded fifty dollar notes. Then he comes around and opens the back door for me. I’m not used to men opening doors for me. The feminist in me wants to reject the idea, equality and everything, but the romantic in me cannot help but appreciate the gesture. Women should always have doors opened for them. It’s actually a lovely thing.
“Thank you,” I murmur.
“Until Tuesday,” he says, and there is something almost courtly about the slight inclination of his head.
“Until Tuesday,” I repeat and slip into the cab.
The driver puts the car into motion. I turn back to look at him. He is standing there very tall and straight just looking at the departing car. I have another weird sensation of déjà vu. As if I have already watched him standing alone in the cold night air. Something very cold slithers through me.
I shiver and the coldness is gone, but it leaves behind its shadow, the feeling that something dark and ominous is waiting to take over my life. As if I’m approaching an end, but strangely, it terrifies and beckons me in equal measure.
I ask the driver to drop me off at the entrance of the trailer park. As I walk to my caravan, I meet Joe on his way to the bar. He smells of cheap aftershave.