Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
"And what did you expect?" I let my free hand rest on her shoulder, thumb tracing small circles on bare skin.
"Men like Vittorio's." Her voice had gone breathy. "Cold. Cruel. But Giuliano is... different. And Nico..." She hesitated.
"And me?" I couldn't stop my hand from sliding up to her neck, feeling her pulse race under my fingers.
She turned in the chair then, face tilted up to mine. This close, I could see every gold fleck in her eyes, count each damp eyelash.
"You're the most different of all," she whispered, and something in her voice made my careful control slip.
The brush fell forgotten as I cradled the back of her head, feeling the contrast between cool, damp strands and the warmth of her skin. When she leaned into my touch, the small movement undid me.
I tilted her face up, studying her reaction. Her pulse fluttered visibly at her throat, matching my own racing heartbeat. She rose slowly from the chair, bringing us chest to chest. My free hand found her waist, steadying her. Through the thin silk, I could feel how she trembled slightly.
My thumb traced her bottom lip, and her breath caught beautifully. Just as I'd imagined it would. I brushed my lips against her temple first, testing, tasting. Salt and steam from her shower still clung to her skin. When I reached her jaw, she tilted her head, offering better access.
"I knew you'd be responsive," I breathed against her neck, feeling her shiver. I nipped gently at her pulse point, drawing a surprised moan that sent heat through my veins.
Her hands found my shoulders as I explored the sensitive spot behind her ear. Each sound she made, each tiny reaction, I filed away. When she breathed my name, I pulled back just enough to watch her eyes flutter open; dark now, pupils blown wide.
I traced patterns on her lower back through the silk, letting the tension build between us. She swayed closer, pressing herself against me with a soft "please."
The first taste of her mouth was addictive. She melted into me as the kiss deepened, making these little sounds that drove me crazy. I backed her against the vanity, lifting her easily to sit on its edge. Her legs parted, letting me step between them as I explored her mouth.
"Perfect," I murmured against her lips, running my fingers down her spine to make her arch. She was everything I'd imagined during those long nights of watching her from afar.
Her hands found their way under my shirt, nails scraping lightly across my skin. I growled, breaking the kiss to attack her neck again. When she gasped "more," I knew I was lost.
Her skin was like silk under my hands as I explored lower, tracing the delicate line of her collarbone. She arched into my touch, head falling back to expose more of her throat. I took full advantage, trailing open-mouthed kisses down that elegant column while my fingers found the thin strap of her camisole.
"Is this okay?" I murmured against her skin. Her breathless nod was all I needed.
The strap slipped easily off her shoulder, revealing more creamy skin that begged to be tasted. Each kiss drew new sounds from her throat, little gasps and moans that made my blood burn hotter. When I found a particularly sensitive spot at the curve of her shoulder, her whole body trembled.
Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me back up for another desperate kiss. The taste of her was intoxicating—sweet and addictive. I slid my hand up her thigh, feeling goosebumps rise in my wake. The silk of her shorts had ridden up, revealing more skin that I traced with careful fingers.
"You're trembling," I breathed against her mouth, feeling how she shook under my touch. Her only response was to kiss me harder, pulling me closer between her parted legs.
The feel of her pressed against me, all soft curves and needy sounds, was almost too much. I wanted to take my time, learn every inch of her body, find every spot that made her gasp and shudder. But the way she moved against me, desperate and wanting...
The compound's alarm cut through everything like a knife, red lights flooding the room. We froze, both breathing hard, as my radio crackled: "Multiple hostiles approaching from the west perimeter! Heavy weapons spotted!"
Pearl's eyes snapped to mine, all trace of desire replaced by raw fear. She slid off the vanity, fingers fumbling with her displaced clothing.
"Go to the safe room behind your closet," I said quickly, already shifting to alert. "Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone without the correct code."
She nodded, but hesitated for a moment. I pulled her in for one last fierce kiss before pushing her toward safety.
The compound erupted into chaos as I ran. Her kiss still burned on my lips, but there was no time to think about what we'd started. Not with gunfire lighting up the night.