Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. I glance at his bicep and try not to stare. The bastard, it’s as if he knows what I like and what I can’t resist. And that stupid, muscular arm drives me crazy.
“I really am trying to do what’s best for you, Casey.”
“Then why not talk to me about it before you start making enormous decisions?”
“I’m not used to this.”
“To what? Talking to another human being?”
He nods slowly. “All my life, I’ve done what I want, when I want. I’ve been encouraged by my father to be strong, by my soldiers to be a good leader. Now, with you, I need to take what you want into account.”
“Welcome to being a normal person.”
“That’s the thing. I am not a normal person, and never have been.” He reaches out. I want to flinch away, but there’s nowhere to go. His fingers brush my cheek gently. “That’s what I like about you.”
“Yeah? You like that I’m normal?”
“No. I like that you stand up to me. Even if it also pisses me off.”
“I’m really not trying to make your life harder.”
“I understand that. I wish I could make you see things from my perspective.”
“Then try explaining.”
He takes a deep breath. We’re inches apart and I’m aware of every little twitch of his muscles, of the steady intake of breath running through his throat and into his muscular chest, of the tension in his back and shoulders. He’s carrying something heavy and has been since I met him. Only I’m just noticing it now.
How it weighs him down. Shoves him to the ground.
I don’t know what it is or why he hasn’t let it go yet, but there’s a voice in my head, a tiny voice that thinks whatever I’m missing, whatever I’ve forgotten, that’s what he’s trying to run away from.
“Tony is desperate,” he says quietly. “I know things about him that could ruin his political career. He thinks that’s exactly what I plan on doing, and he believes my marrying you is proof.”
“How?” I ask at a total loss.
“If I’m ready to inherit, that means I’m ready to take the next steps into power. He sees that as a direct threat.”
“Must be nice living in Tony’s world where everything’s about him.”
He smiles tightly. “It’s probably not so great.”
“So you’re convinced that he intends to hurt me.”
“That’s why I brought you up here. If he thinks our marriage is a threat, he’ll do everything he can to destroy it, including hurting you. When you told me that he managed to walk right up to you on the beach, I just…” He trails off for a moment, glancing down at my lips, his eyes a pained mixture of rage and need. “I lost my mind. I couldn’t believe I failed to protect you so spectacularly.”
“It’s not your fault. I tried to ditch my security guards, but they found me anyway.”
He doesn’t seem to hear me though. “I have to do more. I have to do better. All this time, all this effort, only to lose you to him like this. I just can’t allow it.”
“What time and effort?” I screw up my face, trying to understand. “Adler? What do you mean?”
He blinks at me as if remembering that I’m in the room. His thumb grazes my jaw. “I mean that I will do whatever it takes to make sure Tony can’t get anywhere near you. That’s a promise.”
“I’m not going to stay locked up in this room.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“I mean it,” I say, putting my hands on his chest. Which is a very stupid mistake. He’s so muscular, so warm. Most of my anger dissipates in an instant, vaporized by the sudden pulse between my legs. “I’m not going to be your pretty little bird sitting in a gilded cage.”
He smiles at that. “I like that metaphor.”
My fingers dig in tighter. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“We’ll come to a solution.” He leans closer. His breath is warm on my neck. “Now, my wife, you made a threat earlier.”
“I did?” I can barely think. Barely breathe. He’s so close, so handsome. I’m still pissed, but that’s totally overwhelmed by his proximity. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You threatened to withhold sex from me.”
“I didn’t know we were having sex to begin with.”
His mouth finds my ear. “How did you think I’d get you pregnant?”
I want to tell him a thousand ways, most of them involving a turkey baster, but don’t get a chance as he kisses my earlobe, nibbling it gently.
“Uh,” I manage, which isn’t very eloquent, but in my defense the man is very good at what he does. “Well, uh, I don’t know.”
“I’m not blind to the way you react to me.” His hands are on my hips. They move up my body, toward my breasts, back down again. Exploring me slowly. “You don’t mind when I do this.”