Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Satisfied with my rationale, I released my grip and softened my gaze. “I’m sorry your day was so long. I should’ve come to the office with you just in case your father showed up early, as he did.”
“No,” she answered easily. “It was easier to lie without the added stress of also having to put on a show with you.”
If my softer tone and apology threw her off, she didn’t comment as she had earlier when I asked her about her day. Pleased with her reaction—or lack of one—I decided to follow her lead and keep the easy conversation going. I even added a smile and a teasing tone. “You’ll have to show off with me soon enough.”
Her eyes narrowed as she tipped her head in question.
“The gala,” I reminded her, waggling my brows. “I assumed I would be your date.”
She laughed softly, her pinched features softening with one of her infamous eye rolls. With her arms crossed, she stared me down with a cocked brow. “Oh? Will you arrive early to take pictures and bring me a corsage?”
I snorted at the image she painted of us acting like some high school kids before a dance. “Hardly. However, I can definitely make sure we both have plenty of time before the event for some…stress relief,” I suggested, dragging my gaze up and down her curves.
It was her turn to snort, but I wasn’t joking. My playful smirk earned me another eye roll. This one less annoyed than the last and more of an attempt to distract me from the faint pink blooming in her cheeks.
Taking advantage of our softened moods, I broached another subject that would require us to put on a show, as she put it. “Also, I would like to introduce you to my godparents. Possibly this Sunday for dinner?”
She hesitated, her lips pursed, and I held my breath, waiting for her to postpone fulfilling her end of our bargain. On instinct, tension coiled up my spine, bracing to argue, but was saved when she looked away with a sigh and licked her lips before bringing her attention back to me. She was nervous. The sight of brave, bold Aspen expressing nerves released my fight response, leaving room to listen to a part of my mind that whispered to be patient.
“I guess Sunday would work.” She lifted her chin as if the nerves never existed.
I took a moment to soak up the stunning view of her pulling herself back together with beautiful strength. I enjoyed the powerful woman before me. Her strength made her submission all the more exquisite. My cock twitched, and I forced the thought aside. She’d used her safe word for the night. Respecting her decision, I focused back on the conversation. “I promise you, they’re very nice.”
“Good. But I’ll have to worry about that once I get through Saturday.” She shook her head. “Speaking of, I have some extra emails to get to and contracts to finalize. But first, a shower to perk up.”
“How about a bath?” I offered, circling back to my determination to provide her comfort. As a partner. Nothing else, I reminded myself. “There is a tray for the bathtub that you can set your laptop on. I’ll even bring you a glass of wine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That’s a nice offer,” she said slowly.
“I can be very nice.”
Her brow arched with doubt, and I shrugged, unwilling to hear myself explain the need to make her night more comfortable out loud.
“I’ll take the wine now and save you a trip.” She grabbed my glass and the bottle from the table, unrepentant about finishing my drink. “There’s no reason for you to come up while I’m wet and naked.”
“Oh, I can think of many, many reasons,” I said, my voice dripping with promise.
A flare of heat sparked in her gaze before she looked away. With a shake of her head and a laugh, she grabbed her bag, heading upstairs.
Leaving me alone to imagine her pert nipples peaking above the soapy water, her soft skin wet and begging to be touched, and me with an impossibly hard cock.
CHAPTER 2
ASPEN
“Listen, Jade. I understand that it’s super serious between you and…”
“Jace,” she supplied through the phone.
I balked at the similarity, but quickly refocused. “Yes. Jace. But you agreed to your donation for the auction months ago. You can’t back out now.” I strived for firm but knew my panic tinged the words with pleading. We were three days out from the event, and I didn’t have a chance in hell of finding a replacement for Jade’s offer to take the winner to the Oscars with her.
“I know,” she whined, before her tone turned whimsical. “But I didn’t see myself finding Jace last week. Our romance is such a whirlwind, and he’s…everything. The least I can do is respect his request to escort me. I mean, he brought up a good point about how it would basically be cheating if I went with someone else.”