Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“It breaks mine, too.” He looked up at me, his eyes glistening with emotion. “So, now you know.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
“There’s something I need you to take away from this... Losing Grady nearly broke me. I put the blame on Tracy, and I lost her, too. I put my focus on the club, and for a long time, I thought that was all I needed.” He lowered his hands to my waist and pulled me close. “And then, I met you. And for the first time in a very fucking long time, I feel something real.”
His blue eyes pierced through me as he continued, “I’m not perfect, Cricket. Far from it. I’m gonna make mistakes, but I want to try to be the man you and Toby need me to be.”
Overcome with emotion, I wound my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “You already are.”
He didn’t respond.
Instead, he just held me against his chest. There were so many things I loved about him, but the feeling I had when I was in his arms got to me the most. I thought back to everything we’d been through, and even though it had been hard, something good had come from it. We’d found each other, and together, we could face anything.
Ghost
I’d finally pulled it off. I’d finally taken Cricket on our first real date. I’d asked Dagger to take Toby for a couple of hours, and I’d taken her out to eat and to a local bar for a drink. I’d tried my damnedest to be on my best behavior while we were out with the guys but having her so close to me without being able to do a damn thing about it had taken its toll.
As soon as we stepped through the front door, I pulled her in for a kiss. I reached for the nape of her neck and took hold of her hair, gently tugging it as I deepened the kiss. A needful moan vibrated through her chest as she inched closer, pressing her hips against mine, and I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only one who was feeling eager for more. I knew we didn’t have much time, so I lifted her up and tossed her over my shoulder. She shrieked, “Whoa! What are you doing?”
“I’ve been tortured long enough. I’m taking you to bed.”
“So, you thought being a caveman was the way to go?”
“That’s right, baby.” I gave her ass a light smack as I told her, “You bring it out in me.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”
“Oh, it definitely is. You’ll see.”
I carried her to my bedroom and lowered her feet to the floor. I looked down at her and was in complete awe. The terrified woman I’d met months ago had slowly been replaced with a woman with fire in her eyes.
It was this woman who hadn’t let her past define her.
It was this woman who’d had the strength and determination to take control of her own life.
It was this woman who made my cock rise to fucking attention whenever she walked into the room. And right now, she was standing in my room, looking like every man’s wet dream.
A flash of desire crossed Cricket’s face as I lowered her onto the bed and eased down on top of her. I hovered above her for a moment before lowering my mouth to hers. Her mouth was warm and soft, and each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush straight to my cock.
The feel of her body against mine sent me over the edge, and my hands suddenly became rough and impatient. I had to have her—all of her. Her short skirt inched up her thigh, showing off her long, lean legs, and her red sweater showed off her perfect curves, making me want her more than my next breath.
I lowered my mouth to hers, kissing her with heat and angst, and a promise of what was to come. The beat of her heart next to mine calmed me, fueled me, and left me wanting more.
That’s when I knew.
She wasn’t my first, but she would be my last.
I lowered my mouth to her neck and whispered, “I never would’ve thought it”—I ran my lips leisurely from the curve of her jaw down to her shoulder—“you’re everything... no one can get to me like you do.”
“I feel the same way about you,” she rasped as she pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it to the floor. As she unfastened her bra, she whispered, “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”
I continued trailing kisses past her collarbone, and her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me towards her when my mouth reached her breast. Heavy breaths and low moans filled the room as I flicked my tongue against her nipple. Her head fell back, and goosebumps prickled across her skin as my fingers worked their way across her abdomen, through the waistband of her skirt, and further down between her legs.