Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
The server brings our food. Mike digs into his burger, taking large, unselfconscious bites. I munch a few of my fries, still not hungry, as a question looms large in my mind.
Am I being selfish by imposing the mess that is me onto Austin’s quiet, put-together life?
The day he told me he loved me, he also said not to be afraid to fall apart. But I don’t see how it’s fair to expect him to put up with my messes while I attract asshole reporters to his workplace and pull his brother away from his desk.
“Mind you, Austin never saw it that way,” Mike says. “He never begrudged me for all that time he spent babysitting me instead of going out with friends.”
“Sometimes I feel like I lean on him too much. Like I need more help than most.”
“If Austin’s helping you, it’s because he wants to. And he wouldn’t want you to feel guilty about it.”
He nods to something behind me. My heartbeat flutters at the sight of Austin making his way toward the booth.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, as he slides in beside me.
“I came as quick as I could.” He cups my face in his big, warm hand, his gaze searching mine. “Are you okay, baby?”
“I’m fine.” I can tell from the look he’s giving me that he knows damn well I’m not fine, not even a little.
Mike grabs his plate and his Coke and slides out of the booth. “I’ll leave you kids to it.”
“Thanks, man,” Austin says with a meaningful look. Mike must have texted him before we came here.
He drapes his arm around my shoulders.
“Did you get his name?” he asks.
“Whose name?”
“The asshole journalist who bothered you.”
“Oh... Yeah, but it’s fine, really. I doubt he’ll come back.”
“It’s not fine,” Austin says firmly. “I should’ve been there.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, and Mike shouldn’t have texted you—”
“If he hadn’t, I would’ve given him hell for it.”
“But you shouldn’t have to leave in the middle of the workday to come console me.”
His mouth tilts to the side. “Baby girl, one of the perks of being the boss is that I can come and go as I please.” He kisses my forehead, his gaze warm with affection. “Don’t you worry about my job. That’s Daddy’s business. Your job is to take care of yourself when I’m not there to take care of you.”
Even as I soak in the support of his body, I can’t help thinking that I’m not doing a very good job at anything these days.
11
mckenzie
I'm running through the forest.
The ground is rough, strewn with twigs and rocks as sharp as bone fragments. I hear footfalls behind me, heavy and relentless. My side aches. I can't catch my breath.
Turn around, a voice says. Look and see.
But I'm afraid to look. Afraid to see.
I keep running.
“Kenzie...”
I run until I trip, stumble, scrape my knees.
“Kenzie, it’s okay.”
He’s coming.
“I’ve got you.”
He’s coming.
“Kenzie.”
My eyes snap open. I blink into the darkness.
“Daddy?” I whisper.
“It’s okay, baby. You were dreaming.”
I suck in a ragged breath. “Was I screaming?”
“No,” he says. “Just whimpering and kicking.”
I wince. “Did I kick you?”
He chuckles. “Not too hard.”
I whine as he pulls me tight against his body. “I’m sorry.”
He kisses my cheek. "Don't you worry about my shins, baby. This Ranger’s had a helluva lot worse."
I roll onto my side with my back to Austin’s chest as his arms fold around me.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“A little after three.” He kisses my neck. Once, twice, and again... Then I feel his cock pulse against my backside. He’s halfway to hard. Suddenly, finding a better excuse to be awake at three a.m. is all I care about.
I grind my ass against him ‘til he’s hard as a tree trunk.
“Mmm... Careful, baby girl. You keep that up and neither of us will be falling back to sleep anytime soon.”
“What if I’m not ready to go back to sleep yet?”
“Well, in that case....” He shifts me onto my stomach, sliding his hand between my legs from behind. I whimper into the pillow as he pets my lower lips, his touch akin to a whisper.
He centers a finger over my clit, circling. My pussy flutters. I lift my hips in a silent plea for him to rub me harder.
“Down, baby girl.” He shifts on top of me. “You’re not going anywhere until I’ve had my fun with you.”
Austin’s weight is a welcome presence against my back. His hands find mine in the darkness, his fingers weaving between my fingers, pinning me in place. I feel like prey at the mercy of a predator, caught and captured.
And just as he’s about to fuck me, I realize that if I knew it was Austin chasing me through the forest in my dreams, I wouldn’t be scared. I’d be excited, aroused, aching for his hands and lips and teeth. Instead of waking up screaming, I’d pray not to be woken up until after he’d had his fill of me.