Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 58952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Instead, he watched Lauren’s delightful reaction to everything. How she oohed and awwed over the presentation of each course, and the way she moaned and made the sexiest noises as she savored each and every bite of food.
Chef Rand came to their table at one point, and Chase had to swallow back his laughter at how cute Lauren was with the other man, gushing over his food and blushing and stammering on about how she loved watching him on the reality competition show.
After finishing her little trio of desserts, she sat back in her chair with a happy, contented sigh. “That was amazing.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
She placed her linen napkin down and held his gaze from across the table. “So, what prompted all this?”
“If I’m being honest, Billie,” he said, rubbing his palm along his jaw. “After a miserable week at work, I met her for dinner on Thursday. She introduced me to her new boyfriend, Neil Pierson, the guy I took the place of at the bachelor auction.”
Lauren grinned. “She mentioned that they were dating, and she seems very smitten with him.”
“They’re quite well matched,” he agreed. “More so than you and he would have been. I should have thanked him for getting sick and pulling out of the auction.”
Her eyes widened, hope shimmering in the depths. “Why?”
“Because if he hadn’t, I never would have met you,” he said, the words coming far easier than he ever would have imagined, because they were real, true, and heartfelt. “I would have missed out on the best thing that has happened in my life, besides finding Billie. I would have never known what it was like to be in the presence of a woman who makes me smile and laugh more than I ever had. You’ve challenged me, you’ve made me take a good, hard look at my past, and I’m so ready to let go of all the bitterness and resentment that has been weighing me down for too long.”
She stood up and came around the table to his side, then sat on his lap, looping her arms around his neck. “You’re doing so well,” she said with one of the playful grins that he loved. “Tell me more.”
He laughed gruffly, his hands settling on the curves of her waist as he met, and held, her gaze. “We both already know what an idiot I was to let you walk away last weekend.”
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes flashing with humor. “I’m not going to argue with that.”
He dug even deeper, to make sure she understood how much of an impact she’d had on him. “What you made me feel in a very short time… I’ve never been through so many emotions. I’ve never felt that kind of longing and need that I did for you, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that scared the shit out of me.”
“It’s okay to be afraid,” she said softly, her fingers caressing the nape of his neck. “Entrusting another person with your heart is a scary and vulnerable thing, and so is falling in love. But it’s so worth the risk.”
“You are worth the risk,” he said, needing her to know that he was ready and willing to take that leap of faith with her. “Do you remember what you said to me after I told you about my past, at the park? That there are crossroads that we come to in our lives and we can choose to stay on the same beaten path, wishing things were different, or we can make an altogether better choice and alter the direction of our future?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, I choose you, Lauren Connelly. You’re the path I want to follow into the future.” He reached up a hand and gently cupped her cheek, and she didn’t hesitate to nuzzle into his palm. “Just be patient with me,” he said. “This is all new to me, and I have no doubt I’m going to fuck up now and then.”
She laughed huskily. “No relationship is perfect, but you’re perfect for me.”
He slid his hand into her hair and pressed his forehead to hers. “How is that even possible?”
She grinned at him and pressed her body closer to his. “You just have a grumpy charm about you that I can’t resist.”
She shifted on his lap and he groaned, suddenly all too aware of just how well her ass was positioned against his cock. “I’m ready to move on to the next part of the evening, how about you?”
She did that slight shimmy thing again with her hips, deliberately tempting him this time. “Which part would that be?”
He placed his lips near her ear. “Taking you home and disheveling the fuck out of you.”
She shivered at those familiar words, and when she pulled her head back, the need in her eyes matched the one in his soul. “Yes, I would like that very much, please.”