Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
A few minutes later, she strode out of the room wearing a peach chiffon skirt that was vintage Fallon, a pair of black leggings beneath it, and matching ballet slippers on her feet. A light gray asymmetric sweater fell off one shoulder and hung long over the skirt. She’d woven a thin, patterned scarf through her hair that she wore loose, and hung down past her shoulders.
Gorgeous and free, that was how he’d describe her.
“When your sister told me about the clothing she’d brought, I was just grateful to have something to wear but she’s amazing!” Raven twirled so the skirt floated in the air, then wrapped gently over the leggings.
He chuckled at her enthusiasm but his dick was hard at the thought of lifting that skirt and taking her against the glass window overlooking the city.
He cleared his throat. “I had no idea you shared my sister’s taste in clothing.”
“I didn’t either, but oh my gosh! I’m buying myself fun things first chance I get!” she’d said.
Now they were at the coffee bar, and she stood on the stage, brave, with no uncertainty in sight. This was the woman she’d be once out of Lance’s shadow and Remy had every intention of making sure she had that chance.
Even better, the poem she read was about him.
Stunned, he listened to poetry he didn’t know she could write, more of haiku-type style than anything else. Short bursts of sentences about a man she’d never expected to meet. One out of her league. Out of reach for more reasons than wealth. She spoke about high walls that nobody could breach.
But he wasn’t just anyone.
That was when Remy knew. He was breaking through her walls by small degrees and it gave him a spark of hope. True optimism filled him. Then, he leaned back, arms still folded over his chest, and let himself enjoy.
* * *
Back at Remy’s place, Raven kept busy. She didn’t want to allow him time to question her about her poem, not only because her work was deeply personal, but because it had clearly been about him. She hadn’t considered the need for him to go with her when she’d written the words.
She’d expected him to question her on the way home but because parking was scarce at the coffee shop, they’d taken an Uber there and then back, and the driver had been chatty.
Once she arrived at Remy’s apartment, she went directly to the bathroom and closed the door, washing off her heavier makeup, undressing, and carefully folding the clothing to deal with tomorrow. Fallon’s boho style appealed to Raven for the times she wasn’t wearing her standard jeans and T-shirt ensemble. Maybe she could ask Remy’s sister to go shopping.
Raven looked in the mirror, seeing her reflection. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes, and the most surprising part, the excited rush of adrenaline flowing through her. Who was this Raven Walsh? And that’s when she realized she was changing, trusting Remy, caring for him and his sister, but with Lance out and stalking her, that couldn’t happen.
Tears filled her eyes, taking her off guard, but she understood what caused them. This happiness wasn’t hers. She couldn’t own it because to do so would be to risk the people around her. There would be no shopping with Fallon because… Emily. No way would she allow what had happened to her one-time best friend happen to the bubbly, happy Fallon. Not only would Lance violate her body and hurt her, he’d destroy her spirit.
With the reminder of why Raven couldn’t have the life she dreamed of, she sucked in a long breath, pushed all those hopes and dreams down deep, and closed the imaginary box the way she’d learned to compartmentalize.
After she finished in the bathroom, once more dressed in one of Remy’s soft T-shirts, she steeled herself and walked into the bedroom.
He’d used the guestroom bathroom and was waiting for her in bed. Raven was prepared for him to want to have sex, especially after that poem in which she bled her feelings all over the coffee shop, and now, she cringed at the memory. All those beautiful feelings? They also had to be stuffed down.
Friends with benefits. Sex. That’s all she had to offer and Raven hoped she could manage it without falling harder.
She crawled into the bed and he reached over by his bedside and shut the lamp, plunging them into darkness. His scent enveloped her even before he reached out an arm and pulled her into his embrace. But instead of rolling her over and kissing her as she’d anticipated, he tucked her into him and held her.
“You did wonderful tonight,” he said in a gruff voice that awakened all her senses.
“Thank you.”
He cleared his throat. “Surprised me, too. I didn’t realize you were a poet.”
“Mmm. After Lance began terrorizing me in subtle ways, as I grew up, the poems and poets we were learning in school appealed to me. I started to try and emulate them. Hence my love of Poe and others. Soon I had an entire notebook of dark stuff.”