Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“No, not at all. If you go somewhere, I’m going somewhere. You’re not leaving my sight.” The elevator dings then opens to his penthouse as he whispers beneath his breath, “Not now or ever.”
“If you’re sure.” He carries me to the couch. The normally bright and airy house is currently dim and dark. Theo stayed at the hospital last night, but I’m sure he came home at some point. I wonder why he’s got the house so closed up.
“I’m positive. Do you want to shower and then lie in bed or on the couch?” Ugh, this is going to be a long few days. I’ve been lucky that Theo has yet to see the bruises on the outside of my thigh and knee. Once he does, there’s no telling how he’ll overreact in taking care of me even more than he already does.
“Couch, I’m sick and tired of sitting or lying in a bed.” My arms are looped around his neck, hands playing with the ends of his hair. I take in his side profile, his chiseled jaw, the five-o’clock shadow in full effect, the dark circles beneath his eyes from lack of sleep. Though, none of that takes away from the beautiful man, his warm eyes, full lips, and a wicked mouth he has no problem using. My thighs clench as I remember yesterday morning before shit went to hell in a hand basket.
“Knock it off, fairy. It’s not happening until you’re completely healed.” He reads my mind, or my body, really. I let out an elongated sigh tinged with annoyance because I know he’ll stand firm. Vanessa made sure to reiterate the rules after the doctor handed me my release paperwork. Payback is going to be a bitch one day. I just need to figure how to make it work in my favor.
“Spoilsport.” Another idea forms in my head as we make our way down the hall. My lips on his throat try to make him fold under pressure as we walk through his master bedroom, which is once again dark. The bed sheets are pulled back, and the light on one of the nightstands is glowing softly.
“A few days. You can wait until then, can’t you?” he replies, nudging me away from his neck. I lift away, eyes locking on my backpack by the bench at the foot of the bed. I’m sent back to reality with that blast. Being out of commission in the way of schoolwork for the better part of the week is really going to set me back.
“I suppose.” Gone is the teasing, and I’m left with more on my mind than getting off with Theo.
“Shower, then we’ll talk.” He must realize my mood change. Melancholy surrounds us.
“Join me?” I ask once we make it inside. He lowers me to the ground, gingerly, as if I’m a delicate flower.
“Yeah, I will.” He moves around me to open the glass shower door. I work on the knot at my waist of my loose sweatpants. Fawn really went for comfort. She’s a woman after my own heart. I pull them down, hissing when my thumb hits a bruise. It’s hard to hide it from Theo. “Move your hands. I’ll undress you.” He drops to his knees, taking one sock off first then the other. My long-oversized shirt covers me from my neck to mid thigh. I will forever be in Fawn’s corner when it comes to her selecting clothes—nothing fancy, all about coverage, including the bikini-style panties I usually reserve for period days.
“Theo.” I want his attention before he stands up to help with my shirt after my ankles clear the pants one step at a time. “I’m okay, alright? Nothing is broken. I’m here, and that’s what matters.” Our eyes lock. As much as I’ve attempted to reassure him, when he stands, pulling my shirt up along the way, it’s all for nothing.
“Fairy, you might be okay, but I’m not. Jesus, I should have made it ten times worse.” He tenderly kisses my knee where some skin was torn away when I was dragged across the ground after attacking Brian. It takes me a moment to realize what he just said, conveying the reason for the wet hair, change of clothes, and why he was unusually quiet the whole way home.
“Theo, please tell me you didn’t do anything that is going to cause us to only see each other during conjugal visits.” He continues kissing his way up the outside of my leg, grazing the massive bruise with his lips.
“Conjugal means marriage. Are you admitting that you want to marry me?” I roll my eyes at his remark. I walked right into that.
“No, the words I will marry you did not leave my lips in that sentence, caveman.”
“Except they just did. It’s good to know I’ve got a chance, at least.” He stands up with the hem of my shirt in his fingers. “Arms up.” Clearly, he’s going to take everything off, which means he’ll see my lovely not-so-cute cotton underwear. Oh, well, he’s seen me at my worst already, multiple times if you count me being on my hands and knees scrubbing floors. Then my stint in the hospital. This should be a piece of cake.