Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“Your grandfather’s love for your grandmother must really run deep for him to have given up so much for her. It’s never wavered through the long years?” Lara asked curious that such an everlasting love could possibly be real. It was a nice thought and of course poetry and books had been written on such undying love, but was it real or simply a myth?
“I asked my grandfather that once, and I recall how serious his expression had been when he told me that never once had he questioned his love for his wife. He insists that his love for her has never diminished, but rather has flourished through the years. And that life would not be worth living without her. My grandmother told me just about the same when I purposed the question to her.” Michael smiled. “Not that I’ve never seen them fight. Believe me, they can go at it good sometimes, though they never stay mad at each other.”
“Now that I know all your dark, deep secrets—”
He smiled and a hint of red shined in his eyes. “Sweetheart, you haven’t even touched on my dark, deep secrets yet.”
Her libido and curiosity went into overdrive at the same time. What more dark secrets could he harbor? She wanted to know, or did she?
“What bothers you, Lara?”
“Where to begin?” she said with a quivering laugh. “All of this is so surreal that I sometimes wonder if it’s a dream and I’ll wake up.”
“And would you be disappointed if it was?”
His question startled her as did the answer she kept from slipping past her lips—yes. She would be extremely disappointed, just as she knew she would be when it came time to say good-bye to him. Barely two days knowing this man, and yet she felt more connected to him than some of her friends she had known for years.
She realized he was waiting for an answer and she quickly said, “It’s been memorable.”
“I can make it more memorable.”
She had to smile. “I’ve no doubt you could.” Before he could respond or the conversation went in a direction that she preferred it didn’t, she stood. “I could use a cup of tea. Would you like one?” She shook her head. “You don’t drink tea,” she said more to herself than him.
Lara put the kettle on and tried to keep from looking at the section of the counter where only a few hours ago they had had quick, deliciously satisfying sex. She turned away and planned to busy herself looking through the wide selection of teabags kept in a beautifully carved mahogany box and found herself face to face with Michael.
“I would love to hike your skirt up, pull your panties off and have you here again on the counter, but I think we should try the library next. The couch is soft, though up against the ladder could prove interesting.”
“Damn it, Michael,” she said, stepping around him.
He grabbed her hand before she could get all the way passed him. “Aroused you, didn’t I?”
“Smart ass,” she said and yanked her hand out of his and turned around, opting for a regular teabag from the ceramic container on the counter rather than trying to get passed him.
He thought differently, snagging his arm around her waist and turning her around to face him. His lips caught hers in a kiss before she could say anything. And of course, she melted in his arms as always.
Always.
But it wasn’t always. They would have only this short time together and nothing more but...memories. Why did the thought disturb her so? Could she have actually fallen in love with him in such a short time?
His mouth left hers and he whispered in her ear, “Let me love you, Lara”
I’m not stopping you, she thought.
Aren’t you?
Now wasn’t the time to argue with herself or was she? She laid her hand to his chest and pushed him away, though he went only so far. “That was you in my head.”
“It’s grown more difficult not to respond to some of your thoughts since I hear them as if you spoke the words aloud to me.”
“Have you intruded on all my thoughts?” she asked, realizing what he would have heard. She didn’t wait for an answer, she moved away from him, shutting the whistling kettle off as she went.
“I don’t do it on purpose,” he said.
‘That’s not what I asked and that’s not an excuse.” She folded her arms tightly across her chest.
“Shielding yourself from me?” he asked with a nod to her folded arms.
“Is a shield possible?”
“Shall we see?”
She kept her arms tight against her, but he didn’t make a move. He didn’t have to. She gasped when she felt his fingers slide between her legs and enter her ever so slowly.
“You’re wet, but then my touch, even the lightest one turns you wet.”