Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“So?” He glances at me for a second before focusing back on the road.
“If this is the car you drive, I can’t even imagine your home.”
“Yeah, and?”
“And you’re fit… like muscular, and you own some crazy successful business.”
“Okay.”
“I’m just wondering what you’re doing with me when, from what I saw online, you’re always seen with some gorgeous model.” There, I said it. Maybe it makes me sound insecure—okay, it totally makes me sound insecure—but c’mon, there’s no way I’m this guy’s type.
While I wait for him to answer, he clicks his indicator on and then swerves over two lanes to pull into an open parking spot on the side of the road.
“First of all,” he says, turning his body to fully face me. “Don’t ever put yourself down in front of me again. You’re gorgeous, every goddamn inch of you. The moment I saw you, I was attracted to you. My first thought was what it would feel like to get my hands on those luscious curves.”
I gasp at his admission.
“And as far as you being a single mom goes, from what I’ve seen, being a parent is the hardest damn job. My dad was a single dad when he met my stepmom. He was struggling, my mom was struggling, and…” He swallows thickly. “I was struggling. Savy walked into our lives and took my dad and me in, loving us unconditionally. She could’ve easily said she didn’t want to deal with his baggage since I wasn’t her kid, but she didn’t. From the moment she met me, she’s treated me like her own son, and I love her like she’s my second mom.
“And my mom…like you, she was a single mom, who tried hard, who cried too many times to count, and always questioned if she was doing a good job or fucking me up. We had a lot of rocky moments, but I know she was doing the best she could, loving me as much as she could.
“So please don’t refer to yourself as a single mom like it’s a flaw… something that makes you worth less. If anything, it only adds to your value.”
He cups the side of my face and swipes a tear I didn’t even realize had fallen. “Yeah, I’m well off. From what you said, you looked me up…”
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t a psycho,” I choke out, embarrassed.
He chuckles. “Then you know I’m worth billions. I live in a nice home and drive nice cars. I won’t apologize for that. My dad built Fields Enterprises from the ground up, and I’ve busted my ass every day to follow in his footsteps. But the size of my bank account isn’t all I am. I hope you’ll give me a chance to show you every part that makes me who I am.
“Now for the women…”
I cringe. “You don’t have to—”
“My company owns a lot of exclusive clubs, which means the women I tend to meet are models. Those photos aren’t of me on dates. They’re at club openings. I rarely date, to be honest. I’ve been so focused on finding my place at Fields. Wanting to make my dad proud and earn my place in the company, I haven’t had time to seriously date. I don’t have a type. I’ve dated all different types of women. But I can tell you right now that I’m one-hundred-percent attracted to you. To every curve and dip. Those blue eyes and twin dimples…”
When his tongue darts across the seam of his lips, his eyes filled with lust, I’ve never felt so attractive.
“No more putting yourself down. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. And really, you’re the one who turned me down the first time.” He smirks playfully. “So if anyone should be insecure, it’s me.”
I bark out a laugh, thankful he’s lightened the mood and my insecurities haven’t ruined our date.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
He nods and smiles. “I’m not a dating expert, but in the future, if something bothers you, tell me, please. In my business, communication is huge, and I imagine it’s the same with a relationship.”
He squeezes my hand, then turns around, putting the SUV in drive.
“I want to be here with you,” I tell him after a few minutes. “I was reluctant to go on this date for all the reasons I mentioned, but now, I’m all in.”
“Good,” he says, “because I’m about to take you on the best first date of your life.”
“Oh, yeah, and where is that?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.” He winks playfully and steps on the gas, zipping in and out of traffic as we head over the Brooklyn Bridge.
A little while later, we drive into a parking lot filled with cars. A man stops us, and Brody shows him something on his phone that he scans before we continue on our way. I wasn’t paying attention, so I didn’t catch a sign on our way in. As Brody finds a spot nestled between two orange cones, I glance to the right and take in the gorgeous sunset overlooking the Manhattan skyline. The sky is a breathtaking mix of oranges and pinks, and I can’t help but grab my phone out of my purse and snap a couple of pictures. During the day, New York is chaos, but right now, looking out at the water, it looks so calm and beautiful.