Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
This is just the start of our love story—Will.
I gasp as tears fall from my eyes and I’m unable to fight them back. My mother comes into the room in a mad dash, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. “Your father just mentioned Will sent you a gift.” I turn and look at her with my watery eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. These are happy tears.” I show her the necklace, and she smiles.
“Wow, this is beautiful. Do you want me to put it on you?”
“Yes. Please.” I lift my hair, and then my mother places it around my neck. Once it’s on, I rush to the bathroom to see. It’s gorgeous as it sparkles at the top of my breasts right at the top of my cleavage.
I come back out of the bathroom and see my father snarling, crossing his arms like he’s furious. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Slowly he begins to smirk to himself and then mutters, “This little stunt is going to backfire on him.”
“Don’t be so mean,” my mother says, swatting at my dad’s chest.
“What do you mean?” I ask my father.
“He’s trying to put a claim on you earlier than he should, but he doesn’t realize how insanely long that necklace is and how low it hangs.”
I turn to my mother, wanting her valued opinion. She tips her chin straight at my breasts and then shakes her head. “Your father’s not wrong.”
I rush to the front hall mirror and look at myself again. I’m wearing a V-neck sweater, and the diamond charm draws attention straight to my ample chest. A lot of attention. That’s why my dad was mad. He snarls at men who ogle me and warns them off all the time. This is like a damn beacon. For a man not around, this probably isn’t what Will had in mind when he gave it to me.
“Oh, well. I love it.”
“You’re not going to love it when I start busting heads around town.” Maybe I’ll have the chain fixed.
“Sweetheart, there’s a card in here,” my mom says.
“Oh, okay.” I take it and sit on the sofa with my knees up to my chest as I open the envelope. They stare at me, waiting impatiently for details, but this is private. “Excuse me.” I get to my feet and scoop up my massive bear, lugging it to my bedroom. I can’t wait to snuggle into him, thinking of Will.
Merry Christmas, my beautiful Raven,
I wish I could be with you, but I thought I’d leave you with this bear as a temporary replacement until you can lie on my chest every night. We have a long time until then, and trust me when I say that I’m counting down the days. I hope you love your Christmas present.
P.S. I wanted one that fit on the bear’s neck without breaking. I know your chain is too long. You have a special necklace waiting for you at Steele Jewelers tomorrow at ten am. — Love, Will.
He loves me. I press the card to my chest, grinning from ear to ear, squealing like a fool. I can’t wait to tell Beth, so I call her and she’s positively jealous while reminding me that I need to hit the jewelry store and then make sure to stop into the hair salon to brag about my gift from Will.
The next morning, I arrived at Steele Jewelry, which is owned by Mr. Garrett Steele after he couldn’t find enough pieces for his wife and decided to have his own shop in town for her. The shop is normally run by some of the Riders. I get there, and it’s closed. I’m surprised since I have an appointment.
I knock on the glass pane of the door and just as I do, it opens. “Please come in, Lanie,” he whispers, quickly taking my hand and pulling me into the store. He locks it behind me.
“Will,” I gasp as my hand and then my chest slam firmly against his broad chest.
“God, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too.” I look up into those pale blue eyes and swim in them until I watch his gaze fall to my lips. “Are you going to kiss me?”
“I shouldn’t.”
“Why? It’s not like I’m not old enough for a kiss.”
“Because it won’t stop there. My lips don’t only want to taste that pouty, sassy mouth. I want to lick every inch of your skin and feel my way over your entire body,” he confesses with a deeper, husky breath. I want that too, but we can’t.
“You’re right, but I’ve never been kissed before.”
“That’s fucking good, because I’d have to kill someone. You belong to me.”
“Um, you only told me about this since the barbeque. I could have dated before then.”
“No, you couldn’t have. I stopped every single one of those assholes from approaching you.”