Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
He pulls back, his breathing ragged, his eyes burning with that familiar intensity. “You’re not going anywhere, Bella. Not if I have anything to say about it. You’re not leaving Copper Mountain, even if it takes tying you to my bed and keeping you shaking with orgasms every morning and every night, forever.”
My heart hammers at his words, and I shift nervously on my feet, trying to make sense of the heat pooling low in my stomach. He’s watching me so intently, his eyes dark and filled with something that sends a thrill up my spine. The tension between us is electric, and suddenly, the kitchen feels unbearably small.
He’s tugging at his collar, as if trying to restrain himself, his entire body taut like he’s seconds away from losing control. And God, the way he's looking at me, like he’s ready to throw me up against the wall and devour me right here.
I bite my lip, trying to ignore the pounding in my chest as I glance around the room, avoiding his intense gaze. “But I don’t know if I’m built for a full-time relationship…”
There’s a flicker of something in his eyes—pain, maybe—and then his face softens, his voice low and raw. “Bella, I understand. Believe me, I do. And I can be patient. Just don’t shut me out, talk to me before you shut me out. I want to know how you feel about these things.”
His words hit me like a physical force, and my breath catches in my throat. I can see how much he means it, how real this is for him, and it’s almost too much to handle. My heart aches, a mix of disbelief and desire swirling inside me.
I glance back at him, my body reacting to the way his hands are clenched at his sides, like he’s barely holding himself back. The intensity between us is suffocating, and I can feel the desire rolling off him in waves. He’s standing there, telling me just how much he wants me, how much I mean to him, and it’s wrecking me.
The space between us feels too wide, even though we’re inches apart, and all I can think about is how much I want him to close it. To feel his hands on me, to let him show me just how badly he wants me.
But I hesitate, the insecurity still lingering, gnawing at the edges of my mind. And yet, the way he’s looking at me, the way his voice trembles with raw need and…love, it’s impossible to doubt him.
I take a shaky breath, my voice barely a whisper. “You really believe that? No one has ever said that to me before…”
His eyes darken, and he steps forward, so close now that I can feel the heat radiating off his body. “I don’t just think it, Bella. I know it. You’re everything. Your feelings matter to me. You make me feel anchored to something bigger than myself and I’ll do anything to protect you and that feeling…”
The words send a shiver down my spine, and before I can stop myself, I’m moving toward him, the distance between us disappearing as I let go of the doubt, the fear. His hands finally unclench, reaching for me, and when they land on my waist, the world tilts.
“What are you doing to me, Archer Steele?” I whisper, my fingers threading through the strands of his hair, tugging as our lips collide, desperate and heated. His tongue plunges between my lips, devouring me, the kiss consuming everything. His hands roam over my skin, hot and demanding, sliding one strap of my shirt down, the silky fabric falling away.
I kiss him back, just as fiercely. My hands crawl up his arms, clutching at his shoulders, my fingers diving into the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging hard enough to pull a groan from deep in his throat. Our tongues tangle, slow and deliberate, his lips firm but soft against mine. Finally, I’m tasting him, finally feeling the weight of his desire matched with my own.
“Archer,” I hum, his name slipping from my lips as he presses me against the kitchen table, the edge digging into my lower back, but I don’t care. He lifts me by the hips, setting me on the smooth, glossy wood, and my legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer, locking him in place between my thighs.
Sweet Jesus, the way his body feels pressed against mine, his heat, his strength—it’s overwhelming. My heart pounds, desire flooding through me as I arch against him, my body begging for more, every nerve alight with need.
His lips move against mine again, more urgent this time, and I lose myself in the way he’s taking me apart piece by piece, kiss by kiss.
My hands fist around his hips, pulling him tighter against me, feeling the hard press of his cock rubbing against the delicate, aching flesh between my legs. His hands move with urgency, one sliding up my thigh and shoving at the flimsy fabric of my skirt. He clutches at the material, yanking it higher up my waist, shifting me so he fits perfectly between my legs at just the right angle.