Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
I realize I’m still watching Josie leave the room and turn back to him. “Sure.” I flip through the pages in my book before stopping at a picture of a tiger and its cubs. “How about this one?” I hold the book up for him to look.
“I like that one.” He beams while I carefully rip it out and hand it to him. “What color shall I make these lion babies?”
I widen my eyes and look at him. “Those are tigers, and their babies are called cubs.”
He gives me a slow sexy smile. “I was just checking to see if you were paying attention.”
To the picture or to him? I don’t ask. “Silly,” I tell him as I refocus on my own picture. There’s no way I can color any more of my zebras right now, though. I’d end up getting black all over the page, considering how badly I’m shaking.
“Josie tells me you’re starting graduate school in the fall,” Gabriel says.
Josie talks about me? “Uh, yeah.”
“In education?”
I nod.
“That’s exciting.”
I shrug. “It’s not really. It’s kind of boring.”
He hasn’t picked up a crayon yet. “If you already have your teaching degree, and you don’t feel like going to school anymore right now, why are you going?”
I give up thinking I might be able to continue coloring, set my crayon down, and sit back in my chair. I fold my hands in my lap to keep from fidgeting. I’ve shared a lot about my life with Josie because she’s my friend, but now I wonder how much she has told Gabriel.
“Are you okay, Little one?” Gabriel asks. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He turns in his chair so his knee is touching my bare thigh.
I squeeze my hands together and stare at my lap. I’m wearing a yellow dress. It’s one of my favorites. It’s ruffly and frilly with delicate white lace at the hem, the neckline, and the short poofy sleeves. My blond hair is in long pigtails that drape over my shoulders.
When I come to the Dungeon, I go all out, indulging my inner Little completely. It’s the only time I permit myself to be Little. I even have yellow bows in my hair, white frilly ankle socks, and white ballet slippers.
Gabriel slowly brings a hand to my folded ones and wraps his much larger fingers around mine. “Look at me, Zia,” he orders gently.
I hold my breath and lift my gaze.
His brows are slightly furrowed. “Good girl.” He gives my hands a squeeze. “Do you know why I come to the Dungeon every Friday night?”
I stare at him and shake my head.
“To see you.”
With my lips pursed together, I inhale sharply.
“Yep. That’s right. You’re the one thing I look forward to every week. I used to come on Saturdays, too, until I realized you only come on Fridays.” He smiles at me.
I lick my lips, but I don’t know what to say. There’s a war inside me. I’m so glad he comes here to see me. I look forward to seeing him, too. It’s all I think about. On Saturdays, I wake up sad because I know I have to wait another week before I will see Gabriel again. But I never let myself indulge in the possibility that I could see him more often.
“I get that you’re shy, Little one. That’s why I’ve never pushed you to accept more from me. I tell myself that if all I ever get from you for my entire life is little glimpses one night a week for a few hours, it’s enough. But I’m lying to myself. I want more.”
I gasp. I should have known this day was coming. He either could have simply stopped trying to flirt with me, or he would have confronted me. Apparently it’s the latter.
He rubs the back of my hand with his thumb. My dress isn’t long enough to cover my thighs, and when I sit, it’s even shorter, so his forearm is grazing my bare thigh. It feels so good. It’s the most intimate I’ve ever been with him.
It’s the most intimate I’ve ever been with anyone.
When I don’t speak, he continues, just as calm as he’s always been. “I don’t care if it takes me ten years to convince you to be my Little girl. I’m patient. What I need to know is if I stand a chance in hell at winning your heart or if I’m wasting my time.”
My heart races. I’ve both expected and dreaded this moment. Gabriel is so damn gentle with me that he’s not showing any frustration. That just makes it harder.
I need to tell him I can’t be his. I don’t have any other choice. But I can’t. I also want to tell him to take me home with him, whisk me out of my life and into his. Make my reality different.