Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 862(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
That knocks something loose in my chest. I swallow hard.
“Look, my brothers and I inherited everything Denver hoarded. And Rurik Strakh’s empire. And my dad’s old accounts. Offshore stuff I didn’t even know existed until Monty dumped the folders on the table.” He widens his eyes dramatically. “I have more money than I can ethically talk about out loud.”
“I don’t need your money.”
“I know. That’s why I want you to take it.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Sure it does.” He cups my breast, thumbing the nipple. “You’re not with me for my money. You’re with me for—”
“Your tiny pancakes.”
“I was going to say the best sex of your life.”
“Definitely the pancakes.”
He squeezes my breast with a wolfish smile. “You’re not trapped anymore.”
“Feels like I’m trapped.” I wriggle in his grip, matching his smile.
“You don’t have to cling to scraps to feel safe.”
“I’m not clinging.”
“You are.” He releases me and moves to my other breast, teasing me there. “It’s okay. I get it. But you don’t need to anymore. Your independence isn’t tied to a clock-in screen at some garage.” His voice sinks into a dark, velvety rumble. “You’re with me. That doesn’t make you less. It gives you room to breathe.”
The fight goes out of me all at once. It’s like my shoulders release for the first time in years.
“So what?” I whisper. “I just… Quit?”
“If it makes you miserable? Yeah. Let me take care of you. Not because you’re weak. Because you don’t have to do everything alone.”
“What about you? Will you quit, too?”
“Absolutely. Whatever you want, my queen. Besides, Jag already fired me, remember? And it’s not like I need the money.”
“But you love going in.”
“Because it’s fun. I show up whenever I want, tattoo whatever I want, turn away the idiots, and listen to Declan fill the silence with his unhinged conspiracies. I mean, he doesn’t shut up, but I kind of miss the guy. He’s awkward and odd as hell, and… Nice. Really nice. Being around him is better than being alone. But now I have you, so lonely isn’t a thing anymore.”
“You’re right. You’re not alone anymore. But you can’t quit.”
“Well, I’m not going to keep my job if I convince you to ditch yours. That’s villain behavior. Grade-A dick move.”
“Except what you have isn’t a job. It’s a passion. You’re pursuing what you love at your shop. That’s not what I’m doing at my shop.”
“What are you saying?”
My mouth dries, but not in a scared way. In a maturing way. In a way that growth brings discomfort and surrender releases its grip on the things that hold me back.
“Okay,” I breathe.
“Okay?” His eyes shine, luminous and hungry. “You’ll quit?”
“Yeah.”
He grabs me by the hips and yanks me flush against him, his smile feral and sweet as he presses it against my mouth.
Then he goes still.
“Wait a damn minute.” He leans back, brows puckered. “Did I just run accidental reverse psychology on you?”
“No.”
“Yeah, I totally did. I told you to quit, then somehow made it about me quitting, and you argued I should keep my job, which magically proved you should quit yours. This is sorcery.” He beams at me, his grin way too wide, all feigned surprise, the exact expression of a man who knows what he’s doing and can’t wait to do it again.
“You’re so obnoxious when you get your way.”
“I regret nothing.”
“You might’ve won this round, but don’t get comfortable.” Setting my palm to his sternum, I give a firm push. “I have a condition.”
He goes down easily, flat on his back and hair fanning against the pillow.
“Give it to me, Wildbird.” His troublemaking, kiss-stealing, too-pretty mouth slants in a lopsided grin.
I climb over him, sliding onto his chest and settling into my rightful place. My legs tuck along his ribs, my hands braced on either side of his shoulders, our noses a twitch apart.
His breath hitches. Mine licks over his mouth.
“My condition for quitting is…” I slide a hand between his legs and feel him thicken in my grip. “You have to put your cock in my mouth.”
“Hmm… Let me think.” He sucks at the corner of his bottom lip, feigning deep concentration. Then his gravel-rough voice rasps across my skin. “You have no idea how much yes.”
“Really? Because every time I try to go down on you, you stop me.”
“Mother Mary’s dangling cherry.” He closes his eyes, breathes deeply, then meets me stare for stare. “I’m new at this, okay? My control levels are questionable, and I’m still figuring out the whole lasting forever magic show.”
“You don’t need to last forever.”
“Cute theory, but I’m an overexcited rookie. The mere thought of your lips on my dick already kicked off the pre-party. Like the tap’s open and the opening credits are rolling. Don’t believe me?” He shoves down his boxers, freeing his enormously hard, very wet erection.