Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Unable to help it, I lean in and takes her face in my hands and kiss her softly, her lips a gentle whisper across mine. Her eyes close and oh….
Thump.
Thump.
Thump, blood rushes from everywhere to the erection she’s incited.
Fuck….
We kiss again, this time with a little tongue, and I feel it all the way to my toes.
“Dear lord,” she murmurs against my lips.
My hand snatches around her waist and I pull her to me with hunger as our kiss deepens and she pulls out, flushed and panting. “I have to go.” She stands in a fluster. “I have to go now.”
“What?” I stand. “What do you mean?”
She leaves the courtyard in a rush and I follow her out, trying to think of a way to make her stay. We get back out to the main party and she walks straight up to two bodyguards, who appear that they were looking for her.
As I blend into the crowd I watch her, mesmerized by her beauty. After chatting briefly, she walks inside with the two men and out of view.
Who is she?
ALORA
4:30 A.M.
Edward, Thomas and I totter up the private road toward the waiting cars.
“Oww.” I bend down and slip one high heel off. “Wait a minute.”
They turn back as they wait for me.
I slip the other one off and pass them both to Edward. “Carry these.”
He holds them by the straps in one hand and takes my hand with the other.
“My biggest takeaway from tonight was,” I slur, “that stupidly expensive shoes are even more stupidly uncomfortable than cheap ones.” I tiptoe over the cobblestones.
“That is your biggest takeaway from that whole night?” Edward slurs back.
Boy…we are all very tipsy, those cocktails were lethal.
“Uh-huh.” I nod. “What’s your biggest takeaway from tonight, Mr. Prescott?”
“It’s confirmed that I have the hottest woman on earth.” He grabs my behind and bites my neck as I giggle.
“Ugh, make it stop.” Thomas groans. “You two are fucking pathetic.”
“What’s your biggest takeaway from tonight, Stone?” Edward asks.
“That love at first sight does actually exist.” He smiles proudly.
“You fell in love tonight?” I smile as I stumble over my feet. “Oww.”
“I do believe so.” He rolls his hands out and does an overexaggerated bow.
“With who?” I screw my face up. “I didn’t see you with anyone.”
“The most beautiful woman on earth.”
“Couldn’t be,” Edward slurs. “She’s taken.” He grabs me roughly again and we laugh like idiots. I swat him away. “Behave, Prescott.”
“Who was she, Stone?”
“She has blond hair and blue eyes. So fucking perfect.”
“What was her name?” I ask.
“Amaya,” he says. “Didn’t quite catch the surname yet, it’s a work in progress.”
Edward’s eyes meet his. “Blond hair, blue eyes, white dress, Amaya?”
“That’s her.”
“Ha.” Edward tips his head back and laughs, a deep belly laugh. “Fucking yes. Hilarious.”
“What?” Thomas and I frown.
“Did you talk to her?” Edward thinks this is the funniest thing he’s ever heard.
“Yes I did, actually.” Thomas puts his hands on his hips, indignant. “We even made out.”
“You made out?” He laughs hard again. “Oh, this is the fucking best.”
“What the hell is so funny?” I frown.
“Do you know who he made out with?” he slurs as he points to Thomas.
“Who?”
“Princess Amaya of Switzerland.”
“Huh?”
“Hermione’s little sister.” He widens his eyes.
“Why is that funny?” I frown.
“Because the king will fucking kill him.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
EDWARD
Sunday morning and I pull the SUV into Alora’s driveway in Nice.
We’re here to collect more of Alora’s things and water her damn garden, I glance over to her in the passenger seat. “These vegetables get more attention than I do.”
“Probably.” She bounces out of the car and up to the front door and I hang back to talk to the car that’s just pulled up behind us. “Morning, boys.”
“Morning,” they reply as they climb out of the car.
“I wanted to talk to you,” I say. “It’s come to my attention that Pascal Deschanel is still hanging around.”
They listen intently.
“I don’t want him anywhere near Alora at any time at all, and when she arrives here at her house I want you to go inside and check it before she enters, please.”
“Yes, sir.” Philippe glances into the house. “Has something happened that we are unaware of?”
“No. But last time I was here I got the feeling that something was off…. I can’t quite put my finger on it but for some reason my senses are heightened around Alora’s safety right now.”
“Okay.” Philippe listens. “I’m sure it’s just that there’s a lot going on with her moving house and whatnot. I can assure you she’s completely safe, we won’t take our eyes off her.”
“Thank you.”
“I take it she’s still wearing her bracelet?” he asks.
“Yes, but….” I put my finger to my lips. “If she knows there’s a tracking device in it she won’t wear it. I don’t want to frighten her.”
“Of course, sir.”
I think for a moment. “You know what?” I look in at the house. “Fuck it, I’m not taking any risks, put a trace on Pascal Deschanel. I want two men on him.”