Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“Whatever.” She waved her hand dismissively as she turned back to Kira’s room and shut the door once again.
“Guess we have our marching orders.” I grinned up at Tiny.
He grunted, then stood with me in his arms. The guy didn’t seem to strain at all. I mean, I knew he was strong, but this was on a whole other level. There was no way to deny the thrill I got from his casual show of strength as he carried me to the master bedroom. On the other end of the apartment from the girls.
Once safely inside the bedroom with the door shut -- and locked -- Tiny laid me gently on the bed before covering me with his deliciously large frame. He settled himself between my thighs and I squeezed his hips reflexively. He kissed me once more before resting his weight on his forearms and stroking my hair as he looked down into my face.
“I never expected this,” he said quietly. “When you showed up at Haven, I just wanted to help. I didn’t expect to… care so much. About all three of you.”
The admission hung between us, honest and vulnerable.
“I’m afraid to trust this,” I admitted, my voice barely audible. “But I’m going to trust in you. I’ve was wrong before. When I chose Andy. So wrong. If I’m wrong about you, I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be able to trust anyone ever again.”
Instead of being annoyed or even angry at a suggestion he’d do something to break my trust, Tiny smiled down at me. “I’ll earn your trust, baby. Until then, give me the benefit of the doubt. I swear I will protect you and the girls. Body and heart.”
My gaze traced the contours of his face, his thick beard, and his gentle eyes that belied his intimidating appearance. I felt safe with him in a way I hadn’t with anyone in years.
“Penny,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “Can I kiss you again?” The directness of his question, the way he sought permission instead of assuming when I’d already kissed him before, made my heart swell. This wasn’t a man to ever hurt any of us. Hadn’t he already proven he would protect us with his life when he went to find Kira?
I nodded, unable to form words around the sudden tightness in my throat. Tiny leaned down, closing the distance between us with careful deliberation. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his touch featherlight. And then his lips were on mine again, and the world narrowed to just this, to his gentle kiss and the feeling of finally coming home.
What began as a gentle kiss quickly transformed into something deeper, hotter, as if a dam had broken inside both of us. His beard tickled my skin as his mouth moved against mine, no longer tentative but hungry. I surprised myself with how much I fought for this, sliding my hands up his massive chest to grip his shoulders, feeling the solid muscle beneath his shirt. I’m not sure I’d ever felt this level of desire and raw lust, of enjoying the simple pleasure of being touched by someone who treasured rather than hurt.
I shoved my hands under the hem of his shirt, tugging the soft material upward with trembling hands. I wanted to see him, all of him. Tiny helped me, pulling the fabric over his head and tossing it aside. The sight of his bare chest made my breath catch -- broad and powerful, covered in a tapestry of scars and tattoos as well as a dusting of light hair trailing from his chest to his navel.
I knew he wouldn’t strip me without my express permission. Not this first time. Not until he was certain I was all in with him. That’s who Tiny was.
Smiling up at him, I wiggled out of my T-shirt and bra, leaving my chest bare. It felt right. I loved the hunger in his gaze as he shifted his weight off me so he could touch me easily without resting his full weight on me. While I appreciated the thought, I was certain I’d be demanding otherwise at some point. Maybe not today, but someday.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, his eyes never leaving my face even as my bra was revealed, then discarded. The Viking-like braids in his beard swayed slightly as he leaned in to place a gentle kiss on my collarbone.
I’d never felt small before, not in the way I did with Tiny. His hands could span my waist completely, his shoulders twice the width of mine. Our size difference was almost cartoonish, yet somehow, this disparity didn’t frighten me. Instead, the sense of safety I felt with him told me exactly how much I trusted him subconsciously. Maybe it was time for the rest of me to catch up.