Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Her father is Paul Lummin.”
That name rang a bell for him. Familiar. Searching his memory, he realized why. The man had been in his class. Unreasonable jealousy and anger filled him. Emotions he knew he had no right to, but it didn’t stop them. That man had knocked her up and left her to raise Greer alone. The man had squandered his chance with the woman he’d been blessed to be with.
Linc settled the hand from her cheek down to her hip. “Does he know?”
She closed her eyes like it was a barrier. Linc refused to let it be one. He squeezed her hip until she opened them once more.
“Does he?” Linc pressed, needing to know everything.
“I was shocked when he’d shown interest in me. I’d spent my life on the outside looking in, but he came around and was charming, handsome, and gentle with me. Like he knew I was scared of, well, everything. Turns out he was just after sex. He used me to show his family he wasn’t out screwing around with a girl they didn’t want him with. I was a place holder, a stand-in. Not the one he wanted and that was crystal clear when I got pregnant.” She shook her head. “To answer your question, yes. Always has. I told him when I found out. After my father,” she sniffed, body trembling and not in a good way, “shared his displeasure with me.”
Skimming his hand down over her thigh, he cupped the back of it and lifted it so he could slide his between them, anchoring her closer to him. This was a woman who deserved the world. Not that anyone deserved the hell it sounded like she went through, but damn it, Emma had come to mean so much to him.
“That little girl is my world. If he is back and wanting her, then it’s merely to do something for the vote. Maybe it’s a family angle. I don’t know but I won’t lose her. She’s my entire world.”
…
The high pitch of her voice irritated her but she couldn’t help it. Emma was scared out of her mind. If Paul wanted to, she didn’t doubt he could take Greer. He had money, status, and friends in high places.
She lay like a board, trying to think about movies that had brought her happiness. She’d watched just about everything. Popular. Odd. And everything in between. The only time she and her old man hadn’t been fighting was if a baseball game had been on. He’d loved the sport.
What could Paul want?
She really didn’t want to find out.
“You know Carl is just trying to get a story. For all we know, he’s not trying anything.”
“I can’t fight him if he does. I can’t compete with his money.”
“You’re not alone, Freckles. I will be at your side. You just have to let me in.” His large hand slid around to her ass, bringing her even closer to him. Everything about this man was hard. And strong. And protective.
“I’m not worth the center.”
“Let me decide what the center is worth.” He brushed some hair away from her face before placing his hand on her hip.
She needed to change the subject. “Thank you for your clothing.”
“You can wear whatever you want of mine. They never looked as good on me as they do you.”
“I doubt that. Your clothing is…” She took a deep breath. “Let’s just say no one complains when you walk in a room.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “Because of my clothing?”
“Are you fishing for compliments, Mr. Conner?”
A flash of white as he showed his teeth. “From you? Always. I have a fragile ego.”
“Why? You have to know how good you look. In anything. And I doubt anything on you is fragile.”
He nuzzled her neck with his nose. “Regardless, compliments are always nice to hear. God, you smell good. How do you manage to smell so damn delicious?” His tongue flicked out and licked her skin.
She shivered. “Lotion?”
“Sounds like you’re asking me. Maybe I should find out how you smell everywhere. I already know from this morning that I love your taste.”
She couldn’t shut her legs even though she tried. His thick thigh was between hers. He nosed aside the collar of the shirt he’d put on her, moving down toward the top of her breast.
“Linc,” she panted, her grip digging into his shoulders. “What are we doing?”
“Talking.” His teeth closed around the strap of her bra before he licked down toward the cup.
“Talking?”
“Sure. Don’t you hear what I’m communicating? How beautiful you are? How much I’m addicted to your smell, your taste? How much I want to be inside you?”
“Is that what this is? Sex to get off?”
He grazed her nipple with his teeth as he lifted his head to look at her. “Freckles, I am happy to get you off. Anytime you want me to. I want to make you feel better. You’re hesitant to talk about this man who gave you the greatest gift you have, Greer. I don’t want to push because I feel you’ll resent me in the broad stroke of your anger. Not that it’s not deserved, but I want to be on your good side. So if that means distracting you and letting you see how I feel about you without words, than that’s what I’ll do.”