Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 106948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Sure I was blushing beet red, I ducked my head then bit my lip. “That’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me; crazy, but nice.”
Grasping my chin, he made me look at him as he said, “I promise you that someday you’ll believe my words, that you’ll know your worth.”
Drawn into the spellbindingly deep tone of his voice, I licked my lower lip. “You don’t know me. I could be a horrible person.”
I liked the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed. “Is that so?”
“Yeah. I could be one of those people who steal money from the animal shelter donation jar at the pet store.”
“Are you?”
“Well—no. But I could be.”
“Hannah, I am a very, very good judge of character, and I can say with complete confidence that you have never stolen money from anyone, animal shelter or otherwise.”
“You’re missing the point—”
“No, you’re missing the point. Stop trying to convince me you’re less than what you are. I see you, more clearly than you see yourself. And what I see is beautiful.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, secretly pleased as punch by his compliments, even if I had a hard time believing them.
He ran his hand down my bare back, a tender exploration of my skin that reawakened the pounding between my legs. I was so wet, my panties were pretty much useless at the moment. Unable to help myself, I leaned forward and rested my head on the swell of his hard chest, looping my arms around his waist and absorbing his warmth.
“Cuddly, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I didn’t get a lot of physical affection as a kid.” Jerking back, I wanted to pretend I hadn’t said those words. What the hell was up with my sudden bout of being overly honest? “Just kidding.”
Leo didn’t say anything, instead letting me wiggle out of his arms. “You need to relax. Come, do a shot with me.”
“That’s the last thing I need.”
He merely smiled at me and took my hand, leading me over to the couch. “Sit, beautiful girl.”
I watched his ass bunch and flex beneath his tight jeans, each long stride poetry in motion.
When he turned around and caught me staring, I flushed and looked away, pretending to be absorbed by the painting of the ocean. Up close, I could see hints of pink and purple in the sky, along with the distant bright blue ribbon of a clear horizon. It was thin, barely noticeable from far away, but it cut through the boiling storm clouds like a stroke of light. “I like this picture. Kind of rough and turbulent, but if you look on the horizon, you can see calmer skies are on their way.”
In the middle of pouring a drink, Leo froze and stared at me with an odd expression. “Is that what you see?”
Fidgeting beneath his intense regard, I licked my lips, which only made his interest in me sharpen. Setting the bottle down then picking up the glass, he strode across the room and sat right next to me, his heat saturating the side of my body. I tried to put some space between us, but soon reached the end of the couch. Still, it was enough room that I could breathe without pressing into all that hard, male bulk. His thick thighs were the size of two of mine together and I wondered what it would feel like to be able to explore the body of someone as fit as Leo.
Handing me a cut-crystal glass with about half an inch of amber liquid in the bottom, he said, “Drink.”
“Where’s yours?”
Instead of answering me, he gestured to the painting. “Would you like to know what I see when I look at it?”
I swirled liquid in my glass, the faint scent of honey reaching my nose through the heavy veil of alcohol. “Of course.”
“I used to see rage in the form of water, powerful destruction that even the rocks can’t hold back.” I gaped at him and his cold expression thawed, warmth melting his dark eyes to molten chocolate. “But now I see the coming of the dawn. The promise of safe harbor.”
I swear, this was one of the most overwhelming moments of my life. I stared at him, seeing only confidence and honesty in his face—along with a good dose of lust. Unable to handle this…whatever it was going on between us, I slammed the shot glass and gasped. “Holy crap!”
His white teeth gleamed as he smiled at me. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, that was strong stuff.”
“Not a whisky drinker?”
“Uh, no. I’m more of a sangria kind of girl.”
“Noted.”
Not knowing what to do with myself, I balled my hands together in my lap, clasping my fingers so tightly they hurt. Was he going to kiss me? Was I supposed to kiss him? A quick glance at his face revealed his expression had once again shut down as he stared at my bunched hands.