Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“How are you doing, Boo? Still in pain?”
“It’s not too bad. The occasional twinge when I move too quickly or try to lift too much.”
“What are you trying to lift?” he demanded. “You shouldn’t be lifting anything. Why aren’t you getting one of us to lift stuff for you?”
“Um, because you all have lives. I need to move around and do things for myself.”
“Why?”
He sounded genuinely confused but he had to know what she was saying.
Right?
“I can’t rely on you guys to do everything for me forever. You have jobs and lives separate from mine. Eventually, I have to move out. Look after myself and Button.”
And wasn’t that terrifying?
She couldn’t imagine being on her own. And this time, Maggie wouldn’t be around.
Was it a stupid move not going to Escana?
Suddenly, Slade shifted them so she was sitting on the lounger and he was kneeling between her now-open legs. Whoa. This was one sturdy lounger. But he didn’t seem to be worried about tipping them up.
No, he was too busy scowling down at her.
The fairy lights around the pool twinkled, giving the dark night a soft glow as she stared up at him.
“Why the hell would you leave?” he asked.
“Slade, I can’t stay here forever.”
“Yes, you can.”
Right. He was starting to irritate her now. Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled up at him. “No, I can’t.”
“You’re staying here. End of story.”
She groaned. “Slade, be reasonable. Do you seriously think your girlfriend is going to want to live with you, your three best friends, your stepsister and her baby? No. Eventually, we all have to move on. And it’s not like this is my home.”
Ouch.
That hurt to say.
“What the hell are you talking about? What girlfriend?” he asked.
“Um, the woman that you were with at Club Slade a few months ago. Actually, probably more than a few months.”
Wow. Time was going fast.
“Have you broken up?” she asked.
“Little one,” he said, brushing a strand of hair off her face. “There was no girlfriend. Not sure who you saw me with but she wasn’t mine. I haven’t had a proper girlfriend in years. Although there’s always been a girl I wanted.”
He carefully rearranged them so he was sitting on the chair and she was sitting in his lap. He tucked the blankets around her.
“There’s a girl you’ve always wanted?” she whispered in a raw voice.
Who was it?
Did she know them? It was likely that she did, right? Unless it was someone he’d met at college maybe?
“Christ. You’re killing me,” he said as he grasped her chin and gently tilted her head back. Then, to her shock, he pressed his lips against hers.
Heat flooded her and she melted into him as he slid his tongue into her mouth. His kiss wasn’t gentle like Spencer’s had been. It wasn’t soft and questioning.
It was pure demand and heat.
Her head was spinning by the time he drew back. She was breathing heavily as she attempted to bring herself back under control.
This was insane.
Her lips were tingling and she could feel her clit throbbing.
More. She wanted more.
She wanted him to kiss her until she forgot both of their names.
“Do you know who it is now?” he asked.
Huh. He wanted to talk? She was still reeling from that kiss.
Slade kissed her.
Spencer had also kissed her.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
What was happening right now?
Slade sighed, then let out a huff of laughter. “I can tell that you don’t. I’ve obviously been far too subtle.”
“Subtle? You?” she finally said.
“It’s you, Little one. My Boo. You’re the girl I want. You’re the girl I love.”
She was the girl? Huh? She was the girl.
Wait . . . wait . . . wait . . .
Holy bollocking bollocks.
“I’m the girl? And you love me . . . like that? Not in a brotherly way, but . . . ”
“Definitely not in a brotherly way,” he said gruffly. “It’s always been you, baby. The girl I want. Well, not when you were younger. That would have been disgusting. But when you got older, when you went off to university, that’s when I started to notice you. But the timing was always off. You were in university and we were trying to build an empire. To make sure that we had something to offer you. And then you met fucking Billy. That fucker. God, how I wish I’d made a move before you met him. But you’re here now. I’m here. And you’re gonna be mine.”
Her mind was whirling and she could hardly make sense of what he’d just said.
But a few things stood out.
“It’s me.”
Another huff of laughter. “You, Boo.”
“I’m going to be yours?”
“Mine.”
The word was filled with a wealth of possessive satisfaction.
His?
“That’s awfully presumptuous of you,” she told him, her mind reeling.
How did she tell him that Spencer had kissed her? What about the fact that Rock and Spencer had been sleeping in her room?