Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
When he stroked her fingers, she subconsciously wrapped them around his pinky and held on tight. So fucking precious.
He could see the edge of her mark peeking through the lace of her sleeve, but he didn’t dare touch it. Not yet. He hadn’t even explained to her how powerful that would be. All the more reason to let her keep her dress on for now.
Resigned to the fact that there was no way he was going to put her down, he leaned back and continued to watch her sleep. His arm might start to tingle, but he’d get over it. Sienna’s comfort was his top priority. Her rest was important. She was in a deep sleep, and she needed it.
Watching her rhythmically suckle the pacifier made his chest tighten. She was so fucking adorable. Perfect in every way. Granted, he was programmed to think that, but it didn’t matter. She’d stolen his heart, and he didn’t want it back.
Chapter Five
Sienna startled as she awoke, confused about where she was for a few seconds before recognizing her surroundings. This wasn’t one of her visions. She really was in her mate’s home. He was holding her in his arms and smiling down at her.
It was hard to trust her reality, though. For days, she’d woken up to visions of Jayce’s house, jolted awake by being yanked into his home so she could watch him prepare her room, eat dinner, wander around the house, or relax on his back porch.
He’d seemed lonely every time she’d visited him. It had made her feel heavy and sad. Had he been waiting for her?
He didn’t look lonely now. He looked pleased. She pleased him.
For the first time in she wasn’t sure how long, she actually smiled. The movement reminded her there was something in her mouth.
Jayce reached to pop the pacifier out from between her lips, making her blush. Had she been sucking on that babyish nipple all this time? Apparently.
Now that it was gone, she felt…odd. Lost. She wanted it back, but she didn’t dare voice that. She shouldn’t crave a pacifier. What was wrong with her?
Nevertheless, a sense of restlessness consumed her. She could feel a ring around her lips caused by the plastic barrier of the pacifier. She must look ridiculous.
Jayce didn’t comment on that, though. He set the pacifier on the table next to him without breaking eye contact. “You slept so hard, Baby girl. I know you were exhausted. I couldn’t bring myself to put you down. I know I should have, but I wanted to hold you and watch you sleep.”
His cheeks turned as pink as hers felt. He was embarrassed from watching her sleep. It was sweet. Everything he did was endearing.
“You slept for three hours,” he continued. “You need to eat or take another bottle.” He gently lifted her into a seated position. “I bet you need to go potty, too.”
At the mention, her bladder made itself known. She did need to pee. Luckily not too badly yet.
“Can you lean forward, Little one? Let me unbutton this dress. It looks like it’s choking you.”
He was right. It was choking her, but she was used to the sensation. She’d been wearing dresses with a high neckline her entire life. Brown ugly ones that gave no indication of any person’s individuality.
Girls in the valley weren’t permitted to express themselves in very many ways. They all wore the same ugly dresses. They all let their hair grow, only pinning it back. They weren’t permitted to wear makeup or anything colorful before they were mated, and even then, they remained mostly modest for their entire lives.
Sienna knew more about the private lives of several Alpha Protectors and their mates than she did about any couple in the valley, including her own parents. She had no idea what sort of relationship her mom and dad had behind closed doors. They kept that part of themselves closely guarded.
She supposed she should be grateful she’d never been forced to witness anyone actually having sex in her visions. That might have driven her to jump off a bridge. But she had seen them playfully interacting in the evenings or early mornings. She’d seen Alphas dressing and undressing their mates. She’d watched them diapering and feeding them bottles. She’d also seen them doling out spankings and watched their mates stand in the corner.
The recollection made her face heat all over again, and she was grateful when Jayce lifted her off his lap and stood her on her feet, facing away from him.
“Hold on to my thighs while I get the rest of these buttons, Little one,” he ordered softly.
She was quick to obey him, but it felt so intimate standing this close to him, touching his legs. Granted, it wasn’t as though he were naked. He still had on dress pants. Nevertheless, she was unnerved for so many reasons.