Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 90009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Especially when she was just starting to turn a corner.
Fuck that.
I press my lips to the top of her head. Her body fits against mine like she was made to be there as we stand in the quiet of the living room. The city beyond the glass is gray and cold, a reflection of the storm brewing inside her.
I wrap my arms tighter around her before whispering against her temple, “I think you need a distraction.”
She huffs out a dry laugh. “From what, exactly? The internet branding me a victim or my mother disowning me for not wanting to be a lawyer?”
“From all of it,” I murmur, tightening my hold. There’s a part of me that’s afraid she’ll slip right through my fingers if I’m not careful. “Let them talk, baby. While they’re busy judging, I’m the one who gets to be here with you.”
She stiffens slightly. “Steele…”
Instead of letting her finish, I scoop her up into my arms.
Waffles stirs from her spot on the couch before lifting her head lazily and glancing our way. Then she curls back up like she knows what’s coming next and refuses to be part of it.
Smart cat.
Lilah stares up at me. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking care of you,” I say simply. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
I carry her through the penthouse to my bedroom, not stopping until we’re in the bathroom. Only then do I set her down gently and step away just long enough to turn on the shower, adjusting the temperature until steam rises in the air.
When I turn back around, she’s watching me with wide, questioning eyes.
I reach for the hem of her shirt, lifting it slowly and giving her every chance to stop me if it’s not what she wants. My hands are careful as I peel the fabric over her head and let it fall to the floor. I take my time with the rest of her clothing, touching every inch of bared skin that gets revealed. There’s no rush or roughness. Only patient, steady devotion. I want her to feel it every second and in every part of her.
The way she deserves.
By the time her clothes have been removed, she’s trembling. Not from anguish but from the kind of anticipation that leaves your entire body buzzing with need.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” I murmur, letting my thumb graze her hip bone.
Then I strip off my own clothes and lead her into the shower until the warm spray cascades over us. Lilah releases a sigh as the water hits her.
I reach for the shampoo and lather it into my hands before moving behind her. She tilts her head back, allowing me to massage it gently into her scalp. After rinsing it out, I repeat the process with the conditioner. My fingers comb through her hair until the strands are silky soft to the touch.
Lilah leans back against me when I finish, her muscles loosening, as if she’s finally letting go. I press a kiss to her shoulder and then another before trailing my mouth along the side of her neck until she turns her face toward mine.
“I hate seeing you like this,” I murmur. “Tense and sad. Questioning yourself and the decisions you’ve made.”
“I’m okay,” she whispers.
“No, you’re not. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you will be.”
I run my hands down her arms, over her ribs, and across her stomach. She stills, tension rippling through her when my palm slips between her thighs. She moans as I touch her the way I know she needs. Slow, skilled, and focused entirely on her. I worship every inch of her like it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.
And when she starts to unravel in my arms, I catch her.
She lets out a moan when I press her against the wall, caged in between my bigger body and the tiles. Her fingers bite into my shoulders as she wraps her legs around my waist.
“Please don’t hold back,” she pleads.
That’s the last thing I’m going to do.
Because this isn’t just about pleasure.
It’s about reminding her she’s wanted.
Loved.
Cherished.
Not for what she does.
Or who people expect her to be.
But for exactly who she is.
After we’ve both found our release, I hold her close, my hands gentle as I rinse her clean.
She leans her forehead against mine with her eyes closed. “Thank you. Somehow, you always know exactly what I need.”
I press a kiss to her lips. “And don’t you ever forget it, lucky charm.”
If I have my way, I’ll spend the rest of my days making sure she never questions where she belongs.
Or the man she belongs to.
43
STEELE
With my elbows braced on my knees and eyes locked on the stretch of fresh ice in front of me, I sit alone in the empty arena. The air inside the rink is cool, crisp, and silent. It feels like the calm before the storm.