Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“I mean, if you’re in a war zone, of course safe is always good. But if you’re living your life, safe isn’t always what you should be shooting for. You’re obviously successful. You must know that.”
She’s making perfect sense…and it’s the first time I’ve ever even contemplated that safe might have negative connotations.
“And you know what else?” she asks. “She’s going to have a dad who’s laser focused on her whenever he’s around her. How many kids can say that? What a role model you’ll be.” She smiles and shakes her head. “They say daughters marry their dads. I can’t imagine the poor guy who has to measure up to you.”
I can’t remember when I last felt so…comfortable. And it’s not just because she’s paying me a compliment. Maybe that’s part of it. She just says things in a way that they’re easy for me to digest. It’s as if she’s put glasses on me and I see the world a little differently when she’s around.
I can’t remember when someone else last made me feel this good. I want to freeze time and stay here forever with the Manhattan skyline behind us.
NINETEEN
Aurora
My entire body vibrates when I’m with Deacon. I don’t know what it is about him, but it’s like something deep inside me, something primal, reacts to him.
Maybe it helps that he rented out an entire rooftop restaurant for tonight’s date. Darcy always says that if a man likes you, you’ll know it. I never understood what she was saying until tonight. How did I have to come to New York to meet this British guy?
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to remember how spectacular this view is,” I say, tearing my eyes away from Deacon as we stand looking at the lights of Manhattan spread in front of us.
“We don’t have to leave.”
I slip my hand into his. “Oh, I want to go.” There’s no doubt about the fact that I want to move on to the next part of the evening. But this view is everything.
He squeezes my hand and leads me out of the restaurant.
Deacon’s driver is waiting for us at the bottom of the building. Deacon opens the door and I slide into the backseat. When he lets go of my hand, a shiver runs through me. I’m cold without his touch. He rounds the boot of the car and I turn to watch, silently urging him to move more quickly so he can be next to me, touching me again.
“Tonight was incredible,” I say, as he slides in beside me and takes my hand in his again.
“I had fun,” Deacon says. “You’re fun.”
“Am I?”
“Yeah. And insightful and soft and empathetic. And sexy.”
I try not to smile, but it’s impossible. Deacon makes me feel sexy. The way he looks at me makes me feel like the most desired woman on the planet.
I’m not sure what we talk about on the way downtown, but the time seems to bend and in seconds we’re pulling up outside my apartment.
Deacon opens my door for me and takes my hand, like he’s my Prince Charming. I think he might be.
“I had a really good time tonight,” he says, as we head to the entrance to my building. “Can we do it again?”
“We can,” I say. “But the night’s not over yet.”
We pause at the door, and he glances down at his feet. Is he considering not coming up? Maybe I’m making an assumption.
Then he looks at me, so intently it makes me gasp.
“I don’t go on many dates,” he says. “I certainly don’t go on dates like tonight. I don’t rent out restaurants and…I don’t want you to think tonight was about sex.”
“I hope it was a little bit about sex,” I tease him. “Because I’ve been picturing you naked all evening.”
He laughs, cups my face, and presses his lips to mine.
Thank god.
For a moment there, I thought handholding was as far as it was going to go tonight.
His touch is so firm and in control, my entire body melts against his. He’s urgent and pressing and everything I could want. It’s the best kiss I’ve ever had. Every one of his kisses has been better than the one before. Maybe my brain just can’t comprehend that a kiss can be this good, and I’m unable to remember how good it actually is, so the next time I’m shocked to my core.
I slide my hands down his torso and then under his jacket, around his waist. He groans into my mouth. It’s the biggest turn-on to feel him respond to my touch like that. I feel sexy and powerful and so, so, so ready for him.
Somewhere in the kiss, when my mind was all caught up with Deacon, he spun me round and I’m up against the wall again, being kissed into oblivion.