Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Holy shit,” Luca whistles, gaping at me. “That was astounding.”
I’ve amazed him. The most amazing man. His expression and soft, low tone are a match to the explosion waiting to detonate in my insides.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I’ve read a lot. Almost everything in life is borrowed from other minds. Even the greats borrowed from the greats before them. I think. Most of the time. It makes you truly realize that people had problems no matter what time they lived in. Really, they were just like us. The one thing pain is good for is the universality of it. It gives a sense of continuity, uniting us. Time and space become just constructs. An idea rather than a reality.”
“Double holy shit. Keep going.”
His praise and amazement warm me. I can now understand why he wanted to hide from the praise I was dishing out. I love it, but at the same time, it’s embarrassing.
“I think that’s enough for now. Let’s drink the champagne, or at least have a taste.”
“A taste. Believe me, you don’t want to drink more than a few sips. It’s very sweet.” He mock gags, but it’s clear he doesn’t like it.
I’ve given up messing around with the evil wire of undoable destruction. I’m more than glad to hand it over to him and let him have a go with it.
He slides over on his seat so he’s directly across from me.
And miracle of miracles, he works the metal cage open as fast as any magician ever could. He tosses it aside like he didn’t just perform a feat of epic awesomeness, and goes to pop the cork.
I gasp at the pop, but I scream at the hiss.
And the resounding torrent of champagne that explodes out of the bottle in a violent eruption, rocketing across the way and dousing my face, hair, and dress in a sticky, wet, frothy mess.
So much for champagne needing to be shaken to do that.
And so much for my last clean set of clothes, panties included.
Chapter nine
Luca
Well, shit.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
It’s all well and good to burst a bottle of champagne to christen something, and at the right celebratory event, shaking up the bubbly can provide an excellent sense of victorious camaraderie, but it’s rather inconvenient to coat half the inside of an expensive bus and fully soak an unwitting participant.
“Fuck. Dulcie, I’m so sorry! Let me get you something.”
Beads of champagne glisten on her forehead and cheeks like raindrops, and a rivulet tracks down her nose as she blinks her sticky, clumped lashes.
I frantically glance all around the bus, but there aren’t any towels that I can see. I’m still holding the bottle, so here’s to my last fuck to give. I tip it back and bring it to my mouth.
“It’s very sad that I never got to taste it.” Dulcie slicks her hand down her nose and brings it to her lips right as the last contents of the bottle hit my tongue.
I should swallow, but the way she sucks her finger, looking so innocently and mouthwateringly sweet, and at the same time exceptionally and flirtatiously coy, freezes the reflex.
The champagne is getting warm in my mouth.
I have five seconds to decide if I’m going to swallow or instead choose a path that there’s no coming back from. Logically, I could just ask the driver to stop somewhere so I could get another bottle, but my brain isn’t doing things like braining.
She pops her finger out of her mouth loudly and sighs. “Hmm, it was good too. Delicious.”
There’s no snapping inside me. No last thread. It’s nothing like that. It’s all straight up resolve, rearing and kicking like a feral animal inside me.
I surge across the bus, cup the back of her head reverently, thread my fingers in her raven hair, and lock my mouth with hers. She makes a sound, but it’s not startled surprise. She immediately gives herself over to the kiss, parting her lips. I open mine slowly, letting the champagne trickle into her mouth and flood over her tongue.
“Mmmph.”
I can’t tell if it’s a gasp or a sigh, but it’s either I keep going or choke myself, or her, or both of us.
She swallows eagerly, sighing when the last of the champagne is gone. Her tongue glides over mine, savoring the last of the aftertaste. Then, she sucks my bottom lip into her mouth, caressing that too and letting loose little sounds of pleasure before she leans back, her hands fisting in the lapels of my jacket.
“That was surprising,” she says softly.
“In a good or bad way? It’s not for everyone. I’m sorry if it wasn’t—”
“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever done in my life. The question is, what are you going to do about it now?” I ask.