Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“And if I want it to be more?”
“Why? Why would you want that? We’re from two different worlds.”
“Only if we choose to be. I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to know where that leads. I want you with me in Paris, but nothing changes professionally if you choose otherwise. I’ve gotten a lot of things wrong with you. I want to fix that now no matter what that means.”
In other words, he doesn’t want space. He came here for me, for us. I’m overwhelmed in the best of ways. “You didn’t get it wrong, Ethan. I did. And I’m sorry. I should have talked to you. I darted away, and it was an emotional decision. I’m not good at flings.”
“I don’t want you to be.” He leans in and brushes his lips over mine. “You feel so fucking good.” And then his mouth is crashing down over mine, his tongue licking deep, and I’m moaning with the feel of him, the taste of him. “Fly out with me,” he says, capturing my upper arms. “Stay with me in Paris. I want you with me. If you want to be with me.”
It’s right then that a knock sounds on the door, and I want to scream with the interruption, but I also know something is wrong. My hand presses to his chest. “She wouldn’t interrupt us if it wasn’t urgent or unusual.”
He curses, and his hands fall away from me. “Go. Business first.”
But there’s something about him in that moment, unsteadiness in a way I do not know him to be, and I don’t know how I’ve stirred such a reaction in him, but that is exactly what has happened. And I can’t turn away without saying more, doing more. I step into him and push to my toes, my lips brushing his before I say, “I want everything and fear everything with you. That’s where I’m at. That’s me being honest.”
He cups my head and murmurs, “Ditto, sweetheart. The biggest fucking ditto of my life, but I like it. I like it almost too much.”
It. This feeling. Us. I don’t even know what to do with the idea of this man, who could have any woman, saying this to me. But it’s somehow so much more right than wrong. “Me, too,” I whisper, and another knock sounds, and I jolt, my fingers brushing over his cheek before stepping around him and rushing to the door.
Chapter Twelve
Sofia
Iopen the door to find Lily standing there, palms up. “Sorry. I’m so sorry for interrupting, but your attorney is on the phone. Your cellphone is going to voicemail, and there’s some document that wasn’t signed. I don’t know. It seems urgent.” She points to the office and mouths, “He’s so hot. Who is that?”
“Later,” I mouth, and then say, “Put the call through, please.” After which, I shut the door and hurry toward Ethan, who’s now perched on the edge of my desk, and while he might consume a small space, his presence has a way of owning the room.
And me.
He owns me in the most intimate of ways, and it’s important I remember that what stirs the body and hormones is not always what is best beyond the bedroom. He’s savvy and financially intelligent in ways I’ve never had the chance to explore. That places me in a position of vulnerability, though the truth is, Ethan seems to really be an honest guy.
“Everything okay?”
“Harper’s trying to reach me,” I explain. “Apparently, we missed a document, or something to that effect. Lily was too smitten with you to form a coherent sentence.”
He laughs. “I think it was stunned. Apparently, you haven’t talked about me at all. I’m not sure how to feel about that.”
“I keep my private life private.”
His eyes warm. “I like that about you, Sofia.”
The phone on my desk begins to ring, and I grab it, all too aware of Ethan shifting his body my direction. “Harper,” I greet, leaning on the desk but facing forward where there’s no direct eye contact with a hot billionaire to distract me from the conversation. “Sorry,” I add. “I’ve been having trouble with my phone. What’s up?”
“The board wants to add an amendment, which includes more money for you, but also a non-compete. I’m not sure if you should sign it until I review it in detail. I’m trying to reach Ethan to calm their tits and buy us a day to talk things through, but he too, doesn’t seem to be taking my calls.”
“A non-compete?” I repeat, shifting left, my eyes meeting Ethan’s, and he does not look pleased.
He pushes to his feet and motions to the phone. “Let me talk to her.”
“Is that Ethan?” Her voice is utter disbelief. “Holy hell, he does not listen. I told him to let you get this deal done before he talked to you. But what does he do? He goes to see you in person.”