Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 132097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
She doesn’t say anything.
She just looks at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.
So I do the only thing I can think of to make her believe me—I hook my hand around the back of her neck and jerk her face to mine.
The kiss isn’t gentle.
With her, I’ve forgotten how to be.
Days of stinging repressed need erupt at once, and I run my hands up and down that lush curve of her hips, squeezing, digging my fingers into her flesh.
I can’t believe she could ever think she’s less than perfect.
“You’re lying. That’s kind of you, trying to build me up, but Ethan, you don’t have to.”
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” I bite off, my mouth still against hers, my words lost against her tongue. “Not one fucking thing, Pages.”
With a moan of surrender, she gives in, melting against my chest as my hands pull fistfuls of expensive fabric and I rip that infernal dress off her shoulders.
11
ALL THE RUIN (HATTIE)
Everything is happening too fast, but also not fast enough.
One minute, I’m being dressed by a bunch of brilliant women moving like speed demons who compliment me on my future husband and how beautiful I look, all while they’re fussing over me in the mirror and ignoring every flaw.
The next, Ethan’s hands are on me.
Lightning swift, possessive, peeling the gorgeous dress away and devouring my mouth with pure intoxication.
Holy hell.
I can’t think straight to save my life.
Some dormant part of my brain flashes, warning we should stop, but I don’t want to.
Let’s be real—no part of me wants to.
He nips my bottom lip, and when I lean back to look at him, his eyes are blue dusk lit by fire, his red mouth parted and breathing too fast.
Animal.
Ethan Blackthorn gazes down at me like the hungry wolf he is, a creature who’s carried this hunger around for ages and now he’s staring at a meal long denied.
The crazy thought makes me tremble.
His eyes dip to my bare chest, my nipples pebbling under his inspection.
There’s a heavy ache between my legs, a dampness, an agony I’m not used to.
I’m no virgin and I’ve been with a couple guys before, but it’s been boring and predictable.
They kiss me. We fondle a bit, and then we head into my room where we have basic Tab A in Slot B sex and that’s pretty much the end.
Maybe we’ll see each other a few more times.
Usually, they ghost, and I don’t even feel enough for them to be pissed.
When it’s over, I don’t miss them or their lackluster touch.
They scratched an itch. They supported a moment.
With Ethan, it’s different.
This wild man, a fantasy come true, a comet streaking into my world with a tail of dangerous emotions.
“Fuck, Hattie,” he rasps, grabbing my breast with a roughness that makes me tingle.
More heat flares in my veins.
“Even better than I imagined.” He rubs his thumb over my nipple.
Pleasure zings straight to my core.
I press my legs together to keep from combusting on the spot, my panties so soaked it’s indecent.
It’s been so, so long since I’ve really wanted anyone.
I don’t even know what to do with it.
Ethan has a better idea, though. He bends his head and flicks his tongue over my nipple.
Hot, wet, sticky heat.
It slices through me, the intimacy and the hum in my veins.
I have to bite back a gasp so sharp it’s shameful.
I reach up, my fingers weaving through his hair.
Yes, this.
With his eyes gone feral, he places two big hands on my waist and looks down past my breasts for the first time, catching sight of my dark green lacy panties.
His eyes darken.
His breath catches in his throat on a curse.
Crazy that I did that.
Me.
The sugar rush blanks out my brain.
It’s enough for me to drag his mouth back to mine.
His fingers go lower, roaming down my rib cage, his hands calloused from his time in the Army.
Something about that roughness and the force in his skin makes me liquid.
There are a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t do this, but I can’t think of a single one.
He wastes no time as he picks me up, carrying me to the bed.
I wrap my legs around his waist, surprised he doesn’t struggle with me when I’m not the lightest girl.
From this angle, I can feel his erection, massive and insistent.
He’s harder than granite already.
For me.
Oh my God, he wants me.
And yes, on the beach I felt his erection, too, but that was different.
That was a spontaneous whoopsie and we still had the good sense to stop before it went too far.
Tonight, there’s no chance that happens.
The way he grunts when he feels me shifting against his cock says the moon colliding with the Earth couldn’t halt this.
Nothing will.
Certainly not any worries about being too careful as he drops me down on the bed and hooks his fingers inside my panties.