Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
She’s sunshine, I’m an asshole (though I’m working on it). She’s never met a stranger, people are just friends she hasn’t made yet, while if I never had to talk to anyone but her and Dom for the rest of my life, I’d be fine. Probably better than fine. She’s short and soft with curves in all the right places, and I’m tall and built like a brick shithouse, and planning on getting brickier soon with offseason lifting.
And her softness extends into her soul, the same way my hardness does . . . right down to my core. Though I am learning to trust, to be vulnerable, to feel things and share them, secure enough with Penny to believe that any ugly thoughts or fears I express won’t be the thing that finally sends her running.
In return, I’m doing my damnedest to love Penny the best I can. I want her to want to be with me, not just because I’m a work in progress but because I make her life better, her days happier, her brilliant soul buzz with joy. Yeah, I’m always going to be overprotective, and chances are, there are going to be sprained ankles here, sketchy choices there, and of course her new bestie, the Mob boss, to contend with. But more than protecting her, I want to be the solid foundation she can return to after she flies off on whatever tangential whim strikes her. Never caging her, just being her safe place, the same way she’s mine.
“What’dya mean? We’re totally normal!” I counter, not even remotely sounding like I believe that. “Normal people have lunch plans with the most powerful and scariest man in the city at his private table in the impossible-to-get-a-reservation restaurant he owns. And I’m sure everyone drinks champagne from a giant silver cup after a good day at the office. Or creates art out of thousands of dollars’ worth of diamonds. Everyone definitely comes home to someone they love more than life itself, that makes them glad to have had another day on this earth just to spend those twenty-four hours with them.”
Penny’s initial laughter at my list of normal chokes off. “Aww, you’re the sweetest,” she says, setting the ring box down and crossing the room to sit half on me, half on the couch. “I am glad to have today with you.”
I grin wolfishly. “I meant that I’m the lucky bastard who gets to spend time with you, but thanks.” I gather her into my arms, burying my nose in her neck and simply inhaling her. I truly could sit here with her like this all day, or longer—like forever.
There’s just one problem with that plan. Miles Conniver is not the sort of man one is fashionably late to lunch with.
Penny
Every table in Aqua Est Vita is full, and as the hostess escorts us to the very back, eyes turn to follow us. Well, to follow Griffin. He sticks out like a sore thumb in the fancy restaurant, and despite his slacks and oddly suave sports coat, he might as well be wearing a jersey with his name emblazoned on it. Everyone knows who he is, even if they’re not hockey fans. How could they not, when the Hawks have been plastered on every news show, billboard, and ad across the city?
I wouldn’t normally have my boyfriend go with me to a business lunch. But Griffin is no ordinary boyfriend, Miles Conniver is no ordinary customer, and this is no ordinary meeting. This is going to open an entirely new door for me. It already has.
I’ve been creating content out of my work on this ring for the last few weeks, and those videos and images have led to several messages from potential clients who want pieces that are more amazing than any other I’ve had the opportunity to work on.
Well, other than Mr. Conniver’s, of course. This commission from him isn’t in another world, but, rather, another stratosphere. But the new-client requests are not only for redone heritage pieces. They’re for from-scratch-anything-I-want designs from people who simply want to own my art.
My art.
I’ve been successful for a while, but PLDesigns is on an entirely different trajectory, to a new plane of achievement now. And I owe it all to a little mishap with a very special ring, not to mention a very special man.
I glance over my shoulder at my man, and somehow manage to catch the toe of my business pump on a chair leg. I cry out, feeling the world go wonky-donkey as I start to fall, but strong hands firmly grip my waist, righting me.
“I gotcha. You’re good,” Griffin rumbles in my ear.
“Miss Lee?” Mr. Conniver says in concern, an arm outstretched like he intends to help as well. But when he sees Griffin’s expression of touch her and die, he lets it drop with a nod of understanding, though he looks like he’s fighting off a smirk.