Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
My dick began to perk up, and I frowned, flopping onto my back again. This was pointless. The sun was up, the clause was expired, and the contract was back in place. What the hell was I doing anyway, caressing the sheets like a lovestruck idiot? I didn’t love her like that. I didn’t love anyone like that, and I didn’t want to. Love was confusing and messy and unpredictable. I wouldn’t build a house on a foundation of quicksand, would I?
Bianca came out of the bathroom, one towel wrapped around her body, another wrapped turban-style on her head. Her glasses were slightly foggy. “You’re up,” she said.
“I’m up.” Since I wasn’t sure where we stood, I quickly tried to adjust the sheet so my morning wood wasn’t obvious.
Too late.
“You’re really up,” she said, giggling at the tent my erection was creating.
“I always wake up this way,” I said defensively, because I didn’t want her to know thinking about her had me so hard.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask to play with your magic wand again,” she said, going over to her suitcase and kneeling down.
Okay. So we were back where we’d begun. Fine with me, although I felt anything but fine about it. I felt angry and resentful.
But I wouldn’t show it.
“Good,” I said, carefully getting out of bed and taking the sheet with me. Wrapping myself up in it like a toga, I headed for the bathroom, trying not to notice the way her ass peeked out from below the towel.
Bianca rose to her feet with clothes in her arms, a smile on her lips. “You don’t have to hide, Enzo. I’ve already seen what’s under the sheet.”
“I’m not hiding. I’m covering up. For your sake,” I added.
Her eyebrows shot up. “My sake?”
“Yes. I wouldn’t want you to get excited about something you can’t have. It would be like putting your favorite dessert on the menu but saying you can’t order it.”
She snorted. “I think I’ll be okay. I had enough dessert last night to last me a while.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, making a little bow before going into the bathroom.
Once inside, I had to stop and take a deep breath.
Getting through phase two with my dignity—and sanity—intact might be harder than I thought.
Ten
Bianca
As soon as the bathroom door shut, I sat down on the bed and exhaled.
Ever since I’d woken up and looked over at him asleep next to me, I’d been pretending.
Pretending he didn’t make my heart pound faster. Pretending last night hadn’t been the best night of my life—the hottest, the most romantic, the most fun. Pretending I could just go back to the way things were before.
But what choice did I have? It was what we’d agreed on. It was the deal we’d made. And I didn’t want to be one of those women who confuses sex with love—he’d already warned me about that. He didn’t like it when a woman said one thing and did another, or when she changed her mind about what she wanted from him.
But I hadn’t, had I? Not really. It wasn’t like I was in love with him, I thought, admiring him as he slept—all gorgeous and naked and sexy and tousled. I had a feeling if I moved closer to him, his skin would be warm. Would he let me snuggle up? Would he open his arms and wrap them around me? Would he hold me or push me away?
I couldn’t risk the rejection. I just couldn’t.
So instead of getting closer like I wanted to, I got out of bed and took a shower, scrubbing my skin raw, as if I could rub the memory of him off me. Wash away my feelings. Rid myself of the stupid idea that we could be something real.
When I came out of the bathroom, I’d forced myself to act the way I assumed he wanted me to—as if last night hadn’t meant anything more than a good time. I smiled. I teased him. I laughed when he teased me back—and I laughed for real at the sight of him in that sheet, edging toward the bathroom, trying to hide his erection, which poked at the sheet like a sword.
He had no idea how badly I’d wanted to tear that sheet off him, toss my towel to the floor, and jump right back into bed.
But no. He couldn’t know how I felt. How I was starting to care more deeply for him than I should. How I regretted insisting on the no-sex rule. How badly I wished that even just one thing he’d said to me last night had been real.
How scared I was that last night meant nothing to him.
No, that was stupid. I didn’t need to be scared. I knew it meant nothing. I was just acting crazy—maybe it was all the hormones in my system. Orgasms released something that made you feel woozy and cuddly, right? After all the orgasms Enzo had delivered last night, my system was clearly on overload.