Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
She swallowed.
“What do you want with me?”
“Lei. . .”
I leaned forward. “What do you want with me, Moni?”
Chapter twenty-eight
The Crossroads of Desire
Lei
What is she going to say?
“Lei. . .” Moni’s voice trailed off.
I could see her hesitating, weighing her words.
And in that pause, my heart teetered on the edge of insanity.
My pulse hammered in my ears.
The intensity of my feelings for her, feelings I had just begun to understand and articulate, felt like a force unto themselves, a current too strong to resist.
I was standing at the crossroads of vulnerability and obsession and I knew I had to tread carefully.
Whatever she says. . .don't go too far. Stay calm. Give her time.
I watched as she took a deep breath, her lips parting as if to speak.
Then to my surprise, she reached her hand across the table and held mine.
And in her warm touch, I found a semblance of peace.
Yet, Moni gazed at her soup.
Is she nervous? Or does she know that I won't like her answer?
“Lei.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I want you to love me just as much as I love you.”
Her words were a balm, yet they also fanned the flames of my desire.
I yearned to pull her close, to bridge the gap between us with a kiss that would seal our mutual confession.
But I held back.
The tension in the air was palpable, a dance of emotions that both connected and cautioned us.
I could feel the obsessive part of me, lurking just beneath the surface, craving to claim her even more, to make her mine in every conceivable way possible.
But I battled it down for now. . . reminding myself that. . .maybe love, true love, was about respect, about giving as much as taking.
“Moni.” I turned my hand up to hold hers and intertwined our fingers. “I think loving you will be the easiest task of this year.”
Her eyes met mine surely the fire in them matched the passion throbbing deep within me.
As we sat there, hands lightly touching, the candlelight flickering around us, a silent vow formed in my heart.
This is going to happen.
Excitement rushed through me.
I could feel the electricity in the air, a current that connected us on a level deeper than words could convey.
The intensity of our connection was intoxicating, like a fine wine swirling in our veins, igniting a fire that threatened to consume us both.
In that moment, I saw everything and nothing at once.
Her hand trembled in mine.
We had bared our souls, exposing the raw edges of our desires, and now the moment hung suspended in time.
I leaned closer to her. “I want nothing more than to love you with every fiber of my being.”
Her breath hitched.
“I know this is fast and my father put it together and. . .I even had you in handcuffs at one point. . .”
She grinned.
“But I can't deny any more what's going on in my heart.”
She let out a long breath. “I've never felt this way before, Lei. It scares me, but it also excites me.”
“That's how I feel.”
“Good. Then, I'm not by myself.”
“Not at all.”
The candlelight flickered, and the food was forgotten.
“Then, it's settled.” I shrugged. “We will get married tomorrow.”
She took her hand from me. “What?!”
“I'm just joking.” I laughed.
She scowled. “That's not funny. You looked absolutely serious.”
“Probably, because. . .I would marry you tomorrow if I could.”
“I can't with you right now.”
“I would but I wouldn't want to make you a widow after a few days.”
She blinked. “Don't say that.”
“It's a small possibility, Moni. I just wanted to make that clear.”
She put her hand back on mine. “You will win against your father. He wants you to win.”
“But he won't make it easier either. I should be training, but I can't. . .I just want to be with you.”
“That's your advantage over him.”
I raised my brows. “What do you mean?”
“Your father is ready to die, while you are ready to live, ready to love, ready to even. . .start a family.” She touched her chest. “I'm not a fighter but that has to hit different on the battlefield.”
I smiled. “It would.”
The next server came in, pushing a cart to our table. A platter with a large duck lay on top. Its skin was roasted to a perfect, glossy crispness.
Moni took her hand back and I immediately missed it.
Soon, the server began to carve it in front of us and place the duck on our plates. Succulent slices of meat glistened under the soft candlelight.
Another server entered with plates covered with thin, delicate pancakes. Next to them was a dab of hoisin sauce, and finely sliced scallions and cucumber.
Once they left, I picked up a pancake. “Follow me. It’s best this way.”
“Okay.” She mirrored my actions.
I wrapped the tender duck in a pancake, topped it with the scallions and cucumbers, and right before eating I dipped it in the sauce. “This is one of my favorites.”