Total pages in book: 767
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
In the end, she relented with a tight nod.
On the main level, he claimed her lightweight jacket and helped her into it while Trinity called the valet to bring his car around.
Jax took Willow’s elbow as they walked down the steep set of stairs leading to the street.
Outside in the warm spring evening, people were everywhere—on the sidewalks, leaning over balconies, weaving through stopped, honking cars on the street. Revelers, some draped in Mardi Gras beads, bustled by, sipping hurricanes.
He guided her toward their waiting car and helped her inside.
When he was in the driver’s seat, he asked, “Are you at a hotel or private residence?”
“The Maison Sterling.”
“Excellent choice.” The boutique hotel known for its exquisite service and accommodations was owned by the Sterling family—fellow Titans.
As she’d said, the hotel was nearby, but with the partiers and gridlock of cars, it might have been faster to walk. Still, they reached their destination sooner than he would have liked. He didn’t want their evening to end with her feeling abandoned.
He found a rare parking spot on the street and pulled into it so they had a few more minutes together. “May I buy you a drink?”
“I have an early flight.” She shot him a polite smile that was gobbled by the nighttime shadows. “Thanks for the offer. It’s nice of you.”
There was that infuriating word again, wielded like a weapon.
“I—”
“Come on, Willow!” He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “As your Dom, as a man, it’s my responsibility to take care of you. If I had fucked you as hard as I wanted in that room, I’d be the asshole you think I am.”
She leaned back against the headrest.
“I’m trying to be a decent human being.”
With a small grin she turned to look at him. The car was intimate and quiet. “Is it as difficult as it sounds?”
“Keeping my hands off you? Yeah. I’ve got it for you. Bad.” He gave into the temptation that was Willow Henderson and leaned across the car to capture her chin. “May I kiss you?”
For a second, she said nothing.
“You’ve got your chance to reject me.” And maybe she should.
“Kiss me, Jax.”
He did. At first, he teased, waiting for her response. When she gave it, he slid his hand inside her jacket, then her crop top.
Some idiot kid knocked on the window and gave him a thumbs-up.
Jax shook his head. “I’m going to need more privacy to seduce you.”
“Is that what you’re doing?”
“If you’ll have me.”
There was silence. Loud and echoing.
Finally, her words the barest of whispers, she said, “I accept your invitation to join you for a drink.”
Pride and possession thrummed through him.
Within minutes, they were in the lobby, and the concierge directed them to an intimate bar. It had old-world elegance, with oversize leather chairs, small round tables, and silver dishes filled with premium nuts. In the center of the room, a musician played a piano, providing a soothing background.
Willow ordered a dry white wine, and he opted for a premium whiskey.
“So…” She regarded him over the rim of her glass. “About this seduction.”
“I don’t sleep around, and I don’t discard women. If we sleep together, there’s no going back.”
“You really are a knight in shining armor.”
“No. A kid with a hard background who tries to do the right thing.”
They spent an hour over their drinks. She told him about her studies and shared that she was considering career options for after graduation.
“You can come work for me. Maybe have a positive influence on the office. And me.”
She rolled her eyes as if that was impossible. “One could hope.”
He tossed out the idea as a way to keep her close—a natural transition—but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. She saw the world differently than he did. He was smart enough to know that could be a valuable asset. Not many people had the courage to look him in the eye and call him out. “I offer fringe benefits. All the spankings you need.”
An interested gleam lightened her eyes, making them appear golden. He adored her many expressions and wanted to explore them all. “Ah, impact play is the key to your kingdom, isn’t it? You could come to me anytime and I’d kick anyone else out and lock the door. From time to time, I’d even get you off.”
Her breath caught. “That took me by surprise. I don’t usually orgasm during a scene.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Wait! I shouldn’t have admitted that. Now you’ll be even more insufferable.”
“Surely that’s impossible.”
“You read my mind, Jax.”
They shared a grin. Solidarity. He’d take that as a win. “What is it specifically about impact play that satisfies you?”
After laughing, she answered his question sincerely. “I’ve always channeled my energy into something—ballet, cycling, yoga. But a group of us visited the Quarter a couple of years ago on one of their explore days. There were lots of workshops and discussions, and we had the opportunity to try things, in a very vanilla type of way—over our clothes, that sort of thing. I found peace I hadn’t known I was looking for.” She took the final sip from her glass. “A spanking refocuses me, chases away stress. I can study better. Sleep better. I don’t have to have it all the time. Sometimes just knowing it will happen helps.”