Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 124140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
36
Cat gaped at him.
Those were his terms?
All or nothing? And he said it so calmly like he wasn’t laying this huge bomb on her.
“If you choose to stay, it’s forever. I protect what’s mine. And I keep what’s mine. Understand? Divorce, separation, they aren’t words in my vocabulary.”
She sucked in a breath. “But you’re giving me the option to leave now. Why?”
“I feel this strange thing. I don’t want you to hate me. It’s a weakness. Caring about someone.”
She winced. She didn’t like to be thought of as his weakness.
“It can be a strength too,” she said
“Can it?”
“I think so. I don’t know. I’ve never really been with anyone. But I guess it can make you a better person.”
“I’m not looking to be a better person.”
Was she willing to sacrifice herself to save others?
Would it really be a sacrifice? You want to be with this man.
He doesn’t know who you really are. And when he does, he won’t want to be with you.
Her breathing grew faster, more erratic. “I can’t . . . I can’t make a decision like this. It’s too much.”
“Calm, Pequeña.” He placed his hand on the base of her throat. “You’re going to pass out unless you take some deep breaths.”
She took one gasping breath, then another. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you want to be with me?”
Want to be with him?
Yes.
But it wasn’t that easy. She couldn’t be with him.
“You don’t know me. Not really. And I don’t know you that well.”
Why would he want her?
Sure, she was awesome. She could throw a good vibrator and she wouldn’t cost a lot to feed.
But he could have anyone he wanted.
He eyed her intently. “All right. So we get to know each other better. Then you can make your decision.”
“I can have some time? But you just said you didn’t want to pretend.”
“It won’t be pretending. Because while you’re here, you will be mine. In every sense of the word. But in two weeks you have to make up your mind. Stay. Or leave.”
Great. Two weeks.
Because that’s all it took to know someone? To know that you wanted to be with them for the rest of your life?
Like you haven’t already fallen for him.
But what could she say? She didn’t want to leave. And not just because she didn’t have what she’d come for.
“All right. Two weeks.”
There was something in his gaze. Something predatory and hot that told her she could be in real trouble here.
“Challenge accepted.”
“Wh-what? That wasn’t a challenge.”
“It’s been a long time since I had a real challenge. But I must warn you, I always win.”
She gulped. Holy. Fuck. Right now, he looked like a jaguar stalking prey.
Spoiler alert: She was the prey.
“This isn’t a challenge! There isn’t a winner! We’re not in a competition.”
“Of course it’s a competition. Everything always is. And I always come out on top. I’m going to show you that you need me, that you can’t live without me. Until there is no doubt in your mind who you belong to.”
“I’m in such trouble here.” She should have known. The more she fought back, the more walls she put up, the more he’d want her. Because a predator loved to hunt. And she’d just given him exactly what he was after. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“Todo está bien,” he whispered. “It’s all right, Preciosa. Let me help ease your tension.” He undid another button on her shirt, then reached a finger in to rub it over her nipple.
Her breath quickened. Was this how he was planning on winning her over? With sex?
Would it work?
Maybe.
He undid more buttons.
“Alejandro,” she breathed out.
“There are a few rules for these next two weeks,” he told her, parting her shirt. “You sleep in my bed every night. I don’t care where you start off sleeping. I’ll find you and carry you into my bed.”
She couldn’t argue. Because that’s what she wanted. She slept better with him there to chase away the nightmares.
He parted her shirt and then ran his thumb over her nipple, before rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.
“You don’t get yourself off. You only come when I’m touching you.”
“Alejandro,” she moaned.
“I’ll need to start stretching your ass for when I take you there. So you’ll spend an hour each day in here with me, getting your bottom stretched.”
God. She wanted that so bad. Her hips moved back and forth, searching for friction for her clit.
He slid a finger down her tummy. “Do you want this? Do you want me to make you feel good?”
Yes!
“Please.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yesss,” she moaned.
“Good girl. The no panties in bed rule remains. Unless you have your period. Oh, you’ll be going on birth control too. There won’t be anything between us. I’ll get Aaron on that.”
“I have an implant. I got it years ago. And you know I haven’t had sex in years.”