Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 79(@200wpm)___ 63(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 79(@200wpm)___ 63(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
He’d taken his time, cutting into a piece of French
toast which he fed to me before giving me an answer. “If you’re asking if I always go the extra mile with women, the answer’s no.”
“Not that I’m not always a gentleman, but you’re the first I’ve wanted to do this with. If you’re asking if I’m going to change and start neglecting you sometime in the near future, the answer to that is also no.”
He’d stopped and gazed off into space. “I learned a long time ago not to take the ones I love for granted.” That was as close as he’d ever come to discussing his past.
I’d got a lump in my throat but then he’d taken the tray from between us, pushed me back against the pillows and covered me again. The moment had passed.
I was still a bit nervous as I walked into the courthouse later that morning. Maybe once he learns he’s been cleared he’d show his true colors and walk away leaving me swinging in the wind.
I held myself together throughout the briefing before the judge where all charges were dropped. He left with his lawyers soon after and my hands were shaking as I packed up my stuff to go.
I didn’t hear anything my assistant said, nor did I get much done that afternoon when I went back to my office. I sat there pondering what I’d do if it was all a con on his part.
How would I pick up the pieces of my life and move on from this after feeling all that he’d made me feel? I’m an academic, I don’t believe in love at first sight, at least I’m not supposed to.
But when I found myself about to cry at the thought of losing him, I knew it was too late. I’d gone and fallen in love with the mysterious, enigmatic man. And no one else would ever be able to take his place.
CLAUDE
All weekend I’d waited for her to tell me about the case, but I should’ve known better. From everything I’d learned when I ran her, I knew she was a straight shooter who didn’t believe in cutting corners and doing everything by the book.
That’s one of the reasons I knew she was mine when she let me take her to my bed. If she hadn’t
been interested that never would’ve happened. Not that I would’ve let that stop me. I knew what I wanted and planned on doing whatever it took to get it.
I’d spent most of my life being angry at the world, feeling I’d been robbed. I may have dealt with those feelings, but I still refuse to deny myself anything I wanted in life.
After court I left and went back home. I needed to be alone to say one final goodbye to my family. My heart hurt, but not as much as it used to, and I knew it was because of her.
I spent the time between then and the time she would be getting off of work picking up the stuff I’d ordered her the day before.
By the time the clock struck quarter to six I had her new supply of bubble bath and every kind of bath salts, body butter and scrubs of the scent I’d chosen lined up in the space I’d made for her in the bathroom.
She came out the door looking beat and just a little down; until she saw me. I walked over to her and took her attaché before taking her hand in my free one. “We’ll leave your car here and come back for it tomorrow.” She didn’t look in any condition to drive.
We didn’t talk on the way home. She seemed to be inside her head and I left her to her thoughts. Back at the house I ran her a bath after dinner and went back into the bedroom to get her.
“What’s all this?” She pointed at the array of bottles and containers in the cabinet beside the tub as I leaned over to light the large scented candle I’d bought for her.
“”It’s yours. I chose my favorite scent, delicate jasmine.” I made sure her water was fine and there were enough bubbles before turning out the light and leaving the room bathed in candlelight.
“Be right back.” I went back downstairs to the wine cellar and chose a bottle of white wine. She’d hardly touched her glass at dinner.
I walked it back up to her and stood over her watching her with her eyes closed as her head rested against the bath pillow.
It was the most at ease I’d seen her. It didn’t take a
genius to figure out why. The case was behind us and whatever came next would be a much easier hurdle to jump.
Her eyes popped open and we stared at each other for the longest time until she reached up her hand for the wine glass. Instead I leaned over and kissed her without spilling, and then I gave it to her.