Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
I gasp. “Did you already tell them what’s going on?”
He laughs. “Look, it was either me tell them what’s happening or bring you over today and have Mom make a lot of very serious assumptions.”
I laugh too.
“For the record,” he says, squeezing my hand, “they think this is funny.”
“They don’t think it’s … odd?”
“Pippa, they have six kids. Five sons who are a bit of a handful from time to time, and a daughter who hooked up with her boss and is now helping raise his son. My parents are prepared for anything, I assure you. Nothing shocks them anymore.”
I look into his eyes as warmth floods my veins. I’m not self-conscious after talking about my background and, surprisingly, I’m not nervous about meeting his family for dinner.
Why? I don’t trust easily … thank you, Mom and Dad. But why am I so calm right now?
Because this is Jess. Because I trust Jess.
He presses his lips together. “You know, about that email …”
“What about that email?”
“There was a line in it about kisses being essential.”
The heat in his gaze is impossible to ignore.
My breath shakes as I exhale, clenching my core to try to ease the buildup of desire pooling between my legs.
I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him so bad that it’s painful. But if I do, we’ll miss dinner because I’m not sure one kiss would suffice—for either of us.
There’s also the stickiness of needing to make sure that giving in to my lust for Jess is the right move. Do I expect it’ll happen while we’re away together? Yes. Do I want it to happen? Absolutely.
But do I also worry that I’ll struggle to separate sex from … more?
Every minute of the day.
“In my defense,” I say with more confidence than I really feel, “I wrote that before I knew I was sending it to you.”
“Oh, nice.”
The irritation in his features makes me laugh. “I would’ve omitted it altogether if I’d have known.”
He cocks his head to the side, peering down at me as if he’s unsure what to say. He’s trying to walk a fine line, and it’s adorable, if not downright sexy.
Who am I kidding? We’re not getting out of this without having sex. He knows it or hopes it, and I know it without a doubt.
I don’t know how I’ll keep it separated in my head because there’s no future between the two of us beyond our fake divorce. I wouldn’t try to take his time knowing our dreams don’t align.
But maybe they can align for a few days …
My blood grows hot as my body responds to giving myself permission to go after what I want—him.
“If I would’ve known I was sending it to you,” I say, playing with one of the buttons on his shirt. “I would’ve said other things were essential.”
“Really? Like what?”
He widens his stance so his feet are on either side of mine. His arms slide around my waist before he tugs me closer to him.
I lean my head back, the ends of my hair dusting his interlocked hands at the small of my back, and I stare up at him.
“Are you telling me you want fucked, Miss Plum?”
My knees falter. My lord.
I drape my hands over his shoulders, pressing my body into his. I can feel his cock against me—hard as a rock—as he holds me close. I want him. I’ve always wanted him.
Be bold, Pippa.
“I’ve wanted you to fuck me for a long time, Mr. Carmichael,” I say, toying with the back of his neck. “Do you think you can live up to my expectations?”
“You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
I grin. “Well, I hope to get a lesson in what you’re capable of because I have about a week to fuck you out of my system.”
He growls, the rumble causing the fire between my legs to erupt.
I’m tugged against him so close that nothing but the fabric of our clothes is between us. I pant as I stare into his eyes, his head bending toward mine.
Unchecked desire, almost animalistic, flashes through his eyes, and I brace myself for what’s to come.
His lips hover over mine.
I palm the back of his head, urging it to lower faster.
Just as his mouth brushes against mine, Banks yells from the foyer.
“Hey, Jess! Did I leave my keys over here?”
I sag against his body, unable to contain my laughter. The letdown is a crash of adrenaline. Jess rests his forehead against mine and chuckles too—I think so he doesn’t kill his brother.
“Go the fuck away, Sparkles,” Jess shouts.
“Here they are! I found them!” The door slams shut.
Jess blows out a breath and pulls away from me. He runs a hand over his head and grumbles. “Have I ever told you how much I hate him?”
My laughter gets louder.