Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
My mouth parted as I let out a sharp breath.
‘Cause that didn’t sound alarming.
No.
Not at all.
He watched for my reaction. “I want you to give yourself to me selflessly, and I want you to do that because you know that no matter how far I take it, how uncomfortable I make you, you trust me to know your limits, that you trust me to keep you safe. I want you to feel how much I want you too, and I’m working on my greed, but I’m a selfish man by nature.” He finished with, “I want it all.”
I waited a moment before I responded, and sarcasm oozed out of my statement as I widened my eyes and worked on breathing steadily. “Not asking much?”
At that, he let out a rough chuckle, and when he smiled that crooked smile I loved so much, I melted inside. His smile softened, as he uttered, “Said it yourself, baby. You’re my ride or die.”
My heart expanded three whole sizes.
Twitch was crazy.
Crazy beautiful.
And all of what he wanted, I wanted too. But this was too much, too fast.
“I...” the words were whisper-soft. “I don’t know, honey. It’s only been two and a half months, and we’ve barely even—”
He pulled out a black velvet ring box and set it on the table between us.
“—oh my God.” I sounded strangled. “You bought a ring, you cocky bastard.” I forced out a humorless laugh and my knee bounced under the table. “Nope.” I shook my head. “Nuh uh.” My gaze was heavy on the little box taunting me in the center of the table. “No.” But as I said this, I reached for the ring box and pulled it in front of me, staring down at it unblinking.
And when I opened it, my brows furrowed in disappointment.
“It’s empty.”
Twitch made a face. “Is it?” He spun the box around to him, and muttered, “Huh. Weird.” Reaching over the table, he took my left hand and gently brought it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my knuckles and speaking against my skin. “Ah, look at that.” He brought his other hand up. “I found it.”
My heart stuttered as the golden ring appeared between his fingers. He kept his eyes on me as he gently slid it onto my finger, and when I pulled my trembling hand back, holding it up in front of me to look at the thin, demure ring with a single diamond in the center, I held my breath for a long time.
As I breathed out a shaky exhale, I heard him say, “Didn’t think you’d want something flashy.”
I didn’t. “It’s perfect,” I uttered quietly, almost sadly, and when I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off with a wave of his hand.
“It’s okay. I know you’ve got mad hesitation, and I get it, so we’re not making any decisions today. I just gotta make it clear that this is the end goal and I’m quietly confident.”
Oh, thank God.
I didn’t trust myself making a decision right this second because if I did, we’d likely be married by nightfall.
Nodding, I looked at the ring once more before I put my fingers to it, sliding it off. But he stopped me with, “Why don’t you leave it on a while?” My eyes met his and a single brow rose, when he added, “See if you like it.”
That sounded reasonable enough.
All right.
“Yeah, okay,” I uttered, slipping the gorgeous ring back on, but I added quickly, “Just to, you know, try it on for size.”
The corners of his eyes creased. “Sure, baby.”
The sticky sweet response told me I wasn’t fooling anyone and he damned well knew I wanted to wear the ring because I wanted to be his as much as he wanted to claim me for his own. I was just too cowardly to admit it.
During lunch, I couldn’t stop staring at the ring, and every time my eyes landed on it, I smiled unconsciously. It was everything I’d ever wanted for us, everything I’d pictured in my mind, in my dreams.
Why was I so scared of making that dream a reality?
We left the restaurant hand in hand, and when Twitch put the keys in the ignition, the car behind us started to honk its horn. I twisted back, looking at the gunmetal gray Lexus as it beeped us again.
Twitch looked into the rearview mirror, his jaw tight. “What the fuck is this clown doin’?” Another honk, and Twitch closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He wound down his window and threw his arm out, waving the car on. “Go around, asshole.”
More beeping, for longer and longer, and when Twitch shot out of the car looking ready to kill, I whispered, “Oh, shit.”
I heard his angry tirade, “You want a problem, pal? Well, you got one now. Get the fuck out of the car.”