Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you too.” He ends the call, and I say a silent prayer that he’s safe and that he stays that way.
“Are you sure this is a top?” I ask Emma as I step into my bedroom, where she’s been lounging on my bed while I’ve been getting dressed in my bathroom.
“I’m sure.” She gets up and walks over to stand in front of me, then adjusts the cups of the corset-looking black lace bodysuit she picked up for me when she was running errands this afternoon. The whole thing is molded to me like a second skin with lined cups and sections, then others that are see-through.
“It looks like I’m wearing lingerie.”
“It’s not lingerie. It’s a bodysuit and totally on trend. Plus, you look sexy as hell in it.”
I turn toward the mirror and take myself in. She’s right. It is sexy, and I feel sexy wearing it. Still… “I think it’s too much for a first date.”
“It’s not too much, and with your jeans and the blazer you’re going to wear over it, it’s like a sexy little secret you’ll get to reveal at the end of the night.”
“I’m not sleeping with Tucker tonight.”
“You don’t know the future. It could happen.” She walks to my closet and opens the door. “Here, put this on.”
She hands me a black belt with a gold double-O buckle that is a total knock-off I got of the Gucci belt I saw on one of my clients. After sliding it through the loops of my jeans, I grab my black blazer off my bed and shrug it on, then take the pair of high-heeled booties she hands me.
“Damn, I’m good.” She beams at me once I’m fully dressed. Stepping toward the mirror, I pull my hair she helped me curl over my shoulders and take in my reflection. With the blazer, you can barely see my top, but there is a hint of lace and a little bit of cleavage. And with the jeans and booties, I look like I could either be running into Target or going out to a fancy dinner. And since I have no idea where Tucker is taking me tonight, it’s the perfect outfit. “What do you think?”
“I love it.” I turn toward my best friend and wrap my arms around her. “Thank you.”
“You know I’ve always got your back.” She looks at her watch. “I’m going to get out of here, since it’s almost time for you to leave.”
“I’ll call you later.” I walk her to the door and let her out, then go back to my bedroom to change out my purse. At five ‘til six, there is a knock on my door, and in an instant, my nerves kick in. All day, I’ve kept myself busy, so I haven’t had a chance to overthink things. But when I see Tucker through the peephole, my stomach knots and my palms sweat.
“Hey.” I open the door, and my eyes sweep over the stubble still covering his jaw, the thick navy-blue sweater under his jacket, his dark jeans, nice belt, and shoes that match the tan leather. He’s the epitome of class, and I wonder if he knows how good-looking he is. I’m sure he does, but at the same time, he doesn’t seem to be a man who feeds off knowing it, or one who wields it as a weapon against the female species.
“You look gorgeous.” He closes the distance between us as he places a soft kiss on my cheek, the scent of spice and him wrapping around me, making me lightheaded. “These are for you.” A beautiful bouquet of colorful flowers appears between us, and I don’t know how I missed them in his hand.
“Thank you.” I bring them to my nose and meet his gaze over the top of the bouquet. “Do I have time to put these in water?” When he jerks up his chin, I turn into the house and hear him shut the door as I reach the living room.
Heart fluttering, I slip off my blazer, hanging it on the back of a chair so I don’t get it wet, then grab a vase I have under the sink and fill it with water. As I move around the kitchen, I can feel his eyes on me, but I’m too nervous to look at him.
It’s weird; when I’ve been around him before, I’ve felt that flutter of excitement in the pit of my stomach and my pulse race, but this is something more. The heat from his stare and my own nervousness makes me feel almost intoxicated. When I have the flowers trimmed and, in the water, I start to sweep my eyes through him to ask if he’s ready to go, but the question gets stuck in the back of my throat when I catch the almost primal look on his face.