Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“You need to eat more.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I’m full! I want to go swimming. I’ll wait the twenty minutes in the water. Is the water cold?”
The sun’s gotten me warm enough I think I’ll brave it no matter how cold it is.
“It’s temperature controlled so I can swim year round.”
I shake my head. “Of course it is.” I look around at his huge mansion and back yard. “This place is insane.”
He shrugs. “It’s a status symbol more than anything. I needed people to take me seriously and forget how young I am. I just bluffed my way into every room I went into when I was building the company. I’d show them the weaknesses in their own company infrastructures but stay an aloof charming bastard about it to get them to invest. Then when I really started making money, I invested every cent I made until, well, I got to this.” He waves a general hand towards the house. “No one questions you once you’re on Billionaire’s Row.”
“Do you even use all the rooms?”
He smirks at me. “Just my office, bedroom, the kitchen, and the dungeon, mostly.” Then he shrugs. “I throw the requisite party here and there in the ballroom to maintain status quo. The rest is all for show.”
I frown. “That’s so wasteful. Do you know how much women at the shelter would give just to have a single room?”
He lifts an eyebrow sardonically. “I wasn’t out to save the world, love. I was out to conquer it.”
I pause, looking out at the beautiful backyard. “Can’t you do a little of both?”
“You’re mine now,” he says, his voice low and serious. “So what’s mine will be yours and you can use my resources to save whoever you want.”
Then he levels me with his gaze. “Marry me.”
I gape in disbelief as my head snaps back to him. Is he serious? The look in his eye says he is.
“I— You—” I sputter. “You told me to leave this morning. And yesterday you had me locked up as a pet in your dungeon!”
He drags his chair closer, eyes still piercing. “It’s always been you for me. And you were obviously trying to make your way back to me, even before you lost your memory. Why else would you have been so close? Your father’s dead. There’s nothing to stop us now. Marry me.”
Yes. Yes I’ll marry you and be your wife!
Of course it’s what I want. More than anything.
But all I can do is sputter more. “I— I—” I move my head back and forth. “Is that a command?”
He frowns. “No. Of course not.” He breathes out and drags a hand through his hair. “Shit. I’m going too fucking fast. Fuck.” He pushes his chair back, face dark. I don’t like it. It’s like he’s disappearing deep into himself, sinking away from me.
I reach out to grab his hand, but stop at the last second, knowing he doesn’t like it when I make surprise contact. Still, it has him looking back at me.
“Can we go skinny-dipping?” I arch an eyebrow at him.
He groans, some of the playfulness coming back into his face. “You’re gonna be the death of me, love.”
“Is that a yes?”
When he looks around as if still trying to decide, I decide for him, popping out of my chair and kicking off the boxers I’m wearing as I go. I yank my shirt off, then screech as I dive into the deep end.
TWENTY-EIGHT
BROOKE
Cool water steals my breath in an exhilarating rush as the water envelops me and I scramble to get back to the bright surface.
The water might be temperature-controlled, but it’s still a shock to my sun-warmed skin. My limbs know what to do and that’s a rush, too.
Almost as much of a rush as hearing Donny fucking ask me to marry him. What the fuck is he thinking?
I burst back into the sunlight laughing. I feel high with joy. These rollercoaster extremes of emotion I’ve been riding the past couple days should probably concern me, but I’m too happy to give a shit right now.
Domhnall’s right there, in the water where I pop up. He must have jumped in right after me. “Jaysus you just took years off me life. Don’t scare the shite out of me like that!”
“But look, Donny, I know how to swim!” I laugh as I spin around while I tread water.
“Well how do ya know?” He looks nervous, arms all but circling me. “You have amnesia.”
“It’s weird, but the doctors say that’s how it is.” I easily do another spin like a mermaid, my feet twirling naturally. “Some skills I can remember. Like playing chess. I think I used to swim.”
It feels absolutely fucking amazing to be in the water.
I suck in a quick breath, throw myself backwards into a dive under the water and then swim back around between Domhnall’s legs. He tries to catch me but he’s too slow. I pop up on the other side of him, giggling.