Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
“I can’t do this. I can’t do that. Why don’t you just throw me in the dungeon and be done with it? Grab that,” Aurelia points to the conditioner now resting on the coffee table, and I swipe the bottle as we pass.
“Kinky, but we don’t have one.”
“What about the root cellar? You could put a lock on the door and—”
Aurelia stops, and her expression becomes appalled when she realizes she is actually giving me ideas on how to lock her down.
I smile as we enter my bedroom, but it feels strained from the effort it takes not to give in to the dark impulse to do exactly that. “Don’t tempt me, wolf.”
Aurelia rolls her eyes half-heartedly and clears her throat. “You didn’t have to babysit me,” she claims once we’re in my bathroom. “I’m not going to run.”
My gaze flicks to hers as I reach for the thin bow tied between her breasts, and she stops breathing when I pull on the string. The small slit in her bodice parts a little while my hand drops to her brown corset with embroidered daffodils. “You’ve said that before, but I remember you running.”
“Okay, I’m not going to run again.”
Slowly, I loosen the laces on her corset until it falls to the floor, and her bodice parts even more until her nipples spill out of her dress.
“I wish I could believe you, my wolf, but then you wouldn’t be my wolf.” Aurelia wraps her arms around her stomach like it’s upsetting her all of a sudden and chews on her bottom lip. I pause from relieving Aurelia of her dress. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” she says too quickly. “How did you learn to hunt?”
The swift change in subject stumps me for a second, but I play along. “A lot of trial and error. It was either learn or starve, and if it was just me, maybe I would have, but I had Khalil and Zeke and neither can hunt for shit.”
“Can you teach me?” she blurts. I raise my brows, and it’s the wrong reaction because Aurelia becomes flustered and tries to backpedal. “N-never mind. That was stupid.”
“Why?”
She huffs. “I don’t know why. I said forget it, okay?”
“Aurelia…why do you think it’s stupid to want to take care of yourself?” I clarify.
“Oh.” She shrugs and then reaches for my jeans. I doubt she’s even aware she’s undressing me like this is normal for us as she talks. “I don’t know. I guess because I haven’t had to lift a finger for myself in…well, ever.” I toe off my boots and step out of my jeans once they drop to the floor while Aurelia lifts my shirt over my head with my help. “My uncle has always taken care of me. I wouldn’t know how if I tried.”
“Yes, you would.”
Aurelia skates by my statement like it will burn her if she gets too close, and I let her as I turn on the shower. Once the water is warm, we both climb in. She’s not as nervous as the first time we showered together, but I can tell she’s waiting for me to jump her like last time.
“So, what did you do before you came to be one with nature?” she asks to try to distract me.
Watching her step under the weak spray to wet her huge mound of curls, I answer while somewhat entranced. “Recon. Marines.”
“Oooh.” Her eyes bug playfully but then sobers when she remembers what I’m capable of. “Scary.”
Laughter punches out of me unintentionally. “Not really. A lot of watching and waiting. I can’t think of a more boring job.”
Grabbing my shampoo, she squirts some in her small palm and then starts to lather her hair. “Is that why you don’t do it anymore?”
“No. Zeke needed me more, and nothing was going to keep me away. Desertion wasn’t an option, so I got myself discharged.”
“How?”
“I punched out my CO.” After an awkward silence, I say, “Don’t worry. He had it coming.”
“Wow. Extreme. You must love Zeke.”
“He’s my brother,” I say simply.
Aurelia nods her understanding but looks sad for some reason. “I wish I had siblings.”
“We’re not related.”
“No, I know. I just…I don’t have friends either.”
My head cocks to the side while my eyes narrow. She’s got to be bullshitting me. “None?” She gives an abrupt shake of her head, and since I can’t stand to watch her struggle to wash her hair any longer, I turn her around and take over. “How is that possible?”
Aurelia is an international icon with more power and money than one person should have. Surely, there have been people—even if their intentions are self-serving—who have gotten close.
“Other than the obvious?” she returns wryly.
I grunt as I work my fingers over her scalp and watch her lashes flutter. “You’re not that bad, wolf. Have you met me?”