Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I stop myself from letting out an animalistic growl. “You’re the beauty standing here.”
A pinker blush spreads over her body. “I’ve always thought you were the most beautiful man I ever laid eyes on, Jesse. I’ve thought it for a long time.”
“Your beauty knows no bounds,” I tell her. “I could write a song about the color of your cheeks. About the curtain of your hair. About those deep brown eyes that see into my soul.”
She melts into me then. “My God…”
I hear the words coming from my mouth, and I mean them. Every one. I can already hear the lyrics forming in my mind.
In the crowded room, she stood alone, a vision of splendor, like no other known. Her cascading hair, like a midnight sky, her eyes so deep, they….
My God…
What am I doing?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Brianna
He stares at me, and then he shakes his head. He picks up his jeans. “We can’t do this. Not again.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not. I just… This can’t happen, Brianna.”
“Jesse”—I walk toward him, cup his cheek, run my fingertips over his dark stubble—“you just told me that my beauty knows no bounds. You’ve told me how much you want me. Plus, I can see the physical evidence of that with my own eyes.” I drop my gaze to his massive erection.
“What I want doesn’t have any meaning.”
“What?”
“You’re not mine to take, Brianna.”
“I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed.” She touches my cheek. “And you’re not taking me. I’m giving myself to you.”
“You are, with no expectation of anything in return.”
“Absolutely. Nothing more than tonight. And maybe the next night. Whatever you’re willing to give me, Jesse. I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me.”
“You’re better than that, Bree. You and I both know it.”
“Fine.” I turn, sway my firm ass because I know he’s looking. I pick up my thong. “Just try to resist me, Jesse Pike. I dare you.”
He advances toward me then, throwing his jeans back down. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“I said I do.”
“I’m not some college boy, Brianna. I will take you, and I will take you violently. I’ll smack that firm little ass of yours.”
“Go ahead,” I dare. My skin is tingling all over. I’ve never been spanked before, and the thought…
Let’s just say I don’t hate it.
“You’re playing with fire, Brianna. And I know a hell of a lot about fire.”
He’s no doubt thinking about the fire that torched his family’s vineyards. His family is strapped now, and they need the money from this tour.
And here I am…toying with him, trying to manipulate him.
He’s right. I deserve better, and so does he.
I drop my gaze and step into my thong, pulling it up around my hips. Then I touch his cheek once more.
“I apologize. This isn’t who I am, Jesse.” I move my hand away from his cheek. “It’s just… I want you so much. But I won’t manipulate you. I’m very sorry.”
He pulls me to him, his nose in my neck, inhaling.
“If you only understood…”
I pull away then, force him to meet my gaze. “Help me understand, then. I want to understand you. I know I’m young. I know I come from incredible privilege. I know all of these things about myself. I wish I were more like my cousin Ava. She does things out on her own, without the help of our family’s money.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“Nothing, I suppose. But Ava left the ranch. I never wanted to. I love working with my father. I’m the only one of his four children who shares his love of the orchard.”
“I can see that.” He nods. “I mean really, why should you live without your family’s money? It’s there. It’s yours. You’re entitled to it.”
“By virtue of being born a Steel, yes. But I didn’t do anything special to earn it.”
“I’m glad you see that.”
“I’m sorry that I’m sometimes insensitive about what you and your family are going through. I saw how much the partial loss of our vineyard hurt Dale, and—”
He raises his hand to quiet me. “Please don’t go there. I have nothing against Dale. Nothing against your family. But it’s not the same thing.”
I don’t bother trying to explain to Jesse what I mean. He’s seeing things in dollars and cents, but what those vineyards meant to Dale went way beyond their monetary value. They were part of him. A place he went to for solace, peace. After everything he’s been through…
Does Jesse even know about all that?
It’s not my story to tell. It’s Dale’s.
“I understand.” I nod. “I mean, I’m trying to understand. I won’t ever fully understand, because I’ve never been in your shoes, Jesse. But you’ve never been in Dale’s either.”
He sighs. “Brianna, please don’t—”
I place two fingers over his firm lips to quiet him. “I won’t. This isn’t about Dale. This is about you and what your family has suffered. And it’s about me wanting to understand.”