Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Rowland could still feel her staring as the door closed behind him. But instead of heading straight to one of the conference rooms to take his secretary's call, he turned around one corner to keep himself out of view.
A few seconds later, he heard a door open, and he allowed a few more moments to pass before taking a look.
As expected.
His mail-order bride was on the run.
Chapter Four
EMMY WASN'T QUITE SURE why she had left.
All she knew was that she needed to do so, and it was only when she was back home, and surrounded by the things that made her life familiar and normal—-
I can't believe that really happened.
She collapsed on her ancient two-seater couch by the window, and memories instantly assaulted her as soon as she closed her eyes.
You've had me starving for over a month, wife.
Just remembering this was more than enough to have her cheeks flame, and Emmy could only reach up to massage her chest as her heart pounded anew.
Wife.
Rowland Asherfield, who was not only her boss but also a billionaire and a bona fide SIB!
This can't be real. Can it?
She was torn between cringing and wincing as she remembered how easily she had surrendered to his sexual prowess. It was as if all that man had to do was snap his fingers, and she was his for the taking.
No, no, no!
Emmy jumped to her feet. A long, hot shower is all I need, she thought determinedly as she undressed in a hurry, and a bone-deep sigh escaped her as soothingly hot water pulsed down her naked body.
Long, luxurious showers always helped her calm down, and just as Emmy closed her eyes to savor the way her muscles gradually freed itself from tension and stress—-
What was that?
She knew she couldn't have imagined the sound of a door opening, and she hastily armed herself with a heavy shampoo bottle. Someone suddenly shoved the curtain to the side, but before she could even scream—-
"Hello, wife."
Rowland was not at all amused to find his wife wielding a shampoo bottle like a weapon of self-defense. It was cute as hell, sure, but right now, all he cared about was how she also happened to be standing completely naked in front of him.
He saw her eyes widen with the same realization a moment later, and her mortified cry bounced against the wet tiled walls. The shampoo bottle crashed against the floor with a heavy thud, but before she could wrap her arms around to cover herself, he was already standing right next to her—-
"N-No—-"
Her boss slowly but firmly lowered her arms to her sides, and a shudder rocked her body as she found herself back under the shower.
Water cascaded down her body, and all she could do was bite her lip when she saw how he was staring at her nipples, which were now fully erect with a mixture of fear and arousal.
I can't believe this is happening.
That she found herself thinking along the same lines again did not escape her, and Emmy didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was it good or bad, for this man to be so unpredictable?
"Why did you leave?"
His tone was soft and gentle, but the question still made her squirm. "I'm not sure. I think...I was overwhelmed."
"By what?"
A part of Emmy couldn't believe they were having an actual conversation while she was in the shower, naked—-while the other half of her somehow felt this was exactly what one could expect, with a man like her boss.
"You can tell me anything, Emerald."
People often described Rowland Asherfield as a heartless negotiator who would never hesitate to exploit other people's weaknesses to get what he wanted. It would be foolish of her to trust him so easily, and yet...
She believed him.
There was just something about the way he stared at her as he spoke that made Emmy's chest tighten. Stupid or not, for better or for worse, she did believe him, and so she heard herself ask, "Did you sign up with Heart's Match...knowing I'd be your bride?"
His answer came so swiftly that Emmy didn't even have a chance to hold her breath.
"Yes."
Her entire world seemed to crash to a stop at that moment, and she could hardly hear her thoughts over the loud and furious way her heart hammered against her chest. While that one word destroyed her every doubt and misgiving, that same word now left her floundering helplessly in unfamiliar waters.
Rowland Asherfield had known Heart's Match had selected Emmy as his bride.
He could have asked the agency to choose someone else.
But he hadn't.
Chapter Five
THE SUDDEN SILENCE between them had Rowland grappling with an unusual sense of discomposure. What was his wife thinking? Would she question his integrity? Or maybe she would cry crocodile tears and he'd find out for himself she was a gold-digger like the rest of them?