Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“Marcus?” Cullen moved over to them. “Isla needs to fill in some forms before we can all properly check-in. Moses is taking our bags to the rooms.”
“Okay, sure,” Marcus said, pulling her back with him. “See you, Mr. Baird.”
Eliot just nodded. She found it hard to pull her gaze from him as Marcus led her over to the check-in desk. But she felt his gaze on her a long time afterward.
And it warmed her from the inside out.
They were lying on their backs on the huge bed in their suite. Isla sighed. There was a lot he could read in that sigh.
Fatigue. Concern of the unknown. Being overwhelmed. She needed to relax.
He wondered if there was a place he could take her to get a massage. If not here, then in the closest town.
But what if the masseuse was a man? Then some strange man would be touching his La-la.
A strange man did touch her today, and you didn’t mind it so much.
That’s because Eliot Baird was a whole heap of yum. Big guy. Broad and solid. Marcus was willing to bet that he gave excellent cuddles.
“What are you thinking about?” Isla asked.
“Cuddles.”
She let out a surprised giggle. “Cuddles? Really?”
“Hey, what’s wrong with cuddles?” He rolled onto his side to stare down at her with a mock scowl. “They’re good for what ails you. I think a lot of the world’s issues could be fixed with cuddles.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Although I might need to test my hypothesis. I am a scientist, after all.”
“True.”
“You can be my first test subject.” He pulled her close, tucking her in against his chest and holding her.
Fuck. Yes.
She felt so right pressed against him. If he’d kidnapped her after that first week of meeting her, then he could have been cuddling her like this all the time.
“What are you thinking now?” she asked.
“Kidnapping you and keeping you in my lair as my personal cuddle buddy.”
She shook her head, laughing again. He grinned. He loved making her laugh. It had become his personal mission to make her laugh as much as possible.
“What? You wouldn’t like that? I promise I’d try really hard to remember to feed and water you.”
“You can’t even remember to take care of yourself most of the time,” she pointed out.
“Good point. Maybe that’s why we need a Daddy-Dom. Someone to take care of us and provide lots of good snuggles. I bet Eliot is a good cuddler.”
“Marcus.”
“What? You don’t think so? Those big arms. That wide chest. And did you see those hands?” Marcus shuddered. “They’ll look sexy as fuck touching us, but they probably feel like a paddle when he’s spanking you. Not that I’ll ever get spanked. But you… you’re naughty.”
“Marcus.”
“Yes? You disagree?” He rolled them so he was lying on top of her. She let out a small grunt of pain.
“Shit. Fuck.” He moved so he was kneeling beside her. “Are you all right? Where does it hurt? Is it your back? I need to check it. Can you move?”
What had he been thinking?
“Marcus! I’m fine. Really. I’m just a little sore.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “You’d say that even if you were dying. But don’t worry, Dr. Marcus is here. I’ve watched every episode of Grey’s Anatomy. I could probably perform a lobotomy at this stage.”
“I’d rather keep my brain where it is, thanks.”
“I’m also a doctor.”
“You’re a scientist!”
“I’ve dissected my fair share of frogs.”
“Eww.”
“Where does it hurt? Let me see,” he demanded.
“No. I’m fine.”
His eyes narrowed. “No lying, remember? Or I might have to ask that big sexy teddy bear we met earlier to come punish you.”
“Marcus!”
There was a slight blush on her cheeks. Had she felt an instant attraction to the big teddy bear, too?
He would bet everything that she had.
“You sure I didn’t hurt you?” Eliot asked.
“I’m sure.”
“Because it’s my job to take care of you and I take that seriously. I won’t be happy if you lie to me.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you sure you don’t have a secret Dominant side?”
Him? Nope. “Nah, I’m just channeling Cullen. But still, keep something important from me and I’ll have to take you over my knee.”
Or find a Dom to do the spanking for him.
If she didn’t want a permanent one, perhaps he could hire one. That sounded a bit creepy, though. Even for him.
“What are you thinking?”
“I was wondering if you can hire a Dom to spank someone.”
“Marcus! No one is spanking me.”
“Why not? You need it. If we were going to spend time in the Little school here, I’m betting Nanny J would constantly be whaling on your butt.”
She shot him a look. “Me? Or you?”
“Me? She’d never! I’m her favorite. She told me so.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Oh, not with words. But she and I… we’re telepathic.” He grinned as she scoffed. Then she stared at his chest, obviously thinking. She always stuck her tongue out when she was thinking. It was the cutest thing.