Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Oh, if only.
But she had her family to think of, and pain chipped at her heart as she heard herself say, "I can't." She saw his jaw clench, and the sight gave her the oddest feeling. It was almost as if she had hurt him...and she didn't like it. She just...didn't. She gazed at him helplessly, tormented by clashing emotions and unable to make sense of a single one of them.
Beautiful, like a Greek god.
And for some reason, this particular god had chosen to don a police uniform and ride a bike to her home because...
Because...
Because...
Acheron knew the exact moment the truth dawned on her, with the way her head jerked up, and her blue eyes - filled with confusion and disbelief - came to search for his.
She had always been honest with him.
Getting involved with you - in any way - is just too much of a risk for me.
Which was why, Acheron knew, anything less than the truth would be a disservice to her.
"I want you." He deliberately repeated the same words he had used before, and by the way her eyes widened, Acheron knew she thought the same thing. "You once asked me why, and I still have no answer to give you. I simply want you - but unlike before, I also know just how much I want you."
Pippi's heart was in her throat. The way he was looking at her was making her wish for the impossible, but what if she was wrong?
"I want you enough to have gone without sex ever since I kissed you." Acheron's voice was taut. "I just couldn't make myself touch another woman."
Pippi didn't even have the chance to react. Her eavesdropping family had already done it for her, their loud gasps giving their presence away. She saw him wince, and she couldn't blame him. "Sorry," she whispered. "Just give me a moment and I'll get rid—-"
She had already started to turn away when his fingers curved around her elbow, and she froze.
Oh God, how long had it been?
And then he was spinning her to face him.
"It doesn't matter." He released her from his grasp, and a pang of emptiness struck her at the loss of his touch. "Neither of us will have anything to hide from them."
Pippi found herself struggling anew to make sense of his words. "What do you mean?"
"I'm saying...I was wrong before."
He was?
"At that time, all I let myself think of was what I wanted, and I thought, in my arrogance, I knew what you wanted, too."
Despite the way his admissions still had her head reeling, Pippi could no longer keep silent. "You weren't entirely wrong," she forced herself to say. "I...I did want you to t-touch—-"
"That's not what I'm talking about." His voice was gentle.
Her cheeks turned red. "Oh."
"As much as it pains me to admit it, I realize now I was acting like a selfish bastard with you at that time. I thought I was hearing you just fine, but I wasn't actually listening to you at all."
"What exactly are you saying?" she whispered.
"I'm saying I had acted like an asshole before, and I hadn't even known it." His lips twisted in a humorless smile. "I was expecting you to be bowled over by the privilege of being my girlfriend for two months."
She wanted to lie, but she just couldn't. "I was bowled over—-" She stopped speaking at the strained expression on his face.
"You're too damn honest."
Pippi stared at him, bewildered. "And you don't like it?"
"It makes me feel like you're too good for me, so no. I don't fucking like it."
"Oh."
"But—-" Acheron couldn't help sounding defensive. "I'm a work in progress now, and I'm not the type to make the same mistakes."
"I see." Although, in truth, she no longer understood what he was getting to now.
"I know I cannot completely eliminate the risks being involved with me represents, but I promise you, mikrí mou - if you trust me, I will do everything in my power to protect you, starting with this—-" He made a rather stiff gesture towards the ridiculous getup he had on. "If there is a need for us to meet in public, I will endeavor—-" He heard something suspiciously like a giggle bubble past her lips, and he stopped with a scowl. "If you fucking laugh—-"
"I'm n-not."
Hell could've frozen at the look in his eyes, and his voice had turned deadly soft when he spoke again. "You make a terrible liar, Ms. Jones."
"I'm sorry."
"You don't sound like it."
This time, she could no longer control herself, and a full-fledged laugh escaped her. "I'm sorry." But she wasn't, not really. How could she, when everything was so clear now, and it was making her all choked up and unable to breathe?
The way Pippi was looking at him now made Acheron want to haul her close, but he forced himself to keep still, a part of him unable to trust that what he wanted was truly his for the taking now.