Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 53764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
His words came to a halt and Natalie's heartbeat thumped loudly through her chest as she took in his words and his eyes, blazing down into hers. He slowly released her hand and sat back in his seat, his face impassive once again.
The silence of the night intensified around them and Natalie tried to do as he said--put it out of her mind. But what had taken place had clearly upset Marco--and she didn't like for him to be upset, even though she knew it wasn't anything she had done. His words had been so vehement that they reassured her. She believed him completely. Reaching out, she touched his hand softly. She ran her fingers over the top of his hand in a small stroke that she hoped was soothing to him, a stroke like the ones she had used on his forehead when he'd had the headache.
She continued the small movements for a few seconds until suddenly, his hand twisted and grabbed hold of hers in an uncompromising grip. His head turned to her and his eyes looked deep into hers, swallowing her whole. His voice was rough when he spoke and almost seemed to be making a confession as well as asking for reassurance. "I didn't like him touching you."
Natalie tried to make out his features in the dark interior of the car. His confusion was upsetting to her; she knew he wasn't blaming her--it was as if he was surprised at his own response and didn't understand it.
She too was confused by the events of the night but she pushed them out of her head in her attempt to comfort him. "No," she said softly. "I didn't either." He released his safety belt, and moved toward her, crowding her on the bench. His hands went to either side of her face and he gently twisted her in his direction. His eyes locked on hers for an agonizing second before his mouth fell to hers.
He kissed her repeatedly, his tongue plunging in and out, in a rhythm she was beginning to crave. His lips left hers just long enough to breathe deeply. "You're so sweet. So sweet." His mouth moved to her ear and his hand encapsulated a breast and squeezed firmly. "How could I have been so lucky to find you?" Natalie heard the fevered, whispered words before his lips tugged on her earlobe and she forgot everything but his arms around her.
His mouth returned to hers, and their breathing became frantic. She lifted her arms up and began to wrap them around his head, but he was pushing away from her.
She felt the warmth leave her as he moved back to his seat, but before a feeling of loss could be registered, she realized they were pulling up to his building.
She followed him up in a daze, and when they entered the penthouse, she didn't have a moment to adjust or to think. As the elevator doors whished closed, he swept her up in his arms and carried her through to his bedroom.
Dropping her to her feet, his hands landed on her dress and lifted it over her head and tossed it away, leaving her in nothing but her satin briefs and high-heels. She experienced a jolt to her head like a shot of whiskey and when he stepped back and began ripping off his jacket and tie, all the while staring down at her, she desperately tried not to cover her naked breasts. She slid her hands down her thighs and gripped the tops of her legs, searching for support as she watched him strip from his shoes, pants and boxer briefs.
He removed his cufflinks and began unbuttoning his shirt, his last piece of clothing, while flecks of red highlighted his cheekbones as he continued to watch her. "How experienced are you?" he asked in a throaty rasp.
She licked her lips and through her nervousness, attempted a sultry, playful smile to lighten the extremely tense atmosphere. "Extremely, you?"
His hand shot out and landed on her back, at her waist, and brought her torso against his with such speed and force that she gasped out loud and stumbled against him. With his other hand, he caressed her from nape to butt cheek and up again. She began shaking violently and all thoughts of playful and sultry fled her brain.
The trembling didn't get past him. "Extremely, huh?" His voice was hard, rough, without a trace of humor in it.
Her feet wobbled on her heels and in a bid for stability, her hands landed on his naked chest. His shirt was open, hanging down his sides, and his erection jutted out between them in a violent testament to the need echoed in the lines of sexual tension bracketing his mouth. She quivered and took a deep, sustaining breath. "What do you want me to say, Marco? I'm not a virgin."