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)
Chapter Eight
Natalie had flown frequently enough in her youth that the air travel didn't faze her. By Sunday evening, they were standing together sipping champagne in their hotel suite while looking across at the lights of the city. It was absolutely magnificent, but then so was Downtown Houston at night.
But there was something about being in the largest city in the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Wall Street, the investment capital of the world and the reason Marco had business here this week.
Natalie stood by the window with Marco at her back. Her nose was almost pressed against the window as she gazed out. She felt a buzzing sensation in her head, both from the champagne and from the arm he banded around her as he pulled her back into his torso. His lips fell to her ear. "I went shopping this week as well," he whispered, his teeth grazing her earlobe.
She trembled against him. "Did you?"
"Mmm," he murmured softly in agreement.
He turned her around to face him and she saw he had a large, rectangular velvet box in his hands. She looked up at him in question, hoping she was sufficiently masking the emotional upheaval racing through her veins.
He lifted the lid and inside lay a sparkling, brilliant necklace and matching earrings in a colored stone that Natalie had never seen before. She reached out to run her finger over them. "What are they?" she whispered.
"Chocolate diamonds surrounded by white diamonds. I hope you like it. I couldn't decide between the white gold and the rose gold, but the rose seemed too much. I think this color will enhance your beauty more."
"They're beautiful."
"You're beautiful," he said swiftly.
"Marco--"
"Do you like them?"
"I--I love them, but I can't take them."
He ignored her as if she hadn't spoken, and lifted the necklace from its bed of velvet. He draped it around her neck, and fumbled just enough with the fastener to let her know this wasn't something he was used to doing. A small quiver of delight at the knowledge pierced her heart.
He picked her hand up and led her away from the windows, to a console with a large mirror above it. He swung her around to face the mirror and stood at the side of her and held out the earrings, with a silent demand for her to put them on.
She fastened them to her ears with hands that trembled. They were gorgeous, absolutely beautiful, and she'd never owned anything even a tenth as nice. But doubt was taking hold of her. She couldn't keep them, could she?
His hands fell to her shoulders and he kissed the nape of her neck, his fingers sliding over the necklace and her naked flesh beneath in a blatant display of ownership. Desire, immediate and strong, overcame her and beat a loud cadence through her veins.
He stood at her back and enclosed her breasts in the palms of his hands, his thumbs stroking through the layer of clothing to her nipples beneath. His eyes were hot on hers in the mirror.
Her lashes began to dip and his nostrils flared in sexual response. When her eyes closed completely, he pulled her shirt over her head with a rustle of cloth and then his hands fell back to her breasts, covered now only in thin lace.
His breathing escalated as he pushed the bra down and out of his way and his hands gripped her with unrelenting strength as he caressed her nipples. "These sweet little tits are so perfect you don't need a bra," he whispered in a raspy voice at her ear, "it's only a hindrance to me."
His fingers plucked and pulled at her nipples, sending a stream of wet heat down her body to the juncture of her thighs. Her hips pushed back against him as she tried to retain control of her thoughts. "My--my nipples show through my clothes if I don't wear one."
His hands stilled a moment, his palms covering her small breasts completely. "We can't have that," he said in a strong voice. "So I'll need to practice more patience." With that, he unsnapped her bra and pushed it completely out of his way.
Her eyes flew open and she saw dark flecks of red on his cheekbones as he gave her a quick, cursory look before lifting her skirt to her waist and dragging her panties from her hips in a rough, determined motion that left her butt bared to him in seconds.
He growled deep in his throat, adjusted his own clothing and then all at once, Natalie felt the broad head of his penis pushing at her from behind. Her inner channel flooded with wet heat, preparing itself to accommodate him and she felt as if she couldn't breathe or speak as his eyes held hers captive in the mirror.