Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
I watch as he disappears down the hallway, my heart fluttering with anticipation.
What could he possibly have for me?
He returns in hardly any time at all, and when he does, he’s holding a small gift bag.
The glossy paper shimmers under the warm spotlights above, and I spot the logo on the front of the bag. It’s elegant and unfamiliar - something French or Italian - and is the kind of name I wouldn’t know how to begin to pronounce.
“Santi,” I say, sitting up straighter. “What is this?”
“See for yourself,” he says, handing the bag over to me.
I hesitate for a moment, my fingers brushing over the bag’s smooth surface as he moves to sit back down beside me.
After what feels like forever, I finally begin to pull out the tissue paper from within. Inside is a small velvet box, and my breath catches as I lift it out, glancing up at him briefly before flipping it open.
Nestled inside is a delicate gold necklace, the pendant a simple, elegant ‘S’.
“Oh,” I breathe, my fingers brushing over the charm. “Santi, it’s... it’s beautiful.”
“Do you like it?” he asks.
“Like it?” I glance up at him, my chest tightening with emotion. “Santi, I love it. But you didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to,” he says simply. “I saw it the other day, and it just... felt right. Kind of like us.”
“It’s perfect,” I whisper. “Thank you.”
“Let me help you put it on,” he offers, taking the box from my hands.
I turn slightly, lifting my hair as he clasps the necklace behind my neck. His fingers are warm and gentle, brushing against my skin in a way that sends shivers down my spine.
“There,” he says softly, his voice close to my ear. “It suits you.”
I touch the pendant lightly, feeling its weight against my collarbone. When I turn to face him, his eyes are fixed on me with an intensity that makes my breath catch.
“Thank you,” I say again, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leans in, pressing another soft kiss to my lips.
“You’re welcome, Olivia,” he murmurs. “You deserve so much more than this.”
I swallow hard, his words stirring something deep inside me. There’s so much sincerity in his tone, so much warmth in the way he’s looking at me - like I’m the only thing in the entire world that matters to him.
I reach out, my fingers lightly tracing the edge of his defined jaw.
“This is already more than I could have ever imagined,” I say softly.
He smiles that crooked, boyish grin that always makes my heart skip a beat; but then his smile fades slightly as his gaze drops to my lips, then to the necklace, and then my lips once more.
The air between us shifts, thickening with something heavier, more intense, and my breathing hitches.
Santi’s hand slides up, cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin.
“Olivia,” he whispers, and I don’t hesitate for a moment longer as I close the distance between us, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that starts soft but quickly deepens.
His other hand comes to rest on my waist, pulling me closer until I’m sitting in his lap once again. His lips leave mine, trailing down my jawline and brushing against the sensitive spot just beneath my ear.
“You’re incredible,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough, sending shivers down my spine as his stubble tickles my skin.
I tilt my head back slightly, giving him better access as his lips continue their slow, torturous path. My hands slide up to his broad shoulders, gripping the soft fabric of his t-shirt as I try to steady myself against the flood of sensations coursing through me.
His strong hands grip tightly at my hips from where I’m fully straddling his waist, my knees sinking into the plush cushions of the couch on either side of him.
“Santi,” I whisper, my voice shaky and breathless.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he says, his words muffled as his hands slide down back, kneading at the flesh of my ass over my soft yoga pants. “Can’t help myself around you.”
I shake my head, my fingers tangling in the dark hairs at the nape of his neck as I kiss him again.
“That goes for both of us.”
Our kiss heats, growing more desperate by the minute, and I feel a low groan rumble through his chest. His fingers brush against my bare skin and leave a trail of heat in their wake as he pushes the fabric of my t-shirt higher with a slow, deliberate motion, and my breath hitches as his touch sends sparks shooting through me.
I raise my arms so that he can lift the material over my head, leaving me completely exposed above him.
His large hands immediately move to paw at my breasts, and I sigh in soft pleasure as his fingers dance over my nipples.