Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“I feel the same,” she said, eyes wide, almost as if she was terrified. “I feel all of that. And I’ve been terrified every time I thought about this thing ending. I didn’t want it to. I wanted it to go on—to see what we could be together.”
My heart clenched. "You should know I’m damaged goods. I have trust issues like you wouldn’t believe, and it won’t—"
She cut me off with a kiss.
The kiss was soft, sweet, almost hesitant. Like she was asking a question. I could feel flecks of cold snow on her lips melting instantly against my skin.
I answered by pulling her closer, deepening the kiss until she made that little sound in the back of her throat that drove me crazy.
When we finally broke apart, she rested her forehead against mine. "I'm sure."
"Even though I'm—"
"A wedding wrecker? Yeah." She smiled. "I’m willing to see if we can work through a few minor, totally nothing-burger obstacles.”
I brushed hair from her face, memorizing the way she looked in that moment. "You know, the wedding fixer actually doesn’t sound as bad as it did at first.”
“No?” she asked. “I could see a world where a wedding fixer and a wedding planner could form a… partnership.”
The way she said the word was more than a little loaded with meaning.
“I could get used to that idea,” I said, kissing her again.
“Gross,” Lily chided as she skated by, making us both look up from our kiss. Frankly, I’d forgotten we weren’t alone, but the scene came back into view around us—the snow, the mountains, the couples and people from the wedding party circling and casting glances our way.
But I didn’t care if they watched. Hell, I wanted them to see. For the first time since Katie betrayed my trust, I felt like I was part of something worth celebrating.
I might not know how long it was going to last, but I had Emma. For now, that was so much more than enough.
"You know,” I said, forehead pressed to hers. “You actually aren’t a half-bad skater.”
She rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her smile. "Flattery won’t get you everywhere, Mr. Carter."
"I’m not worried about getting everywhere." I pulled her closer, nipping at her neck. "Just a few specific places on that gorgeous body of yours. Will flattery get me there, at least?"
"James..." She squirmed as I found that spot behind her ear that made her gasp. "We’re pushing P.D.A. to the limits.”
“Then let’s get the hell off this ice and back to our room.”
“People will—”
“Fuck them. I need you right now, Em. Right now.”
29
EMMA
Our kiss was hungry, desperate, like he had been holding back as long as I had. The papers James had gathered on Marcus and his family were still all over the bed, and they scattered to the floor as he laid me back. His weight pressed me into the mattress in a way that made me forget how to breathe.
"Are you sure?" he murmured against my throat. "We can stick to the rules if—"
"James?" I threaded my fingers into his hair, pulling his mouth back to mine. "I'm done with rules. I want you. All of you."
He groaned, the sound vibrating through me. "Say it again."
"I want you." I rolled my hips against his growing hardness, drawing another groan. "I've wanted you for three years."
"Fuck, Emma." His hands slid under my shirt, callused fingers leaving trails of fire on my skin. "You have no idea what you do to me."
"Then show me."
He sat back just enough to help me out of my shirt, then his own joined it on the floor. I couldn't help running my hands over his chest, tracing the hard planes of muscle I'd been dreaming about.
"Like what you see?" He caught one of my hands, pressing a kiss to my palm that was somehow both tender and erotic.
"You know I do." I arched as his mouth found that spot behind my ear again. "Though your ego hardly needs the boost."
In answer, he pulled me to him, one hand tangling in my hair as his mouth found mine.
I melted into him, papers crunching beneath us as he lowered me to the bed. His body was solid and warm against me.
"I've wanted you for so long," he breathed against my neck. "Since that first night in Ireland. Since every day after."
"Me too." I arched as his teeth grazed my pulse point. "I tried to tell myself it was just physical, but—"
"But it was never just that." His hands slid across my bare stomach, then unclasped my bra. He threw it to the ground with a satisfied smile, eyes lighting up as he studied my hardening nipples. "Was it?"
"No." I reached up again, fingertips slowly sliding down the ripples of his abs and tracing the hard lines between them. "It was always more."