Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“I’ll start sleeping in more often if I get pretty dresses and expensive jewelry.” She steps to the vase, taking one of the stems to bend and smell the flower. “Ow.” She pushes the finger to her mouth and then holds it there while her tongue dips out to touch the surface. “A thorn. The prick,” she snarks with a half-hearted grin.
I take her finger and hold it in front of me to inspect the damage. I kiss the tiny spot. “I think you’re going to lose it.”
She laughs. “Hopefully not. But I may not be safe around vicious thorny things.” She certainly loves that word.
“I don’t know. You seem to do okay with me.”
Her smile blooms like the roses next to her—vibrant and pretty in pink. Tapping my chest with the injured finger, she laughs. “That was funny.”
With a shrug, I say, “I try.” Glancing at the jacket, I realize I still have this to deal with. “The jacket won’t go on over my cast, and I didn’t have time to have it altered.” I pick up the scissors and flip the sleeve to expose the seam. “If we open the seam every other inch, I think I can squeeze the cast through by allowing it to stretch without having the sleeve flap open. And—”
“You’re going to cut your suit jacket? That’s unconscionable. Look at the fabric.” She digs for a tag at the collar, and then her mouth drops open. Turning to gape at me, she says, “This is Tom Ford.”
“I know. I had it made for me, but it does me no good if I can’t wear it.”
“But, but—”
“It will be okay.” I chuckle. “If we’re careful and keep to the seam, I can have a tailor fix it when I’m healed.”
Staring at it, she hugs it to her chest. “I just,” she starts, her eyes linking to mine. “It’s so incredible. What if I ruin it and you can’t get it fixed?”
I rub her upper back, then rest my hand on her shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. It’s only a jacket.”
Sweeping the jacket in front of her, she lays it flat on the island. “Okay. Let’s do it.” Holding out her hand, she requests, “Scissors.”
I hand them to her, and we work together to get the job done—me directing and her opening the seams. At the bottom of the cuff, she says, “Put it on and we’ll see how much I need to open up for your hand.”
She helps put it on, and though it’s a squeeze, we get it all the way to my elbow. Bending down, she stares at the stretched fabric. “We need to release the cuff. Not much but—”
“I trust you. Do what you need to do.”
Taking in a deep breath, she exhales. “It’s only a jacket.” She’s so quiet that I think it's her own personal pep talk, but without hesitation, she opens the cuff, sets the scissors down, and yanks the jacket the rest of the way. “There.” Her eyes are bright as she looks at me for approval.
“Great job. Thank you.” Rolling my neck around the collar, I add, “Now I won’t stand out as much.”
She steps closer again, but this time, she takes my tie and straightens it. With a pat to my chest, she says, “You look very dapper, Hotshot.”
I catch her wrist before she slips away. When she looks back, the determination that keeps her on her toes has been replaced by something softer. A moment of weakness? Or is she coming around to trusting me?
“What is it?” she whispers, her eyes wider from curiosity as she searches mine for an answer.
I take a sobering breath, having lost my own ambition to take her down and send her packing. This feels like a date with someone I care about. I swallow down the emotion trying to swell in my chest. I’m sure it will pass. “You almost forgot your necklace.”
Her delicate fingers grace her neck as if she’s surprised it’s not on. “Did you really buy that for me?”
Opening the jewelry box, the diamonds that wrap around the platinum base sparkle without needing light to make them shine. I slip the necklace from the anchors and undo the clasp. I chuckle lightly, not at her expense but at the thought of gifting something to someone and then expecting it back. “You don’t have to give it back at the end of the night.” Shit, did that happen to her? I don’t think now’s the time to bring up the past when we’re working so hard to stay present in our fabrications. I bring it around her neck from behind. Sweeping her hair to one side, I fasten it around her neck, making sure it lays flat on her skin.
When I step around, I admire this stunning creature. “You look like a million bucks, Sass.”