Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
I still instinctively flinch when someone touches me—intentionally or accidentally. It’s the kind of prison I can’t get away from, no matter how hard I try.
Until Maura.
I don’t just welcome her touch. I crave it. I yearn for it.
To think I just met her twenty-four hours ago. Now, here I wait for the little fairy whom I can’t stop thinking about.
My body registers Maura’s presence before my eyes do.
“Hello, stranger.” Her voice is soft and friendly, with no hint of seduction whatsoever, but she might as well drag her tongue along my cock with how my muscles tense at hearing her.
Hearing her. Jesus. We haven’t done anything more than exchange pleasantries, and here I am, burning with need for her already.
I’m standing outside her building, leaning against my bike. She walks toward me in a matching skirt and polo shirt, which is more suitable for tennis club lunches, and white velcro sneakers. She has a thick headband over her pixie hair, the red hue catching the sunlight and making it look like her hair’s on fire.
Goddamn. She brings light with her. She’s a vision of beauty, beauty that demands appreciation.
My heart skips a beat, my breath catching in my throat. How is she real? I was convinced last night was a dream, and seeing her in broad daylight makes me wonder if I still haven’t woken up.
“You look beautiful, but that’s not really something you wear for a ride.”
Maura folds her arms over her chest and shrugs. “Why? It’s comfortable.”
“And guaranteed to get me in a fight.”
She tosses her head back and laughs, making me smile. “You look like you can hold your own in a fight, though.”
Ah. That unexpected praise spreads warmth throughout my chest. “That’s true.” I unfold my arms and straighten my back. “Let’s go, then. I have a little fairy to teach and a bed-rot to collect later.”
At the reminder of what she promised, Maura’s tongue pokes from the corner of her mouth before she bites down on her bottom lip. Holy fuck. Before I realize what I’m doing, I reach my hand to cup her face and release her lip. I can’t help but graze my thumb across it.
“We need to go before I forget what we’re supposed to do today.” My voice comes out as a cross between a groan and a growl. It doesn’t escape her notice, and she gives me a smug look.
Brat.
“Are you ready, Maura?”
Maura nods repeatedly, her face serious and focused. It’s been hours since we started, and the sun is dipping low in the sky. We’re in an empty park half an hour from the city center. So far, Maura’s been an exceptional student.
She does drop some sexual innuendo here and there, but she’s mostly been a good girl.
Maura takes a deep breath and closes her eyes briefly. The determination in her gaze makes my heart swell with pride. This is a woman you don’t cage, and the guy she left last night fumbled with how he treated her.
His loss. My gain.
“Safety gear on,” I tell her and watch as she double-checks the helmet’s fit, fastening the strap securely under her chin.
I take her hand and help her mount the bike, smiling to myself at the way she swings one leg over the seat like a pro. The teasing and seductive Maura is gone and replaced by someone who looks like she’s about to race with everything she’s got.
She grips the handlebars tightly, her posture tense.
“Relax your shoulders, little fairy, and keep your back straight.” Maura doesn’t acknowledge me anymore, so I stand in front of the bike, my hands over hers on the handlebars. She has no choice but to lift her gaze to me. “Balance is key. Use your legs to steady yourself.”
“Got it.”
“Good. Now start the engine.”
Maura turns the key, and the bike roars to life, the deep rumble vibrating through the ground and echoing around the empty space. She twists the throttle, and the bike responds with a growl.
The bike rolls slowly, and she begins to move forward. I walk alongside her, ready to step in in case something happens.
She rides in a straight line, her initial apprehension melting away and her confidence growing. Her scowl transforms into a grin, and she starts speeding a little.
For the next five minutes, she rides at the speed we agreed on. She returns to me and brings the bike to a stop. I rush to her side and hold the bike as she puts her feet down to the ground. She’s so small that she has to stand on her toes.
I swing the stand with my foot in a downward arc, and it clicks into place with a satisfying thunk. Once it’s secure, Maura jumps off and launches herself into my arms.
“I did it! I rode a bike! Did you see that turn?”