As I Fade (One Breath at a Time: Book 1) by Leilani Bennett Read Free Book Online Page B

the end of his nose moved ever so slightly. He said that was impossible. I had my doubts, for I had seen it with my own eyes. Either way it didn’t detract from his rugged manly features.
    His lips were full and highly kissable, but his eyes—his eyes were the windows to his soul and more! They were nearly indescribable. Charcoal gray eyes dotted with tiny constellations of soft midnight blue stars that left no doubt about his superior intelligence. Thick dark brows and long, wispy lashes accentuated those wide-set eyes, and sometimes when his eyes looked into mine, I felt as if he was effortlessly gazing into my very essence.
    Sometimes his left eye fluttered, resembling the damnedest wink. It was actually devilishly sexy. I grew to know every detail, flicker, and emotion that crossed his face. A man of many layers, he exuded confidence, and was at once, mysterious, non-threatening, and quietly dominating. He possessed a subtle sensitive side that he was not afraid to hide from me. He wasn’t a pretty-boy type; on the contrary, he was dark, tall and ultra masculine. And for all his sensitivity, there wasn’t a single trait that contradicted his essential maleness.
    As for me, I was far more emotional than he, and showed it when I probably should have refrained. Hey, after all I am human. In my book, he was far from human.
    I was overly sensitive, outspoken, argumentative, and insecure sometimes. I hid most of my negative traits and wore an armor of confidence as many people do. He would push my buttons just to arouse me. He found it amusing when my temper flared, but he knew how to handle me with kid gloves. A time or two, he even threatened to spank me when my short fuse got the best of me. I facetiously told him if he could catch me, I would grin and bare it . The truth was I knew he could move faster than the speed of light.
    He was the entire package of all the greatest men rolled into one. Any woman would have fallen for him, and I Fell...completely. He was possessed of patience, trustworthiness, humor, and love...shall I go on? Why not? He was my universe, and should this world suddenly come to an end, my last thoughts would be of him. His deep, cultured voice with just the faintest of raspy timbres would stop my heart then, just as it does now. It was almost unnerving that one man could have inherited the best of the best qualities. In short, he surpassed my image of a god...pure male perfection at its best.
    A strong wind filled the atrium of the brownstone, forcing me from my reverie. The front doors shook against the frame as if someone was trying to get in, scaring me spitless.
    I quickly jumped to my feet, expecting Mr. Piccart, my landlord, and his new girlfriend to come strolling in as usual. Being that he liked attention, he was always a bit noisy, announcing his entrance.
    “Mr. Piccart, is that you?”
    My eyes darted over the dark lobby area before landing on the large double doors. Moonlight splashed over the room. I could make out the curve in the French provincial humpback sofa. Maybe I could just sleep there for the night. The grand gilt-edged portrait of Mr. Piccart’s father hung over the fireplace, staring down at me. The portrait was incased in one of those antique shadow boxes with thick convex glass, causing the eyes to appear as if they followed you around the room. In the dark the beautiful lobby transformed into an abandoned museum, causing the furnishing to appear extra ghastly. On second thought, hiding out in the lobby was no option.
    The double doors shook against the erratic wind bands that kicked up outside. Again it sounded as if someone was trying to get in. I crept to the door, cracking it open and cautiously edged my head around the frame. The fierce wind hit me in the face, stealing my breath away, and causing my hair to billow out in all directions.
    The streetlamps were out so there wasn’t much to see. I heard a trash can, or so I thought, hitting against the fence that