“In all seriousness, it was pretty incredible that he came, along with the others. I mean, come on, Sal hired a private jet for you.”
“Sure, it was nice. But you flew from LA to San Francisco to Jacksonville in the space of twenty-four hours. I’d say that’s pretty incredible.”
“I had to do that. They didn’t. They did it because they care about you, even when you refuse to show them the same courtesy.”
She had to?I frown, confused. “What do you mean, you ‘had to’? And Icare. I just…”
“I know. You just don’t show it. Those guys—the ones in your group chat and the others that have called to check in—they’re not just your teammates; they’re your friends. They’ve got your back. They deserve to know how you feel.”
Dammit. My chest hollows, reminding me of the emptiness inside me. The emotions I’ve refused to feel. A panic sets in at the thought of letting others into my heart, but with Blair’s reassurance lighting up her face, some of the darkness clears. I’ve been denying myself close friendships for so long that Iwouldn’t even know where to start but… “I promise to try.” My voice comes out raspy, and the emotion behind it is not lost on Blair. Or me.
“Thank you.” She squeezes my hand. “I’m sure that would mean a lot to them.”
“You don’t have to thank me. But if you must, you can do it by answering my first question. Why did you say youhadto come for me?” I know she loves me, but her word choice doesn’t feel right.
Blair laughs and my face muscles tighten into a scowl. “If looks could kill.” She shakes her head. “I had to because if I didn’t, I’d never forgive myself. How many times do I have to tell you? I’m in this. You’ve hooked me in and there’s no going back.”
My chest swells and my love is so overwhelming that I need to take a step back before it consumes me. It’s been building for so long; it feels strange to finally have the girl.
“It’s the piercing, isn’t it?” I joke, giving myself a moment of respite.
Blair giggles, but her smile turns sympathetic. She knows exactly what I’m doing because she knows me. Still. After all this time.
I expect her to push for more and demand I face my feelings, but instead, she plays along. “I can’t remember. I might need to get reacquainted with it. It’s been too long.”
My cock pulses in agreement. “That can be arranged. We’ve got this luxurious suite for the night; it would be crazy to just sleep.”
“So crazy. And there’s a hot tub.” She raises an eyebrow, biting her lip.
“I can’t help but notice you mentioned a liking toward the hot tub in my apartment too.”
“Very observant. What can I say? I’ve always wanted to have sex in one.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal before jumping up offthe bed and stripping her flowy black dress over her head, her ass taunting me as she walks away, wearing nothing but a thong.
My length springs to attention, pressing against the zipper of the dress pants my lawyer arranged for my court appearance. Pants I’m ninety-nine percent sure belong to Blair’s dad.
Shaking that visual from my mind, I snap into action, bouncing around as I attempt to walk and strip at the same time, an urgency to my actions.
The shirt falls from my shoulders just as I step through the bathroom door, and I freeze at the sight of Blair, now completely naked in front of me.
The bathroom’s mostly dark, but the light filtering in from the main room bathes her in a soft glow, highlighting the beautiful pinkish hue coating her skin. Her lips part, her raw vulnerability on full display as she stands tall, and I know she’s fighting the instinct to cover herself up.Fucking Nathan.
She doesn’t even realize how beautiful she is.
My heart races, and my chest expands as I breathe her all in, her love filling me completely.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” I rasp as I step forward, crowding her until she rests back against the counter, my voice thick with emotion. “But more than that, you’reyou. My B, my love, the only woman that will ever hold my heart.”
Blair gasps and her dark eyes shimmer, projecting every feeling she’s trying to control.
I suck in a breath and step back, my palms flexing at my sides. I want to take my time, savor every moment with her, but that’s hard to do when she’s looking at me like she’s ready to drop to her knees and give me the world.
A moment passes between us before she bites her lip again, eliciting a groan from the back of my throat, as my cock weeps for her.
Whether she’s in tune with my body, or noticed that slight twitch, Blair lowers her gaze to my length and her throat bobs, her eyes full of want. She wets her lips, and I just about come on the spot, growling as I tug her into me.
“You can’t look at me like that unless I’m inside you, B.”
“And you’re not allowed to growl, remember?”
