“Yes. I want you. Every inch of you.”
“There’s my good girl.” He moves inside of me again, so thick, filling me up, slowly at first, but like most things that build over time, the pressure needs a release. Our pace builds high and higher, to a frenzy, reaching the ultimate ecstasy that two people can reach together. Until I break first, tumbling down, body shaking and giving him everything I have.
I cling to him, and this pleasure of release, as he continues to chase his own. And there’s that hockey stamina coming intoplay. He doesn’t stop, but lifts my thigh higher, triggering new feelings, new responses, and when he comes, it’s rough and hard and powerful, grunting my name.
When it’s over, when we’re panting and holding on tight to each other, I want still more. I wish our bodies could quake together like this forever.
Eventually, curled against him, his arm heavy at my waist, his breathing evens out—maybe already asleep. And I’m calm, so relaxed for the first time in a long, long time.
For once, I don’t feel the need to brace for what comes next or question how things will be between us in the morning.
This moment is enough. And tonight, I let myself keep it.
When we wakethe next morning, Eli lets me linger in bed as long as possible. While he is a bundle of energy. I hear him on the phone. I hear words like birthday and party and ice rink. He orders room service for breakfast, and yet another call comes in and he’s talking about signing some papers.
I stretch and finally get up, pulling on the plush terry robe the fancy hotel provides. He’s at the living room window when I find him—jeans on, no tee, coffee in hand, staring out at the view.
Mine is better.
His smooth back tapers into a trim waist and an ass that makes my pulse jump. I step up behind him and wrap myself around him, my just-out-of-bed warmth meeting his bare skin.
“Morning. I can’t tell you how lovely that was to sleep in a real bed for once,” I say, and then realize I don’t mean for him to have heard that.
He turns so fast that he almost spills his coffee.
“What do you mean, ‘for once?’” His eyebrows knit together. In my world, the sleeping arrangement at home is normal. But the concern on his face tells me it isn’t.
“It’s no big deal. But at the apartment, I let Mom and Aiden have the bedrooms. I sleep on the couch.”
He sighs and gathers me into his embrace and says nothing, when I’m certain he wants to say more.
My stomach growls, the perfect excuse to get out of this topic.
“So, you made breakfast?” I tease.
“Yeah, pretty hard work. Pick up the phone and order and wait,” he chuckles. He takes my hand and guides me to the table, so elegantly made, with linen napkins and flowers and all. He adjusts my chair as I sit, such a gentleman. With each plate cover he lifts, he announces what’s under them; so much food. More than I could eat, and if he’s planning to eat the rest, then I envy his metabolism.
I reach for a chocolate-chip muffin from a basket of them. He pours me coffee.
“How do you take it?” He asks, putting a spoonful of fresh fruit on my plate.
“Douse the coffee with cream, lots of sugar.”
“Noted.” He smiles, making it so.
“Were you on the phone?” I asked, digging in. The muffin is so good I wonder if I can take the entire basket home to Aiden.
“Yep. The first call was to your mom and Aiden, assuring them we’d be home soon. I sent them some of the photos from last night and thanked Aiden for coming up with our hero costumes. Oh, I also made a date with him to go sledding when we get back since I don’t have practice today.”
“He’ll love that. Thank you for offering.”
“If you’re not busy, you can come with us. A fun day out, just the three of us. We could stop by my new house afterward, and I’ll give you the tour. It’s just a few blocks away from you.”
His house… so close to us? “Then I guess I should say, welcome to the neighborhood? I can’t believe you bought a house there.” Okay, one more muffin. They’re so good. “And the second call?”
“To my assistant, Renae. We were going over ideas for Aiden’s birthday party.”
“Whoa, hang on. You have an assistant? And what do you mean birthday party?” I eye him suspiciously.
