White hot pleasure crackles all over my skin as my orgasm looms on the horizon. I need her to come again. Now—before I do. I reach between her legs and caress her clit with my fingers. It only takes a few seconds, then her release rips through her, and I thrust into her, spilling myself into her tight, hot channel.
We collapse on the mattress together, gasping and panting as we struggle to catch our breath. I pull her into my arms, and she nestles her cheek against my sweat-sheened pec.
‘This weekend, you move in. Next weekend, I’m whisking you away.’ I press a kiss to her temple.
‘Where to?’ She tilts her head up to meet my eye.
‘We’re going to Vegas baby, while you can still travel. I’ve met your family. It’s time to introduce you to mine.’
She sits up. ‘For real?’
‘Yeah,’ I pull her into me again. ‘I never got it before.’
‘Got what?’
I run my fingers through her thick glossy hair. ‘My mother. I never fully understood her grief because I never loved anyone the way she loved my father. I don’t condone the way she’s tried to fill that void in her life, but I’m beginning to understand why she’s compelled to try.’ I kiss her again. ‘If anything happened to you, Zara, I’d lose my fucking mind too.’
‘Hmm.’ She blows out a breath. ‘Don’t worry, I told you before, I’m not going anywhere. Not now that things are starting to get exciting. But just in case anything ever does happen to me, make sure you put on a good show of grieving for at least five years before you even think about introducing another woman to our daughter.’ She places her hands on her swollen stomach.
‘You have no fear baby. You’re it for me. If anything ever happened to you, I’d never love another woman.’
‘How do you know?’ She stares at me intently.
‘I’m not foolish enough to think a love like this comes around more than once in a lifetime.’
‘I don’t know,’ she traces mindless circles over my stomach. ‘Look at Caelon. He had Isabella, then he found Ivy.’
A shudder rips over my spine at even the mention of what he went through. I don’t like him. But I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.
‘Let’s talk about something else.’ I hold her tighter against me, stroking over her shoulder and the backs of her arms.
‘Like how much of that giant walk-in wardrobe you’re going to assign to me?’
‘Sweetheart, you should know by now, I’ll give you any damn thing you want, because finding you again was the only thing I’ve ever wanted.’
Chapter Forty-Five
ZARA
The summer sun beats through thefloor-to-ceiling triple-glazed windows at Beckett Deluxe Design Agency.I wish to God I was on annual leave. I’m swelteringly hot. I feel enormous. My ankles are starting to swell like an elephant. And turns out baby brain is a real thing. Yesterday, I found my TV remote in the fridge.
Tate paces the corridor towards my office like a restless panther, while Nico perches his pert ass on the side of my desk and fires questions at me about the casino project like he’s auditioning for The Weakest Link. ‘So… are we going with matte black fittings or brushed brass?’ His hands flap enthusiastically in front of his face. The man was born to perform. Clearly, he missed his true calling in life. ‘Do we want warm white LED strip lighting or do we lean into the whole moody, masculine vibe? And what about the signature scent? Tobacco and honey? Tonka and leather? Vanilla bourbon? California sunshine?’ He waggles his eyebrows at me.
‘We’re not calling the scent “California sunshine”, Nico. It sounds like a dodgy vape flavour,’ I mutter, flipping through the sample boards on my desk.
He snorts. ‘Fine. But we have to go with something spectacular. This is the most prestigious project we’ve ever taken on. I mean, I’m sure Cole’s going to tell you he loves it, because, you know, you’re shagging him, but we want to really wow him with our work as well as your sexual prowess.’
‘Nico.’ I shoot him a warning look, fanning myself. I need to install aircon for the three days a year we actually get good weather in Dublin.
‘Sorry. You’redatinghim,’ he corrects, eyes twinkling. ‘The sexiest client we’ve ever had, who also happens to be the richest man I’ve ever met, and possibly the hottest. Sorry, Zara, but facts are facts.’
I rub my temples.
I love Nico, but Jesus Christ, I’m too uncomfortable for his teasing today.
‘I want it to be perfect,’ I say quietly. ‘Not because of who he is… but because I want him to walk into that casino and know that I understand him. That I understand his world. And his tastes.’
And because I want him to be proud of me. Impressed even. He’s super successful in his own right, but so am I, and this is my chance to prove why. Obviously I don’t say that part out loud.
