She has, in so many ways. This project has consumed her life for the past month. In addition to that, she's sold the Warton place and jumped headfirst into a relationship with me.
"It's not over until it's over, right?" she asks in a lighter tone. "I'm not giving up until the clock strikes midnight on the very last day."
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Maya
"You're not saying anything."I bump Julian's shoulder with my hand. "You don't like it, do you?"
I asked him to meet me at my apartment after work. I brought the flowers home with me and put them in a vase that is currently sitting in the middle of my dining room table. They are the only bright spot in the room.
"I'm a shit interior designer." I manage a small nervous laugh. "It's a work in progress."
He looks down at me with a curve of his lips. "Why is it that when I imagine you at home, it looks nothing like this?"
"Because this isn't how I imagine it in my mind either." I motion toward the white couch I bought last year. It was one of my first large furniture purchases. I assumed it was perfect because it's neutral , but it adds absolutely no character at all to the room.
He doesn't move from where he's standing near the entryway. "Explain that statement to me."
Anxiety bolts through me. I've never confessed to anyone that I'm not completely happy with my apartment. "I had a lot of ideas about what I wanted in a property before I became a broker."
"Go on." He encourages me with a hand on my shoulder.
I let out a shaky breath. "When it came time to buy my first place, I thought more about investment value than comfort. I didn't put a lot of thought into whether I enjoyed the space. I looked at it from a strictly financial viewpoint."
"So, you purchased this apartment because of the eventual return you'll receive when you sell?"
"Exactly." I give him a curt nod. "I got it for a fair price and with some time, I believe it will increase in value. I'll sell and move into something else."
He runs his fingers from my shoulder up to the base of my neck. I shiver at his touch. This is the first time he's been inside my apartment. I invited him to meet me here so I could give him more of a glimpse into my world, but I'm suddenly feeling like I'm revealing even more of myself to him than I intended.
"Is your plan to move into something that has the most potential for return?"
It's a fair question and highly likely that I'll do just that. I understand the real estate market in Manhattan. I can predict, with some certainty, which neighborhoods will see an uptick in property value. If I can stay ahead of the trends, I can pocket some serious cash, just from moving every few years.
"It's hard not to view real estate from that place when it's your life," I half-joke.
His lips part as he considers carefully what he wants to say. "It's not your entire life, Maya. You need a place to go to at the end of the day that feels like home. Does this feel like home to you?"
I don't hesitate at all. "No, it doesn't. It feels like a place to sleep."
I look around the apartment. It would make anyone happy to live here. The windows are bright and airy. The kitchen is well equipped. There are two spacious bedrooms and just as many bathrooms.
"What do you imagine my home looks like?" I turn to look directly at him. "You said that when you imagine me at home it looks nothing like this."
Silence fills the air before he answers. "You may not be ready to hear this, but if I'm completely honest, when I imagine you at home, it's with me, at my place."
I close my eyes and lean in close to his chest. "I am ready to hear it. It felt like home the first time I was there."
A deep laugh rumbles through his body. "I won't ask you to move in with me, yet, but I will one day. I promise I will one day."
I'll hold him to that promise, one day.
"My bed feels more like home."I look down at him as I move slowly over his cock. "It actually feels like heaven right now."
"Yes," he hisses the word across his tongue. "Ride me like that."
I up the tempo, but only slightly. I'm enjoying this too much. I've never been on top of him like this, with his cock buried so deep that pain has morphed into pleasure.
