He laughs. “Can’t help it. You inspire my worst literary tendencies.”
The world around us begins to fade as Aaron finally closes the distance, wrapping me in a hug that feels like coming home. His strong arms are a sanctuary I didn’t realize I was yearning for until this very moment. My body responds instinctively, molding against his. My heart pounds, and I have to tell myself to calm down.
“I missed you,” he whispers against my hair.
“I missed you, too. So much.”
He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes darkening as they drop to my lips. For a moment, I think he might kiss me right here amidst the rush of travelers and luggage carts. Part of me wants him to—the part that’s been aching for his touch since the moment he left New York. Instead, he takes my hand, threading his fingers through mine.
“The car’s outside. Do you need to pick up any checked luggage?”
I shake my head. “Nope, just this,” I reply, lifting my carry-on.
“Traveling light, huh? I’m impressed.”
“I’m only here for three days.” I gently squeeze his hand. “Plus, I intend to spend most of it naked… with you inside of me.”
His sharp intake of breath is satisfying. I like knowing that I can affect him with words, just as he does to me. “Jesus, Minji. Warn a brother before you say things like that.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I tease with a wink.
He grabs my carry-on with his free hand, unwilling to release his hold on me even for practicality’s sake. “You’re going to be the death of me, you know that?”
“What a way to go, though.” I smile as he leads me through the terminal.
A black car is idling at the curb, the driver opening the back door when he spots Aaron.
“Fancy,” I comment as he hands my bag to the driver.
“Tabitha—my agent—insists.” He playfully rolls his eyes. “Personally, I’d be happy with Uber, but apparently best-selling authors need luxury transportation… according to Tab.”
“I’m not complaining.”
As soon as the door closes, creating a bubble of privacy, Aaron’s restraint shatters. His mouth crashes against mine with an urgency that steals my breath. I respond instantly, my fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer.
“God, I missed this,” he whispers against my lips, his hands cupping my cheek.
I shift closer, practically climbing into his lap, decorum forgotten. “Less talking,” I whisper, gently biting his lower lip.
He chuckles against my mouth. “The driver…”
“Should mind his own business.” I gently bite his bottom lip, though I hesitantly create a small gap between us. Aaron’s eyes are filled with desire, and his breathing matches my rapid pace. The privacy partition gradually lifts, and I’m confident the driver heard me loud and clear.
“The hotel’s forty minutes away.” Aaron lets out a deep breath, his thumb brushing my lower lip. “Think you can behave that long?”
“Absolutely not,” I answer. “I didn’t wear a dress on the plane for no reason.”
His hand slides beneath the hem of my dress, fingers tracing a path up my inner thigh. “You planned on having sex as soon as you landed? Counselor, who are you right now?”
“I’m a strategist,” I whisper against his ear. “And a woman who misses her man.”
“Minji Lee, you are full of surprises, but you deserve more than being fucked in a car. While I love that you are slowly letting your walls down around me, I still want you to know that you are precious to me and fucking you in a car right now isn’t what I want. I want to show you I can be a gentleman.”
I break eye contact and look away, heat blooming up my neck, all the way to my ears. He’s right, my defenses disappear when I’m around him. Hell, I don’t recognize this version of myself—reckless, needy, utterly unashamed about wanting someone so much it bends every rule I live by.
He lifts my chin with his knuckle. “We can wait, unless you want to rewrite the definition of public indecency in California Law.”
“For the record, the partition is up,” I reply, but I move off his lap and remove his hand from my thigh. Because the longer he touches me, the more likely I am to forget that I am not an animal in heat.
