Page 57 of Meet Cute the Virgin

Oh fuck. If I weren’t already hard, that would have done it. She thinks I’m asking about the roughness from last night. When I’d all but snapped. The way I had her against the wall, my hand at her throat. The memory surges through me, and I feel her notice my body responding to hers. Since she’s come into my life, that’s how it’s felt. Everything she does I have a reaction to.

I should clarify that I meant the champagne. But her answer hangs between us, and suddenly I don’t care what I meant. I want to shove everything off my desk that I’ve used to stalk her in the past and fuck her, but like she’s said, she’s still a little sore… but she also said it was worth it. I swear she does this shit to me on purpose. Lily is the only person that can get a live reaction out of me.

I make myself calm down. Controlling my dick was never a problem until she came along.

“I meant your head, princess.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m good.”

I settle her against the edge of the desk, her thighs still locked at my hips. Her hands find my shoulders, her delicate fingers curling into the muscle there. I’ll never tire of her touch. At the way it both eases something inside of me but also stirs up a reaction.

“I need to feed you.” That might help my dick go down. “The two a.m. mac and cheese isn’t going to cover it.”

“It was good, though.”

“You did a phenomenal job.” She had not. Lily was insistent on making food for us last night. I almost had a couple of heart attacks as she was doing it. I’m going to throw all the pans out so she can never boil anything again. “A perfect trad wife.”

“Oh God.” She face-plants into my chest, making me smile. “That was a joke; it’s like a whole TikTok trend thing people follow.”

“So you don’t want to be my trad wife then?”

Lily drops her head back to stare up at me, her eyes soft around the edges. “I don’t know what I want.”

I brush hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “You know. Tell me.”

She’s quiet for a moment, her fingers absently stroking patterns on my shoulders. “I wanted this. You. For so long.” A shaky breath leaves her. “When I was younger, I used to?—”

“You’re still young.” I always try to remind myself of that.

A small huff leaves her, but her eyes stay on mine. “I had dreams about it. About you.” Lily’s cheeks manage to get pinker. “Stupid teenage stuff. I didn’t grow up with it—I don’t know how to be, you know.” I don’t fill in when she pauses. “Domestic. Whatever that TikTok thing is supposed to be.”

“You’re supposed to be whatever you want to be.”

“Not what I think others believe I should be?”

“Never.” I tighten my grip on her thighs. “I don’t need a trad wife, Lily. I need you. Nosy, defiant, boiling water until the pan smokes.”

She laughs, small and surprised. “I almost burned your kitchen down.”

“I know.” I lean in, close enough to feel her breath. “I’m wealthy. We’ll get a chef.” She smiles against my lips.

“Still hard to believe this is all happening. That you tracked me and?—”

“And I’m sorry,” I cut her off. She pulls slightly back, not to get away but to see my face.

“Sorry?”

“Yes, sorry. I made us both miserable. I was stuck between doing right by your father and wanting you so badly.” My needfor her ached down to my bones, and it grew heavier each day I denied it.

“But doesn’t that mean you still feel that way?” she asks tentatively, like she’s scared of what my answer might be.

“I do still care what your father would think, but I shouldn’t have cared more about it than you.”

A slow, easy smile forms on her lips.

“You know, I’m not always the most subtle.” Her smile turns mischievous. “My dad knew I was crushing on you. Big time. But still he wanted me under your care, even when I was an adult.”

“He was worried.”