Page 97 of When Hearts Ignite

“Come inside me, Steven. Give it to me,” I murmur, watching his eyes growing wild, untethered as he jackhammers his hips inside me like he needs this as much as his next breath.

I can feel his dick hardening and throbbing, the telltale spasming telling me he’s near. But something is holding him back, a last vestige of control, the very thing he’s tethered to since he was younger, from what I’ve gathered in our early morning conversations. And I sense letting go is difficult for him and that one night at The Orchid was perhaps a blip, an explosion from a prolong period of aching want. This Steven before me—passionate, ardent, with muscles pulsing with control—is his usual form.

I want him to let go with me. To fly into the stars.

The words perched on my lips for the longest time finally break free.

“I love you, Steven. Let go. Give me all of your cum.”

With a roar, he breaks into pieces in front of me, spurts of hot liquid coating my insides, sending me into a spiral of sensations as I fall off the cliff with him, my cries echoing in the spacious solarium. With the stars as our witness, my body and heart tangle with his, winding in a knot no one can ever untie. Tears slip from my eyes at the momentous thoughts, the love I never thought I’d feel for another person pouring out like a dam bursting.

Steven groans as he captures my lips with his once again, our kiss softening, yet intimate and searing. His hips gyrate, prolonging our orgasms, and my nerves are fried as sweat coats our bodies.

As our breathing evens out and my mind slowly clears, he lifts his head and stares at me, his eyes glittering like the stars above him.

“Is it true? You love me?” His voice is hoarse, dripping in disbelief.

Moisture mists his eyes and a sharp ache pierces through my chest. For a moment, he looks haunted, much like the lonely man I met all those months ago, the one I want to wrap in my arms and tell him everything will be fine.

How can I not love him?

It’s an impossible task, and I realize I’ve tumbled headfirst into this emotion a long time ago. Ever since our eyes locked in the conference room, when he gave me a smile of approval and my heart skipped in my chest, I never stood a chance.

With a trembling smile, I nod. “Steven, I love you very, very much.”

He chokes back a sob and unleashes a devastating smile, an errant tear slipping down his face. He leans his forehead against mine.

“We’re a team. I’ll never let anything happen to us.”

And my heart, my traitorous heart, flutters in reply, the wings of hope soaring in the skies. A star streaks across the inky darkness above and I squeeze my eyes shut and make a wish.

I wish this man to be mine always and we’ll never be apart.

I hum under my breath as I stride out of the bathroom at Carlisle’s, one of the restaurants within The Orchid, lauded for their steak and fresh seafood, opened by two married award-winning chefs, each specializing in surf or turf. My chest warms at the thought of the enigmatic man who is my boyfriend. He said we were trapped at work for far too long and he wanted to take me to a nice dinner date at The Orchid.

I glance around the space, my eyes marveling at the tall ceilings and the décor of cream and tan. The windows are covered with heavy velvet drapes. Small tables dot the room but are spaced far apart, with long-stem candles burning brightly in silver candlestick holders. A harpist plays soft strains of music in the background. I feel like if I were to step into heaven, it would look something like this.

When I worked upstairs, I never took the time to explore the establishment, as we were not supposed to loiter outside of our work areas. But now, seeing bits and pieces of The Orchid as a guest of Steven’s, I can see why the rich and famous like it here so much. You can find pretty much everything you want here without the disruptions of the public or the press. Why would you ever want to leave?

My lips quirk into a smile as I think about Taylor, a renewed flame burning in my gut. One day, I’ll gain membership here and can finally bring her here, fulfilling that dream from long ago when we strolled past the building, attempting to peek in before being shooed away by doormen.

My phone buzzes in my purse, and I slow to a stop to take the call.

“Hi Emerson, sorry for the noise. I’m at a restaurant. Do you have something on my father?” My chest tightens as I wait for his response, wondering if I’ll finally get some answers.

“Grace, I just want to let you know I have narrowed down your birth father to three candidates. I’m in the process of securing DNA samples and will run tests to make sure before I release the results. Don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves.”

A pulse kicks in my ear and I blow out a deep breath. I feel nauseated and elated at the same time. “Tell me, are those candidates alive?” Please tell me they are. I already lost one parent, I don’t want to lose another.

“Yes, they are. But I want to be sure before I tell you their identities.”

I release another exhale, the nausea abating to an uncomfortable churn in my gut. “Okay. Do you need a DNA sample from me?”

“Already have it.”

I frown. “How?”

Deep chuckles filter through the line. “You don’t need to know. Just as you don’t need to know how I’m going to get the samples from the three men.” We’ve never met in person before, but I can imagine the arrogant smirk on his face and I roll my eyes.

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