Page 91 of House of Lies

Smiling, I draw her flush against me, smoothing a hand down her hair. “That’s my good girl.”

She squirms against me, giggling. “Fuck you.”

I close my eyes and inhale the scent of her.

When she confronted me in the library, my mind shut down at the thought that she would walk out and leave me there…just like Becks had. Bewildered, hurt, desperate for answers.

I’ve been given a reprieve, and fuck me, it feels like divine intervention.

Chapter 37

Ethan

My dedicated concierge gives me a double take when I arrive at the elevator of my penthouse suite with a snoozing Cassidy in my arms. She fell asleep about thirty minutes ago, and I didn’t have the heart to wake her.

Thankfully Jim knows better than to ask questions. He merely gives me a respectful nod and hurries to open the elevator door for me so I don’t have to put Cassidy down.

“Will you be needing anything tonight, Mr. Remington?” he whispers, doing his best to ignore the sleeping girl in my arms.

“Not right now, but I’ll call if that changes.”

He nods, turning his back as the elevator door hums closed. I stare down at Cassidy as I wait to reach the penthouse. I’m not surprised she hasn’t woken up yet. After working the entire week, helping me with the open house today, three glasses of wine and confronting me in the library, I’m sure she’s exhausted.

She feels so good in my arms. Warm and plump. Even my cock’s getting the wrong idea, hardening inside my suit pants like I’m considering fucking her inside the elevator.

Christ, why’d I have to get that image in my head? With these bronzed mirrors all around us, I’d be able to see Cassidy from every angle as I thrust into her?—

The elevator chimes softly, doors sliding open to allow me inside the penthouse. I pause only long enough to kick off my shoes, and then pad through the place in my socks, breathing out a long, relieved breath.

It’s good to be home.

Glenmont Manor used to feel like home, back when Becks was still around. But ever since I started working from this penthouse, those big empty halls started feeling more like a mausoleum than a house.

I head straight for the main bedroom. I could put Cassidy into the guest suite, but after everything that’s happened between us, it seems ridiculous not to share a bed.

Plus, I can’t stand the thought of having her down the hall from me again. It was torture back in Glenmont—I’m not standing for it here.

I lay her gently on my Egyptian cotton sheets, and go to tuck her in when my eyes rove over her body. She’s still in the yellow cocktail dress with its tight bodice and narrow waist.

That can’t be comfortable to sleep in.

I’d prefer her stark naked, but I’m not sure how she’d feel waking up stripped bare. Instead, I go to my walk-in closet and find the largest, softest t-shirt I own.

Being careful not to wake her, I gently pull down the dress’s zipper and ease her out of the yellow fabric.

It seems impossible to convince my cock that this is an innocent gesture and that I don’t plan on fucking her—by the time I’ve slipped the t-shirt over her head and eased it down her curvy little body, my cock is bulging against the front of my pants.

I tuck her under the sheets and go to change into sweats. The drive was tiring, but I feel energized just from being back in the city. Angelo loves calling me an introvert, and it’s true that being around people drains me, but I still love the bustle of the city. There’s so much life around me, it’s impossible to feel lonely…even when my bed hasn’t been warmed by another soul for months.

Cassidy makes the cutest little snuffling sound when I slide in beside her, and then turns her back on me and burrows deeper into the pillow.

I should let her sleep.

Instead, I inch over to her and slide my hands around her body, dragging her flush against me.

God, she feels good.

I close my eyes and try to will myself to surrender to sleep, but my eyes just pop open a second later.

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