Page 51 of Dreamboat

“I can make it there on my own.” I smile. “Thank you for the offer, though.”

“Thank you for stalking my social media tonight, Delia.” He exhales softly. “I can’t wait to see you again.”

I can’t wait to see him again either, but I keep that to myself and brush past him, forcing him to turn around to get one last glimpse of me tonight.

“Goodnight, Delia,” he calls after me as I walk down the sidewalk toward Park Avenue.

“Goodnight,” I say while looking straight ahead with a smile on my face that’s bright enough to light the night sky.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Delia

I glance at the time on my phone. It’s nearing midnight but something tells me that Donovan won’t mind if I send him a text message now.

I keyed his number into my contact list as soon as I got home tonight. I considered sending him a text then, but I wanted a few hours to calm my thoughts before I send the all-important first text.

I’ve never been an over thinker when it comes to texting a man. I usually just say what I need to say and leave it at that, but this is different. I want to say that I can’t wait to feel his arms wrapped around me again. I wish he knew how desperately I wanted to kiss his lips tonight, but none of that is going in my text.

Instead, I opt for to take a different route. It’s something I know will put a smile on his face.

I type the message out and read it twice.

Delia: Can you believe the neighbor was the killer in Phantom’s Escape? Nicholas Wolf is a genius.

Laughter escapes me as I press send.

His reply is as funny as it is fast.

Donovan: Excuse me while I cry myself to sleep now that you fucking ruined it for me. Nothing that kid said about you being a nice lady was true, Delia. Not one goddamn word of it.

I rest my cheek against my pillow as I take a second to think of how to reply. Once I have it, I type it out quickly.

Delia: If I’m not nice what am I?

As soon as I press send, I hold my breath waiting for his response.

Donovan: That list is as long as I’m hard. You’re fucking beautiful, sexy as hell. You’re smart as a whip. You can dance circles around me…shall I go on?

I read it all but only focus my response on one word of what he wrote.

Delia: You’re hard right now?

He replies in an instant with one telling word.

Donovan: Very.

I stare at that for a beat too long because my phone starts ringing and it’s him! I answer immediately, “Donovan.”

“If you want to be fucked hard, Delia, come to me now.”

“Now?” I half-laugh. “You’re not serious.”

“I’m aching for you.” His voice is etched with the same desperate need I feel. “I’m hanging up and texting you my address. If you want my cock, it’s waiting for you.”

Before he ends the call, I’m up and out of my bed. I tug the red dress back over my head, slide my feet into the nearest pair of shoes and take off in the direction of my door.

I gaze at the massive white-bricked townhouse on East 74th Street in Upper Manhattan. I look down at my phone’s screen again to see if Donovan indicated an apartment or suite number when he sent me the text giving me this address to come to.

---