Page 104 of On the Rocks

“I’m open to the idea.”

“Really?”

“Really,” she said softly. She pressed up on her toes and kissed me. It was just a peck, just a brush of lips, but it set sparks off inside me. The heat in my chest fanned out, practically setting me on fire.

“I think you should put on your shoes, grab your purse, and leave your roommate a note,” I said, my voice low and husky.

“Oh, really?” she said, wearing a cocky little smirk as she pulled back, catching my eye. “Are we going somewhere?”

“Yes. To my condo. I have a lot of apologies to make, and I need to be sure we won’t be interrupted.”

“Apologies, huh?” She giggled. “Jennifer won’t be back for a couple of hours,” she pointed out.

“That’s not nearly enough time,” I whispered, my lips hovering against her ear, “for all the ways in which I plan to say I’m sorry—and show how committed I am to making youveryhappy from now on.”

32

CORA

“Would you like a tour?” Aiden asked as we stumbled through the door of his penthouse apartment, wrapped up in each other, our lips hardly parting.

I chuckled. “Has something changed in my absence?”

“Just in case you wanted to jog your memory of the place.”

“I feel like I can figure out my way around.”

“Are you sure?” he said, his tone teasing as he held my jaw in his hands, kissing me so hard I thumped against the wall next to the door.

“You’re making me dizzy,” I whispered.

“Good.” He took my purse from my shoulder, dropping it on the floor next to the door.

I toed out of my shoes, stringing my arms around his neck as he backed me into the kitchen. “Hungry?” I asked.

“Only for you,” he said, whirling me around, pressing me up against the counter. His hands brushed down my sides, settlingat my waist as he leaned against me, his weight warm and intoxicating. “I just wanted to remind you how lovely the kitchen is when you’re begging me to come.”

I groaned, squirming back against his erection. I remembered begging for his touch, our breakfast burning, neither of us caring. I turned in his arms, kissing him, letting him suck my tongue between his lips.

“And here,” he said, leading me into the living room.

The back of my legs bumped against the couch, and I sat with him kneeling between my legs. I caught his head in my hands, threading my fingers through his curls.

“We’ve had some good times on this couch,” he said, pressing a kiss to each of my jean-clad thighs.

My heart galloped in my chest, heat pooling between my legs. I pressed my head into the cushions. “It’s a nice couch,” I agreed. “Very comfortable.”

“Excellent views,” he said, getting up suddenly and spinning me around so I could see the sunset colors stretched across the city. He pressed his hand to my throat, stroking his thumb along my fluttering pulse point. His other hand palmed my breast through my shirt.

I moaned his name, my mind caught up in all the memories while desperate to make more. I wanted to fall into the sensations that rippled through me at his touch, at the sound of his voice…at knowing he’d come back. That he wanted this—us. Knowing that he was willing to work on himself so he could be everything I deserved. My chest ached with love and desire and need. How had I managed to be separated from him for this long? How had I ever thought I was over him this time?

“What do you want, Cora?”

“No more teasing.” I pressed my ass against his crotch, insistent.

He took my hand then, guiding me down the hall to his bedroom. We paused once, and he pulled my shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. When he was done, I trailed my hands beneath his shirt, feeling along the planes of muscle. He flinched.

“Cold hands,” he whispered, lifting them to press a kiss to each of my knuckles before we slipped through the door of his room.

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