Page 93 of His Greatest Treasure

“I thought you missed that.” He hasn’t brought it up since ballet on Wednesday night.

“Not possible.”

“You called Nova yours,” I return.

“I want her to be.”

I suck in a sharp breath, emotion welling up deep inside of me. It sounds good.Right. But it can’t possibly be this easy.

“I’ll prove it to you, Avery. I’m not giving you meaningless words or promises,” he adds.

“How do you plan on proving something like that?”

His eyes smolder, the brown growing deeper and darker as he watches me. I lean forward as if he’s yanked the cord tethered to the two of us.

“I’ll start with tonight. Just you and me. And tomorrow, we’ll go pick up our girl.”

31

AVERY

“Do you want anything to drink?”I ask a little over an hour later, the two of us standing in my kitchen after leaving the restaurant.

My stare drifts to the table as I roll my lip with my teeth and grow hot again beneath my dress. Dinner was amazing. The conversation was heavy and needed. But I can hardly stand the tension that’s continued to fizzle between us. Being here in this room with him so soon after having his mouth between my legs is intoxicating.

I’m fidgeting, but not from nerves. Fromexcitement.

He’s being polite, a gentleman through and through. The bill was swept away and paid for, every door was held open for me, a spare coat from the back seat was drooped over my shoulders at the first sign of a shiver. He even offered to walk me to my door and go home without coming inside before I all but tugged him in after me.

Under normal circumstances, I’d preen under this sort of thoughtful affection. But right now, I want him to tuck that gentlemanly trait of his away for the next several hours.

I’ve had a taste of him, and now I’m lost to the thrill of it. I want it again. Feel like I could explode without another.

My panties are wet for the second time tonight. Even the soft material of my dress is too tight and stuffy. It scrapes against my chest and pointed nipples uncomfortably. Even my hair is too heavy on my head.

He hasn’t had to touch me to get me this delirious. His closeness is all I needed. I’ve never felt this before. This . . . intense desire to simply be with another person.

“No. I’m not thirsty,” he rasps, leaving his spot by the table.

I jerk my head in a nod and try to calm my breathing. I’m near panting. Every step he takes toward me speeds my pulse.

“Are you tired?” I whisper.

“No, Avery. I’m not tired. Or thirsty. Or hungry. I’m . . .” He sweeps a hand around the back of my neck and guides it back. “I’m trying not to maul you in your kitchen again.”

“Maybe you could try another room instead. There’s plenty.”

His laugh is a puff of air on my nose. “Pick one.”

“A room?”

“Yes, princess. Pick a room.”

“My bedroom,” I answer quickly.

Dipping low in front of me, he grasps both of my thighs in his big hands and lifts me off the ground. I gasp and curl them around his waist when he bounces me up his body, readjusting his hold to my ass.

He tosses me around like I weigh nothing, and it’s so fucking hot that I can’t help but press my middle to his abdomen, searching for some sort of pressure or relief. With my hands moving to hold his shoulders, I sigh in bliss, staring down into his blistering gaze.

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