Page 69 of Wild Promises

Tori pushed me so that I was flat on my back, and she rested her head on my shoulder. "What if you had an outdoorsnow party? Similar to the winter ball but outside. Everyone would be bundled up, gathered around bonfires and drinking hot chocolate. You could charge for people to go through a kids’ light maze, and maybe even do a horse carriage ride."

My heart slowed. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Tori asked.

"Come up with that so easily. I've been trying to think of anything that could work, and I didn't have any ideas. But you came up with that so quickly, and it's good." It was great. I was positive Eli and Oliver would love it. It might even save my job, but it wasn't my idea. Why was I so slow when it came to business?

Tori laughed, not sensing my inner turmoil. "It's probably because I'm not pressured to come up with an idea."

Was that the key? I had to relax, and good ideas would just come to me? That sounded ridiculous even in my own head. "I don't know."

Tori moved over me, her fingers drawing circles on my temple. "You just have to relax."

"That's easier said than done." I hadn't been able to truly let go since my brothers sat me down and threatened my job. I felt like my entire life was a lie. The one constant I'd always counted on could be ripped out from under me at any moment.

Tori smiled, and something loosened in my chest. Maybe she was the key. I just needed to focus on her and not worry about my job or my future. I was holding on so tightly to everything; it felt like it would unravel if I so much as took a breath. But maybe I was looking at everything all wrong.

"That's it. Just relax, and don't worry about it. You're putting so much pressure on yourself; it's blocking your intuition."

Was that a thing? "That sounds a little ridiculous."

"I know, but that's how it works." Her fingers worked their magic on my temples, causing my muscles to relax one by one.

"I think you're the key to my relaxation."

"You'll have to hold onto me then," Tori said lightly, and I rolled us so that she was underneath me and I rested between her legs. My cock was already hardening again. It was the brush of her nipples against my chest, her sweet words, and her magical hands.

"Oh, I intend to." I lowered my body, sliding inside her, and interlaced my fingers with hers on either side of her head. I moved slowly, savoring the feel of being bare inside her. There was something about being connected to her in this way. Every inch of my body was touching hers, and I kissed her as if she'd fly away at any second.

Tori was mine for now, but I held no illusions that I could hold onto her. I'd enjoy it while it lasted and try not to be disappointed when she realized how much better she could do.

I used the friction between our bodies to my advantage. I lifted slightly on each thrust so that my pelvis rubbed her clit. The movement had her writhing and begging for more. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I kept my pace measured and slow. When she cried out, I finally let go, following her over.

This time, I pulled out and went to the bathroom to grab a washcloth. We'd probably need to wash the blanket she'd bought. I was positive she hadn't intended for us to have sex on it. But I'd been thinking about her all day, and when I saw it, I couldn't control my baser instincts to make her mine.

When I returned, she was watching me from under hooded eyes. I carefully washed her, then set the washcloth aside. Then I gathered her to me. "What else did you have planned for this evening?"

Tori laughed against me. "I hadn't planned on this. I thought the blanket would look nice on the back of the couch."

"It looks better on the floor with you naked on top of it."

Tori shook her head against me. "You're impossible."

I held her more tightly, never wanting to let her go. A few seconds later, her stomach rumbled.

"We need to eat."

Tori lifted up so that she was leaning on one hand. "Should we eat out so we're seen together?"

The reference to our fake arrangement was like a bucket of cold water being poured over my head. When I'd realized she'd spent the day buying pillows and blankets for my apartment, I'd forgotten that this wasn't real.

I thought she was finally moving past the fake part of our deal and we were evolving into something real. I was in love with her, and she was just proving a point to her dad? My chest tightened again. "If you want to."

"We could order takeout or even cook."

I got up and shrugged on my clothes, needing a barrier between us. If I wasn't careful, I was going to confess everything. I wasn't ready for this to be over.

I'd let myself believe this was real, and look where it had gotten me? I wasn't used to how relationships worked. I'd been too trusting, too hopeful. I'd followed my instincts, and they were all wrong.

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