Page 24 of Pretending I'm Yours

The sight makes something primal inside me wake up and roar. Before I know it, I’m demanding, “I’ll taste you, too. I want you in my mouth. I want to make you feel as crazy as you make me feel.”

“You do, beautiful,” he says, his jaw tight. “I’m so hard right now, I have no idea how I’m going to make it to the exit without doing damage to myself.”

“Then let me…take care of you,” I say, only the slightest hesitation in my voice. I reach for his jeans, hoping I can figure out what to do—or better yet, that he’ll tell me exactly how to please him.

But he captures my wrist lightly in his fingers, holding my hand at a distance. “No,” he says, with a wince. “It’s okay. Iactually. I um…” His breath rushes out with a soft laugh. “I like to suffer a little.”

My brows slide up my forehead.

“It’s going to make the moment I finally get to be with you even more incredible,” he says, his thumb rubbing in gentle circles at my wrist.

Just that tender touch is enough to make me ache for him all over again.

Even a couple days ago, I wouldn’t have understood what he meant, but now…I do. Waiting the entire forty-minute subway ride back to my motel to touch him again is going to be hell, but in a good way.

The longer we wait, the more the anticipation builds, the hotter it’s going to be when there’s finally nothing between his skin and mine.

Wow…this is really happening.

I’m about to step through a door into a whole new world, and my anxiety is finally gone. I’m not nervous at all, just excited.

And ready to head toward the exit. The garden is magical, but being with Anthony is going to be more magical, even in my dingy hotel room.

“Should we eat dessert while we head for the subway?” I ask.

He nods. “We absolutely should. Dark chocolate cherry mousse is the only thing that might possibly keep my mind off getting you naked again for five minutes.”

“Yum,” I say, my mouth watering. “I love dark chocolate and cherries together.”

“Me, too. It’s my favorite,” he says, the enthusiasm in his voice making me think he might be a foodie, too. “I’ll have to take you for ice cream later this week at my favorite place in Williamsburg. They have a dark chocolate and cherry chunk custard that will blow your mind. And there’s a Greek place notfar away that has the best kabobs I’ve had anywhere outside of Athens. We could make an evening of it.”

“Sounds amazing.” I say. “I’m glad you like food, too. It would be hard to spend a week going out with someone who only eats salad.”

He huffs. “No way, woman. I’m a food snob from way back. Besides, we’re going to need fuel to keep our energy up. I have a feeling we’re not going to be getting much sleep.”

“I hope not,” I whisper, grinning as he leans over to press a quick kiss to my lips.

But even when our teeth bump together, it isn’t awkward. It’s fun and easy and…sexy.

Everything about this man is sexy, from the way he smiles to the way he talks about food to the protective hand he cups under my arm as we descend the icy steps on the opposite side of the pagoda.

Once we’re back on the trail, I’m in charge of feeding us both spoonfuls of mousse as Anthony navigates toward the front gate. We take time to admire the light displays we haven’t seen yet, including a glowing tunnel through a dormant lilac arbor that makes me feel like I’m in a 90s rom-com, but we don’t dawdle, either. In just fifteen minutes, we’re outside the front gate, and Anthony’s punching in the code to lock it behind us.

“That was amazing,” I say, feeding him the last bite of mousse before dropping the recyclable cup in a blue bin on our way toward the main street. “I think we’re closer to the subway here. I’m a little turned around, but?—”

“We’re not taking the subway,” he says. I glance back to see him typing something into his cell. “I’ll get a car. We’ll be in the East Village at least fifteen minutes faster without waiting for the train.”

I blink. “But my hotel is in Midtown.”

He glances up from the glowing screen. “Oh, I… I thought we could go back to my place.” He studies my expression, pushing on before I can fully decide what I think about that idea. “But if you’re more comfortable at your hotel, that’s fine. I want you to feel safe.”

“I do feel safe with you,” I hurry to assure him. “I just…I think I’d rather go to my hotel tonight, if that’s okay. All my toiletries and things are there, and I should check on my cat. He’s still getting used to the big city noise. He might need another catnip chew to calm him down.”

His lips curve in a bemused grin. “You brought your cat with you?”

“I did. I couldn’t find anyone to watch him while I was gone and…” I shrug. “And we’re buddies. Pudge is my moral support. I’ve never been alone in New York before.”

“You’re not alone,” he says, nudging my shoulder gently with his. “I’ve got your back, kid.”

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