His lips purse. “Well, the offer still stands. The same if you need somewhere to live. I have property that’s sitting unused right now.”
God, whatever he owns must be worth millions. I probably couldn’t even afford the taxes. And I can’t ask that of him.
“Thank you, but I’m saving up for a deposit on an apartment. And Archer’s in contact with his lawyer to see if there’s anything we can do to speed up Mom’s disability paperwork and get her on Medicaid.”
“Emma, it would be nothing for me to—”
“I want us to be equal. As much as we can be, at least. And that means you have to let me do some things on my own.”
“Okay. Understood.” His hands flex on my waist again, reminding me of our position. “Like I said the other day, if it’s an issue for you, I won’t push it. I’ll just spoil you in other ways.”
He leans in, trailing kisses down my throat, my neck arching, wanting his mouth everywhere. And finally, blessedly, his lips are on mine, both of us groaning at the overdue contact. There’s promise in his kiss, the love I felt the last time we were together still there.
Thank God. That he understands. That we can work on moving forward. That this perpetual weight is lifted.
“I missed you so much,” I whisper. “Like I didn’t know was possible.”
His palm cups the back of my head, holding me securely to him. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere again.”
I smooth my hands over his broad shoulders. “Will you show me the rest of the place?”
He gives me one last kiss and picks me up, encouraging me to wrap my legs around his waist. “Kitchen,” he murmurs, zooming right past. “Guest bedroom and home office.” He continues down the hallway, the California king the focal point of the end room with its massive headboard. “And my room.”
He lays me down on the bed, covering me with his big body, and I kick my shoes off, sliding my feet over the soft duvet. I admit, I imagined myself here with him when picking out the furnishings.
And now, finally, here I am.
Our bodies intertwine, the long, drawn-out kisses he gives me doing more than he knows to heal my heart, beginning to believe things are truly back to normal between us.
His hand glides along my thigh, pushing my dress up, my body aching for his touch. He squeezes my ass, pressing me further into him, both of us getting turned on at the more intimate contact.
“I slept here last night,” he says, grinding against me through our clothes. “And all I could think of was how much I wanted you here with me. How much I missed the way we are together. How right it feels. Please tell me you’ll stay the night.”
“Yes.” I can’t deny him this, not when I want it too. To have him hold me in his arms, my head on his chest, his heartbeat steady in my ear.
He undresses me, each part he uncovers like a baring of my soul, fully open to him. There’s no hiding anymore.
His hands roam my body, his warmth permeating me, and I revel in his touch, giving myself over. There’s nothing more I want than to be with this man.
His lips follow the same path of his hands, trailing over my curves, shivers running rampant over my skin, excitement and lust coursing through me as he tenderly nuzzles at my breast.
I grip the hem of his shirt, drawing it up over his head, tracing the muscles of his upper back, his biceps, his forearms, moving between us to unbutton his jeans next. He moves off me for a moment, removing his jeans and boxers, and covers me again, his bare skin glorious against mine.
His dick brushes my inner thigh, so close to where I want it, and as he shifts, he slides along my seam, already wet with arousal. I hiss in a breath at the feel of him, and he repeats the action, my neck arching off the pillow, careful not to move my lower half. How can such a small point of contact have such an effect?
“Someday, I want you with nothing between us,” he pants, breaths harsh as he rolls over to the nightstand and grabs a condom.
I nod, widening my legs as he returns, letting out a shaky breath as he pushes inside, a rush of emotion filling me. “I love you,” I whisper, needing to say it, to tell him how much he means to me right now.
“God, I love you too. Despite everything, I couldn’t stop loving you.”
I wrap my arms around his shoulders, drawing him down to me, his chest brushing mine as he thrusts gently, building us up.
Time escapes me, my senses fully attuned to him. The way he grips my hip as he pumps into me. The strength of his body just over mine, in complete control of his movements. The taste of his kiss still on my lips. And that low, low groaning in my ear, the sound of it revving me up, blissful that I affect him that much.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he murmurs, quickening his pace. “You make me so fucking hot.”
I nudge his shoulder, knowing he likes it even more when I take control. He moves to his back, watching me with bated breath as I straddle him, taking his cock and guiding him into me.