Page 92 of Miles Apart
My balls rise as I slow to lazy strokes, dragging them out to rub her clit over my pelvis. Emma shudders, a sign that her next orgasm will put her to bed as I release inside the condom. I come so long my toes strangle the area rug. She slides a hand down my cheek dotted with sweat but says nothing.
“A distress message came in from an old colleague. He had to rescue someone he loves. I packed fast and was out before dawn to catch a chartered flight. Zo got a three-word text that said I wasn’t coming back to the office. But I was coming back for you, kitten.”
I brush a strand of mahogany hair from Emma’s face, careful not to wake her. She passed out before she could give me thesilent treatment or another excuse as to why we can’t make this work. I didn’t get a chance to explain where I was, but I need to get it off my chest.
“Shit went down when I got there. I had to switch gears and focus, which was hard because I kept thinking about you. Every time I tried to call, something popped off that needed my attention. Time escaped me, Em, but you never did. I should’ve tried harder, and for that I’m sorry.
“I caught a tail and spent the last week and a half moving between countries to shake it. There’s protection in place for my mama if shit goes south, but not for you. Not yet. But I’ll never let anything touch you and will keep you safe. That’s why I had to stay away.”
Light from the window scatters over the ceiling and onto Emma’s back. “I never meant to hurt you or leave the way I did. I moved out of habit, and it won’t happen again.” My fingers trace the curves of her shoulders. “You were never just a fuck, kitten. I care too much for you.”
In the weeks we’ve spent together, I fought every reason I had to walk away. But the more we filled our days with each other, the more those reasons faded into the background. Distance has kept us miles apart, but Emma is an enigma I want to explore.
“I told you I want more, Em,” I whisper next to her. “That wasn’t a lie. I want your time. I want to earn your heart. Will you let me love you? I can’t promise I won’t fuck up, but I want to try. I am trying.”
I kiss Emma and pull the covers up to her neck. She’ll tell me to leave tomorrow, but I won’t have her thinking I left her again by sneaking out.
She mumbles something and reaches for me.
“I’m here, kitten.”
Chapter 43
Emma
“That’s all for today. Great work, everyone.” I shuffle papers into a folder to the chorus of conference room chairs sliding over marble.
My team’s chatter fills our workspace as people cluster to discuss lunch options while filtering out of the glass-framed room bathed in natural sunlight. I’m never one to work through lunch and always wrap all weekly meetings before eleven thirty.
Rêve is taking off, earning features in coveted fashion magazines. Sales have tripled since our fashion week Rustin collaboration. Everyone, from editors to social media influencers, has the name on their lips, a testament to the people who were just gathered in this room. This is my seventh campaign at Soie, and I’m damn proud.
Gianna charges down the hall. A bouquet of long-stem red roses covers her face and the top half of her pinstripe jumpsuit. Her single-strap nude heels stop inches from my pointed-toe pumps.
“Glad I caught you,” she says in a muffled huff behind at least forty roses. “These came for you.” She passes me the oversized bouquet.
“Thanks. Is there a card?” Trying to squint to find one in the wilderness of petals is pointless.
She peeks around the mega bush and tosses the golden ponytail stretching down her back. Gianna’s features settle into a light scowl. She’s not upset, but the sharp lines of her cheekbones make a resting bitch face that’s perfect for the camera.
“Didn’t see one,” she says. “Mal said you have a visitor in your office. Maybe they came from him.”
Him?
My lips wiggle into a smile Gianna spots. “Ah.”
“Ah, what?” I move the bouquet to my hip.
“That.” She points a blush-colored nail at my neck, which is turning the same hue. “You serve many looks in this office, but shy isn’t one of them. Who is he?”
Persistent as hell.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Miles never visited me at my office. I always came to Lorenzo’s for appearances in case word got back to my father. The people at Soie are vultures and will latch on to any bit of gossip. I like my tea, but I don’t need to be on the menu.
Gianna’s grin widens. “Uh-huh. Mal said he’s fine,” she says, looking over the roses I’m squeezing like a lifeline. “You’ve had a glow about you recently. Now I know why.” She winks and struts off.
Miles and I talked about why he left—when I was awake to process everything—but I’m still cautious. What’s to stop him from leaving like that again? He promises he won’t, but I already took a gamble on opening up once, and I’m not sure I’ll survive the heartache again.
Miles has made his presence known since the day he barged back into my life weeks ago.
