He nods slowly, a teasing smile tugging at his face. “I understand. But in the future, I want us to be completely honest with each other. No more secrets.”
“I promise,” I say.
“Me too. And you don’t have to worry about Jason anymore,” he assures me. “I managed to pull some strings with my financial team. His company won’t have enough money to come between us anymore.”
I huff. “You’re something else, you know that?”
We both chuckle, and I return my lips to his. Our kiss is deep, but when we pull away, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. I know that what I’m about to tell him won’t make him happy.
“I have something to tell you,” he says before I can speak. “Right before we broke up, I bought you a studio. So you can start your photography business.”
“Oliver,” I start, my heart beating faster in my chest. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”
“It would have been for me, too. I wanted to invest in your business. Besides, after you told me your business plan, I knew I had to step in.”
I breathe out a laugh. “I need to tell you something, too.”
He grabs both of my hands and looks into my eyes with anticipation. “Yes?”
I look down at our intertwined fingers before continuing. “There’s something I haven’t told you yet,” I finally say, though my heart beats a little nervously in my chest. “I’ve accepted the job offer in New York. The job doesn’t start for another couple of weeks, but I’m leaving in a few days to look for an apartment.”
He looks at me in shock, and I immediately regret telling him. Then he takes a deep breath and smiles at me, his eyes full of love and understanding.
“Then let’s go together,” he says finally.
“Really?”
“Isn’t it only a short-term job?” he points out. “We can always come back when it’s done.”
I shake my head. “But what about Alice’s school and your work? You just landed a big investment.”
He pauses, pondering, then a certain clarity appears in his eyes. “Actually, this might be an opportunity in disguise. Fred has been fantastic in handling operations here, and I trust him completely. He can continue to manage things here,” he begins, his entrepreneurial spirit catching light. “I’ve been playing with the idea of expanding our business, and New York is a great market. This move could be the chance we need to broaden our horizons.”
I can see he’s piecing it together, the excitement growing in his voice. “As for Alice,” he continues more softly, acknowledging the weight of our decision on her young life. “We’ll make sure she gets into a great school there. Kids are adaptable, especially when they know they’re surrounded by love and support. If we make this a family adventure, it could be good for all of us. Sometimes, a change of scenery is exactly what a family needs to grow stronger together. You saw how much she didn’t want to leave California." His optimism is infectious, and for the first time, the idea doesn’t seem so daunting anymore.
“Let’s do it,” I say.
I smile up at him, my heart swelling with happiness. We can do this—together. Nothing makes me happier than the thought of starting a new life with Oliver in New York City.
He brings his lips to mine again, this time guiding me toward the couch. I let out a soft sigh of pleasure as he lays me down gently, my body electrified by the warmth of his touch. His hands run up and down my body, igniting a flame inside of me that burns brighter with each caress.
His lips follow suit, trailing down my neck and across my collarbone with a passionate intensity that makes me tremble with pleasure.
I let out a moan as he slides his hand underneath my shirt and cups my breasts in his hands, teasing me with feather-light touches. His lips travel lower, sliding down to the waistband of my jeans. He unbuttons them slowly and places a kiss on each hip before pulling them off, then sliding my panties down my legs and tossing them aside.
My body feels like it’s on fire, and I’m more than ready for him. I want to feel him inside of me, to feel myself joined with him, to lose myself in the sensation. I’ve missed his touch, his taste. No, more than that. I’veneededhim.
He smiles knowingly, then gets on top of me and gently kisses me. He undoes the buttons on my shirt and pulls it off, then unhooks my bra and slides it off. Then he leans down to kiss me there, taking my nipple in his mouth and teasing it with his tongue. It stiffens immediately, and my body shakes with desire.
I slide my hands below his waistband, needing to touch him all over. I slide my fingers across his skin, tracing the lines of his muscles and letting my nails run across his back.
He lets out a deep groan as my fingers brush across his erection. His hands come up to hold my wrists, and he pins them down them above my head. He crushes his lips against mine as he slides himself inside of me, filling me until I can’t breathe.
The feeling of him inside of me sends a wave of pleasure through me, and I shudder underneath him, needing him inside me completely. He doesn’t waste any time, thrusting himself inside of me again and again, hard and deep. The pleasure builds inside of me, and my body shakes with the intensity of it. My breath comes out in quick gasps as I let feel the ecstasy of an orgasm wash over me.
Once I have my breath back, I look up at him and give him a coy smile. He seems to realize what I’m thinking, and he rolls over onto his back, then pulls me on top of him. I straddle him and bring my lips to his earlobe. I nibble it gently with my teeth, then bring my tongue up to trace the shell of his ear.
He shudders with desire for me, and I slowly slide over his erection, moaning with satisfaction as I feel him fill me up completely.