Page 142 of Reputation (Tempt)

We were electric. And Nate made me feel as if I waseverythingto him.

I was so close to coming that when he pulled away, I whimpered. He smirked, inciting my ire. At least until he kneeled before me, lifting my thigh and draping it over his shoulder.

Oh thank god.I let out the breath I’d been holding. As much as I loved the way Nate edged me, I wasn’t in the mood to be teased tonight.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be either. He licked and sucked my clit with intensity and focus, adding one finger and then two, until my legs were shaking and I was panting his name.

I grasped his shoulders, feeling as if I’d float away otherwise. My ring sparkled from its position, my heart racing at the reality that he was mine. I was his. And nothing would tear us apart.

“You are the most beautiful thing in here. And you are more priceless than all of these gems.” And if my knees hadn’t already been weak from what he’d just done, they were now.

He kept teasing me, his eyes intent on mine. Our hearts connected. His ministrations driving me higher and higher, until I couldn’t take it anymore.

My body exploded, all my muscles tightening as my mind went to that hazy place where time and space ceased to exist. Where there was only sensation and feeling.Love.And bliss.

I smiled down at him, feeling dazed. He peered up at me, my arousal still painting his chin. Only then did he loosen his hold on me, gently setting my foot back on the floor. But it was going to take longer for me to come back down to earth.

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

Six months later

“Hey,” Emerson said, rushing in the door. Pierce had just left, and I was still reeling from our conversation. “Sorry I’m late. I know we have a meeting with Juliana.”

“It’s fine.” I stood and went to greet her, wrapping my arms around her. “She called to say she was running behind because of traffic.”

“Oh good.” She smiled, relaxing. “Hi.”

“Hi.” I grinned, kissing her.

Brooklyn was at Sophia’s house, soaking up the last rays of summer vacation. They’d be starting back to school soon, and I couldn’t believe my baby was going to be a teenager in a few months.Teenager!

“What’s that look for?” Emerson asked.

“Just thinking about how Brooklyn is almost thirteen. And we’ll be planning her party before we know it.”

Emerson smiled—a smile filled with both pride and sadness. “Our baby’s growing.”

“We could have another one,” I suggested. It wasn’t the first time. And while I knew Emerson wanted to have children, she’d been putting me off. What I didn’t understand was why.

“We could,” she said. “But I want to wait until after the wedding.”

I groaned. At the rate our wedding planning was going, there was never going to be a wedding. The guest list was complicated. Security for an A-list party required elaborate planning. And I was over it. I got the feeling Emerson was too.

“I know,” she sighed, resting her head on my chest. “Next spring feels so far away.”

I inhaled her scent, filled with a sense of contentedness. “I know it’s your dream to get married in the spring, but we could move it up.”

“When?” she asked. “Our schedule is so hectic. Even just coordinating with our immediate family has been a nightmare. Everyone is so busy.”

She was right. Knox and Kendall were running the Leatherbacks. And so was Jude, who was just as passionate about the team. Graham and Astrid were workaholics. Sloan was in London. Jasper was…well…Jasper. And Emerson’s dads were just as busy. James oversaw a plastic surgery practice that was in high demand. And Declan had taken on some promising new athletes to coach. Sometimes, it felt impossible to get everyone together all at once.

“What about Christmas?” I asked.

She pulled back to look at me. “What about it?”

“We could have a surprise Christmas wedding. Invite everyone to the cabin at Bear Creek. Not tell them it was for our wedding, but have them bring dressy clothes for a holiday party.”

Emerson seemed to be considering it, but then she shook her head. “I don’t know. A surprise wedding? I mean, how is Juliana going to feel? She’s put in so much hard work already.”

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