Page 44 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

‘How long you in town for?’ Archie asked.

‘I’ve been here almost a week, and leaving the day after tomorrow,’ he told his friend and squeezed my hand.

‘Naw man, that’s unacceptable, you’ve got to stay longer.’

He kissed my temple, ‘I want nothing more than to stay longer, but I’ve got a company to run back home. I’m not like you blokes with your lazy office jobs that can run themselves, I’ve actually got to work,’ he ribbed his friends, but I loved the way that he called Boston home.

I didn't want to talk too much, as I didn't want to give too much away about myself or why I was here for fear of saying something that might give myself away, not that I would even be on their radar.

This was the first time I’d gone out socially aside from dinner with Breton, the gym, or the few times down in Australia, mainly with Marcus. I missed my Aussie friend and made a mental note to reach out to him soon.

I had thought a lot about him when I first came to London and made an anonymous donation to his education fund, with a note to finish his studies. If everything went according to plan, I wanted to bring him to America to help me start the business I was planning.

‘So when are you planning on moving back?’ Archie asked after returning with a round of drinks for everyone, clearly dismissing Drew’s earlier comments.

Drew shook his head, and rubbed my leg, looking at me. ‘I don’t have any plans to move back, things are really working out well for me.’

‘You rolling in money now or what?’ Archie asked. ‘People who can afford a landscape architect must be rolling in dough and don’t know what to do with it, so they hire schmucks like you.’

I took a drink to hide the smile on my face and could feel Drew tensing up on me. ‘Basically,’ I said, agreeing with Archie. ‘But to be fair, Drew’s really talented and worth the money.’

‘Thanks, cupcake,’ he said, kissing the top of my head. ‘But my clients are actually really decent. They expect a lot and their standards are high, it’s a dream job and I’m making so many connections. I’ve even got a silent partner who’s backing me to expand and develop my portfolio.’

I looked up at him and smiled, knowing that was my father and how much my parents loved him. It pleased me so much to hear him speak highly about my father. And a pang of guilt rose within me; I was really missing my family at this minute.

‘What about the party scene? The girls?’ Chad asked.

‘There’s a decent scene and, the girls?’ He looked down at me. ‘I can’t really comment. Well, I guess I can, but she’s a rarity.’ As he had all night, Drew couldn't keep his hands off of me and peppered me with kisses whenever he could.

It felt so nice to be next to him again. I’d missed him so much over the past year and a half. Also, it was refreshing that we didn't have to hide, that I was his and he was mine and there was nothing keeping us apart.

Nothing except me living in England, basically in hiding.

We spent a few more hours in the bar with his friends, but seeing as they all had to work the next morning, the night was cut shorter than any of them would have liked.

‘Promise you will come back soon,’ one of the guys asked Drew, and then looked to me. ‘Get his ass back here, ya?’

I nodded, ‘Yeah, he’ll be back soon.’

We took a taxi back to my apartment, kissing and touching the entire time. When we made it through the front door, I kicked off my shoes and was picked up by Drew and carried into my bedroom.

It wasn’t the first time he’d ever picked me up, but it was obviously with a lot less effort than in the past.

‘Jessa,’ he moaned my name as he lowered me onto my back on the bed, looking me over, like he wanted to devour me. ‘This outfit has been killing me all night. As much as I’ve loved seeing you in it, I really think it's time that it comes off.’

‘As I said, I can't take everything off.’

He looked to the ceiling and sighed.

‘But rest assured, I plan on removing each and every piece of your clothing and taking care of you,’ I informed him in a sultry voice. I was so turned on just by the mere sight of him, fully dressed. Reaching to the top of his jeans, I undid his belt and pants buckle.

He helped me by shimming out of the pants as I pulled his shirt over his head when he bent down to kiss me. His abs had always been one of my favorite parts of his body, and I was pleased to see that, like a fine wine, they had only improved with our time apart.

I ran my fingers over them, loving the firm ripple of them. ‘You are so sexy.’ I pulled his face down to kiss me again; I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of his lips on mine.

He slipped his hand under my shirt and palmed my breast over my bra. ‘And I’m all yours and you’re mine,’ he reminded me.

I nodded, ‘Totally and completely.’

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