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“I don’t know, Max.”
“Please?”
“Okay, fine. Friends.”
“Thank you, London. Be safe.”
“You, too, Max. Take care of yourself.”
London returned to the table, where everyone was being entertained by her brother Terrell. She was grateful the attention was diverted from her. Saved her from having to answer the question that for sure was on at least one person’s mind.
Until later.
“Who was it?”
Minutes after they’d left the group and were heading back to the guesthouse, the question spilled from Ace’s mouth as if of its own volition.
“Who was who?” As if she didn’t know.
“Never mind. Not my business.”
“If you knew that, why’d you ask?”
He looked at her a long moment and said, “Because I wanted to know.”
London bit back a retort. She didn’t want to fight with Ace. Didn’t want to change the positive vibe that had come from his surprise visit. Didn’t want to close herself off from someone who’d unknowingly opened a wound and begun a healing process.
“It was Max.”
“I thought so. What did he want?”
London hesitated, then told him the truth. “He wanted me to come back to Los Angeles, to move back in with him.”
A long pause and then he asked, “What did you say?”
“I told him no. Want to know why?”
“Only if you want to tell me.”
“I told him I couldn’t move back in him with him because I’m in love with you.”
Ace said nothing. London didn’t know how to interpret his silence, so she became quiet, too. They reached the house. She pulled into the drive but kept the car running.
He turned to her. “You coming in?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
“Then why’d you get so quiet?”
He placed his hand over the one she rested on the steering wheel and gave it a squeeze.
“Sometimes you leave me at a loss for words. Turn the car off. Come inside. I want to make love to you.”
Now it was London without a comeback.
None was needed. As soon as she closed the front door, Ace scooped her up and headed for the stairs. He entered the master suite, laid her on the bed and stepped back.
His eyes swept her body. The desire she saw made her weak and shy. He removed her sandals, one at a time, and massaged her feet. His touch was light, gentle. He reached for the waistband of her wide-legged pants from the OTB fall collection, similar to the pair she tried on during that first fitting in San Francisco. They locked eyes. She lifted herself off the bed enough for him to ease the silky material over her hips and down her legs, dropping them beside him. He unbuckled, unzipped, his desire evident, outlined against the fabric. Jeans joined silky pants on the floor. Ace placed a knee on the bed. Spread her legs. Pulled aside satin and lace. Kissed her there. His tongue swirled and jabbed, teased and taunted, a heat-seeking missile aimed to please. Leisurely, lavishly he loved her. London quivered at his tender touch, writhing this way and that under his unrelenting lovemaking until pure ecstasy burst from her core, shattered her senses, left her sated and dazed.
There was no time to recover. In an instant Ace had removed his shirt and covered her. He positioned himself at the entry to paradise, eased inside her with a sigh. Setting up a slow and steady rhythm that could go the distance, he tapped her core with a measured intensity. Whispered sensuous intentions into her ear. Sealed his name on her soul. Changed positions and continued. London grasped the headboard to brace herself. Ace gripped her hips and moved faster, thrust deeper, sent them both tumbling into another climax before collapsing on the bed and pulling London into his arms. She cuddled against him, body still quivering, and wondered how she’d ever considered going back to Maxwell Tata. In this moment it was crystal clear that here with Ace was where she belonged.
CHAPTER 27
Over the next few weeks, their love declared, Ace and London juggled busy schedules to deepen their long-distance relationship. Finally it was the Memorial Day weekend. Ace had taken off work, driven down to Paradise Cove and looked forward to life with London for five straight days. He pulled into the guesthouse driveway, found the key London had left beneath a planter and went inside. A few minutes later, he heard the door open.
