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I didn’t want our time together to end, to go back home and deal with Ryzen or getting evidence. It was consuming my whole life, and I just wanted it to be over. The frustration, the fear. All of it.
“Tell me something, how did you come up with the idea for the Shiver Box?” Cian rolled over onto his side and propped his head up with his hand. We had ended up in the middle of the living room, on a plush white carpet, my new favorite thing in his apartment.
“Well…” I lay on my back staring up at the ceiling. “Jules and I met in our freshman year of college and became best friends right away. Completely inseparable. We ended up in the same business class where we had to come up with a business idea and a plan for how we would launch it. We were supposed to be brainstorming ideas, but she went out on a date instead, and it ended in disaster. When she got back to our dorm, we started talking about how a vibrator could never disappoint us like men did.” Cian poked me in the side of my stomach, and I giggled.
“And the idea just came to us for a sexual wellness shop. We planned every little detail, and although the professor was not thrilled about our business idea, we frickin’ loved it. And that’s what started it all. We worked out all the kinks so that by the time we graduated, we were ready to set up shop. And the rest is history.”
It had been hard at first, not as easy as we had hoped. But we’d gotten through it, and without taking money from any of our families. Neither of us had wanted that.
“I love that about you.” He cradled my cheek in his hand. “Such determination and passion for what you do. When this is all over, I would love to help you rebuild.” I shook my head, opening my mouth to say no, but he pressed his finger to my lips. “It’s not a handout. I know you, Nova, I know you don’t want that. That’s not what I’m offering. You guys are great at what you do, empowering others, and that’s something I want to get behind. When the time is right.” He kissed me deeply, making me forget about any objection I was about to give him.
He lay back down, dragging me on top of him so my head was resting on his chest. “What do you think of the apartment?” he mused as he trailed his fingers up and down my back, giving me chills.
“It’s beautiful.” And it was. There were red and white roses in the living room, purple lilies in the kitchen and bedroom, and a rainbow of colored tulips scattered in between. All my favorite flowers. The bookshelves were overflowing with books and pictures of Cian and his family, and in the center of the living room hung a massive painting ofThe Swingby Jean-Honoré Fragonard. I had been obsessed with that painting in high school after I’d had to write a paper on it in my art literature class. A grand piano was off to the side, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. We were high up, maybe fifty floors, and the view of the lake took your breath away.
“What did you mean byourapartment? Like your family’s?” My face heated. I didn’t want to sound like I was insinuating he meant my and his apartment.
He stroked my hair, his chest rumbling as he chuckled. “Ours, as in mine and yours, Nova. For as long as we need.”
I turned my head and grinned. “You rented it?”
“I own the building. We’re only four blocks away from your apartment.” He pushed my hair behind my ear, trailing his fingers down my cheek, and I giggled.
“Oh… how many buildings do you own?”
“In Chicago? My portfolio varies, but as of now about twenty-three commercial buildings downtown, about eighteen properties out in the suburbs. Some residential, some commercial. Plus the Hellfire Club and the Heathens’ Lounge. A lodging chain in Montana, plus a few other acquisitions in other states.”
“Wow.” I reached up and planted a kiss on his lips. “Very impressive.”
“I do all right.” He laughed. “The clubs have been my focus lately.” His eyes darkened and he stared off to the side. “I’m not like Ryzen, Nova. Constantly chasing money, working twenty-hour days, living in a state of stress, always greedy for more.” He shook his head. “You find the right deals. Focus on those, and the money will come. Then you have the freedom to spend time on the important stuff.” The way he looked at me then had my heart skipping a beat.
“Can I ask you a question then? Did you even want the hotels? Covington’s?”
He snickered and sat up, bringing me with him. “Not in the slightest. I was only there for two reasons, which quickly turned into one.”
I squealed as he carried me down the hall into the master bedroom and dropped me onto the bed. Oh, God, please no more orgasms. I didn’t think I could take it anymore. Or could I?
He sauntered over to the shower, turning on the water. Over the king-sized bed hung another one of my favorite paintings,The Three Gracesby Peter Paul Rubens. Actually, now that I was coming down from my sex coma, there were several other pieces of art in the apartment that I had loved growing up. I trailed my finger over the bookshelf, and grinned when I foundThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyand the bookOutlander. How in the heck would he even know I loved this stuff?
He walked up, wrapping his arms around me.
“Why, Mr. Blackwood, have you been stalking me?” I feigned shock. “How did you know these were my favorite books? And the paintings? The flowers?” I turned around in his arms, placing my hands on his chest. “Don’t tell me you’re psychic?”
“Close.” He kissed my forehead and reached down to the bookshelf, pulled out a box, and handed it to me.
My mouth hung open as I stared at the contents. All of my diaries were in there, the ones I had tried to sneak out from my parents’ house the night Ryzen had announced our engagement. I had completely forgotten about them. And now here they were in my hands again. All my secrets, all my fears, all the little moments of joy, which were few and far between, tucked between these pages, and Cian had read them all. There were things in there I had never shared with anyone.
“You’re upset?” He frowned and blew out a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Nova. I couldn’t help but read them. Such an… intense, optimistic, fragile child you were, who turned into this beautiful, powerful woman. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Stop talking.” I chuckled and put the box back on the bookshelf. “I’m happy you read them. Honestly, it’s like giving a small part of myself to you, if that makes sense. Read them all, if you haven’t already.”
He nodded, his face growing serious as he gazed at me. “I’ll take all the parts you’re willing to give, Nova.”
God, how was he able to make my heart burst without even trying? He carried me into the master shower, the water pouring over us. I soaped up a loofah and started at the top of his shoulders, working my way down his chest. When I got to his scars, I cleaned them gently, letting the water wash off the soap before trailing little kisses over them, down his side, to his back, and then front again. His chest heaved as I kissed my way down his scorpion tattoo and his abs.
I stroked the length of his cock, already hard for me. “Such a beautiful cock, Cian.” I licked the tip, and he lowered his lashes, jaw clenched. “It’s so perfect, like it was made for me.” My tongue swirled around the tip and then down. I tried to take him all the way in my mouth, but he was too big.
“Nova, let me take care of you first.” He reached down and I slapped his hand away.
