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“I know.”
“But I can’t. Not anymore.”
He grabs me by the back of the neck and kisses me ravenously. I moan against his lips, and he scoops me up in his arms, then carries me into the bedroom. I barely register the creamy drapes and the leather-coated headboard as we end up between layers of silky sheets. Nothing else matters in this moment.
The night wraps itself tightly around us as we make love for the first time, our bodies singing and our hands saying things that our minds have not yet found the courage to utter aloud. It’s a natural procession, this… dance between us. I’m responsive to his every touch and he shudders whenever my nails gently graze the skin on his muscular back.
Todd runs his fingers through my hair and holds me tight as he claims me, harder and deeper with every thrust until we forget ourselves completely and melt into the eternity of a present that neither of us anticipated.
“You’re mine tonight,” he whispers in my ear.
I can’t respond; I’m too busy falling off the edge of the world and into a sweet abyss as I unravel in his arms and let the ecstasy dissolve into pure bliss. Colors explode before my eyes as I breathe him in. I revel in the sound of his grunting climax as our flesh and our souls briefly become one.
Nobody moves.
One second. Two seconds. Seven seconds.
A minute passes, and we refuse to let go. This is perfection, I realize. It’s as if we were designed to fit, like pieces from the same puzzle. I might have been searching for him my whole life and didn’t even know it, and now that I’ve found him… well, what will become of us?
I don’t know.
But I do know that tonight I’m his, and tonight he’s mine, and nothing need change that until dawn rolls through the massive, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a now-slumbering city. Sweat drips from my temples as we bask in the afterglow, his fingers still feeling and memorizing every inch of my skin.
Yes, we’ll worry about the consequences later…
CHAPTER17
BECKY
Idon’t remember ever having such a deep and delicious slumber. The number of dreams I had is astonishing, yet I remember none of it, just the sweet soreness of a body that has worked hard through the night. I can’t help but smile, purring softly as I open my eyes and stretch my arms and legs like a lazy cat. Loving the feel of silky sheets against my naked skin, I take my sweet time waking up.
It's early morning still, judging by the sun’s position over the skyline. My God, the view from up here is downright spectacular in the daytime. At night, it’s a festival of flickering lights against a tourmaline backdrop, but under the sun’s warm eye, well… it’s something else entirely.
Slowly but surely I manage to pull myself out of bed and hop into the shower. It sounds like Todd is in the kitchen making coffee—I can smell it from here. But I would like to greet him with brushed teeth and fresh breath. It’s the least I can do after the wonderful night he gave me.
“If I didn’t have these sore muscles, I’d say I dreamed the whole thing,” I giggle to myself as I step out of the shower and quickly rinse my mouth with his minty mouthwash.
Even the bathroom is a work of design art—all white marble with grayish streaks and bronze finishes. I take a moment to look at myself in the mirror, wrapped up in one of his plush white towels. My hair is damp, clumped in a loose bun resting on the back of my neck. The raccoon eyes are gone, and my skin looks pretty good under this light. Yeah, it’s good enough to bring this whole package over to Todd and see if we can spring for an extended breakfast while we’re at it.
I cross the entire penthouse with the confidence of a veritable goddess.
For the first time since he was born, I woke up and Elliot wasn’t my immediate thought and concern. It feels amazing to have been able to break away from everything I know, if only for a few hours. It feels amazing to be a woman again. Desired. Claimed. Needed. Loved? No, that’s one word too far. It’s not impossible, though, is it? Nah. But let’s not forget who this is.
Mr. Todd Connors, entrepreneur extraordinaire and the… the man of my dreams, I might as well face it. I like him a lot. I have fallen for him, just as I had originally predicted. I have fallen for him, hard and fast and deep. And I am probably destined to crash and burn, but for a split second my heart thuds harshly, making me wonder—am I really? What if we do make it work somehow? It wouldn’t take much. Sure, I come with a kid attached, but he loves Elliot, that much is obvious.
Shaking the thought away, I decide to take the moment as it currently presents. Calmly, I walk into the hallway leading to the kitchen but stop by the doorway before opening it as I hear him talking on the phone. My instinct beckons me to keep my presence hidden for another moment or two. It wouldn’t do any harm, anyway. So, I listen.
“Shauna, I’m telling you, the deal will go through,” he says to someone on the other end of the line. “John bought that first brunch, hook, line and sinker. I’m sure the big family barbecue will run smoothly; both Becky and the kid are totally on board and perfect for the part… No, I’ll make sure they’re looked after when I’m gone… Of course I’m sticking to the original plan. Thailand first, baby!” He pauses to listen, then laughs lightly as my stomach tightens into a painful tiny ball. “I’m thinking a whole East Asian tour. I think I could cram the whole thing in under two years before I come back and do the States in a similar fashion.”
The words hit me where I didn’t even think it would hurt. Why was I such a fool, imagining he’d stick around? No, he’s got one foot out the door already. He’s selling the company, and he’s going away to see the world. An early and much-deserved retirement, he called it. Without me. Without Elliot. I was naïve to think he’d stay with us.
No, he’s not going to stay.
I shake my head and embolden myself to do the right thing. I need a clean break from this. The faster and the simpler, the better. So, I rush back into the bedroom and put my clothes on, then my shoes and earrings. Making sure I’ve got everything in my clutch purse, I put on a pleasant smile and walk into the kitchen.
Todd turns around, his eyebrows arched in surprise while still on the phone. “Let me call you back, Shauna,” he says, then hangs up. “Good morning…”
“Morning, sunshine,” I reply, all smiles and sparkles. I’m miserable on the inside. My heart is breaking, ever so slowly, bleeding through and ruining the whole mood. “I’d love to stick around, but Elliot and Callie are waiting for me…”
