Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love 1)

“You’re pretty sexy, too, for a guy who communicates in code. I love that you’re so passionate about what you do.” She kissed him. “I guess I could borrow Frankie’s glasses if you thought it would make the sex hotter.”

He scooped her up, carried her to the bed and dropped her in the middle of it. “Do you seriously think the sex between us could get any hotter?”

Not hotter, but it was changing. That frantic, crazy, let’s-make-up-for-lost-time sex that had blinded them both in the beginning was now interspersed with something different. Something more intimate. Personal. There was still discovery, but there was also knowledge.

She gave him a suggestive look. “We could try for hotter. What do you think?” She started to unbutton her dress and saw his eyes darken.

“I think you’re a tease.” He stripped off his shirt and joined her on the bed.

“If I were a tease, I wouldn’t follow through, and I have every intention of following through.” She slid her hand over his abdomen to the snap of his jeans and heard him suck in a breath. “Still want me to borrow Frankie’s glasses?”

“No. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to see through them. Is she shortsighted or long?”

Paige hesitated. The reason Frankie wore glasses wasn’t something she had any intention of discussing. “I’m not sure,” she said finally, and lowered her head. “Fortunately for you, my vision is perfect and I see something that interests me. Come here so that I can take a closer look.”

* * *

THE WEEKEND MERGED into a lazy blend of laughter, conversation and sex.

On Sunday they ate brunch in a little café near Central Park and walked hand in hand along winding paths, watching in-line skaters, families with strollers and dedicated runners.

They reached the boating lake and Jake paused.

“What?” She looked at him, and then followed his gaze to the lake and started to laugh. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not kidding.”

“You want me to get in a boat with you?”

“You’ve done everything else with me.” He wondered how she could still blush after all the things they’d done together. “You’re so cute.”

“I’m not cute.” Her eyes challenged him. “I’m sexy. I am the CEO of Urban Genie. You’ve probably heard of it. We’re pretty famous now.”

“I’ve heard the CEO is hot stuff.” He pulled her close and felt her gasp as he tipped her off balance. “You are sexy. And you’re going to look even sexier when I’ve capsized the boat and dumped you in the water because then you’ll be wet.”

“You just want to see me in a wet T-shirt, like the night I showed up at your door after the event last month.”

Last month?

Had it really been that long?

He felt a twinge of surprise.

“What?” Her smile faded. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m good.” His voice was croaky. “Just remembering that night you showed up at my door all wet. Makes me tempted to toss you into the water right now just to re-create that look.”

“I haven’t rowed in years. Matt took Eva, Frankie and I the week after we arrived here for college. We had fun.”

And the situation with Matt was something else he had pushed to the back of his mind.

He’d told himself that the fact that this relationship was going to end at any moment was reason enough not to tell his friend, but it hadn’t ended.

In fact it was the longest relationship he’d had with a woman.

And the reason for that was obvious. The sex was spectacular. Why would he end something so great? Especially when their relationship was so—he struggled to describe it—easy. That was the word. It was easy. Probably because they knew each other so well. Somehow knowing her made the sex even hotter.

It was true they were spending a great deal of time together doing other things, but that was because they couldn’t spend all their time having sex. Anyway, she seemed to have fun, and he liked seeing her having fun. She deserved to have fun after the tough times she’d had growing up, and it felt pretty good to be the one that was putting a smile on her face.