After All - Romancing Manhattan

He reaches over and takes my hand in his, then kisses my palm in that way he does and covers his heart with it.

“You take my breath away, darling.”

“I’m sick of her bullying me. Of being afraid that she’ll gossip about us. So what if she does? You said it yourself that you own the damn company.”

“I do,” he says with a nod.

“But this is exactly why I was so intent on being careful,” I explain to him, needing him to see my point of view. “I knew that it would become an issue. Carter, you’re the most important part of my life. I’m absolutely crazy about you and Gabby. But I love my job, too. I need it. I need you both.”

“I know, and I’m sorry I was so hardheaded that I didn’t understand it before. And in that vein, I’m happy to report that as of today, that no-fraternization policy no longer exists.”

I still and feel my eyes go wide. “Excuse me?”

“That’s right. It seems while Mary was flexing her imaginary muscles with you, I was in a meeting with her boss, Quinn, and Finn. We decided to do away with that clause, given Quinn’s relationship with Sienna, and mine with you. There is still a paragraph that says the workplace is to remain professional.”

“As it should be,” I agree and then fling myself in Carter’s arms, kissing him soundly. “You did that?”

“Of course. I need you, too. Nora, I need you to come back to work for me.”

“That bad, huh?”

He winces, and I feel a moment of sympathy for him.

“Alice is nice, but she’s not you. I had to either redo her work or call you to fix it more than she did anything right all week. Please, I beg you, come back to me.”

“Hmm, it’s an interesting offer.” I sit back on his knees and tap my finger to my lips, thinking it over. “I wonder if I could get a raise out of you.”

“I’ll pay you whatever you want.”

I blink rapidly, surprised. “Maybe just a small raise. Or a bonus. You know how I love shoes, and I want to keep you happy because you love them, too.”

“I’ll buy you all the shoes you want.”

“I rather like buying them myself.”

His lips twitch. “You’re independent.”

“Damn skippy.”

He laughs now and eases me onto the bed, on my back, and hovers over me, plucking tenderly on my lips with his teeth.

“I like an independent woman,” he murmurs and kisses down my neck to where it meets my shoulder. It’s my sweet spot.

Good lord, the things he does to me with those lips.

“As long as we agree on one thing.”

I’ve lost the ability to breathe. He tugs my shirt up and over my head, then feasts on my nipples, pulling and tugging them with his lips and teeth, making me a writhing, squirming mess.

Carter pins my hands over my head with one hand and continues to torture me in the most delicious of ways with the other.

“Did you hear me?” he demands.

“I don’t know.”

He smiles against my skin and then looks into my eyes. He looks happy. Not a little possessive.

“We need to agree on one thing.”

“I’ll agree to just about anything.”

He smiles again and plants a sweet kiss on the tip of my nose.

“You don’t know what it is yet.”

“Just consider it a yes.”

He shakes his head slowly, and, letting go of my hands, slowly kisses down my body, uncovering and shedding clothes as he goes. My waist is good and thoroughly examined. My outie belly button is adored.

He skims his lips down my thighs and lifts my leg to press wet kisses behind my knee.

Holy Jesus on a cracker, I had no idea my knee was such a hot spot.

“Whoa,” I breathe, and he smiles at me triumphantly.

“Like that?”

“It sends electricity right through me.”

“That’s the goal.” He makes his way down my calf to my foot and settles in to give me a thorough massage.

“Hey, don’t get hung up there. You were on a roll.”

“We have all night,” he murmurs and kisses my big toe.

Thank God I just got out of the shower.

I want him to keep going on his sensual exploration, but damn, that feels good.

I’m in desperate need of a pedicure.

Finally, he switches to the other foot, pays it the same attention, and then works his way back up again.

“This knee isn’t as sensitive as the other one,” he says after kissing the soft skin. “Interesting.”

“I want to touch you, too.”

“You will.”

Sometimes, Carter takes his sweet time when it comes to sex. Not that I’m complaining. He’s just not one for a quickie.

At least, not that I’m aware of.

“What are you thinking about that has you frowning?” he asks before planting a kiss on my hip.

“We’ve never really done the quickie thing.”

He blinks in surprise. “Would you prefer that?”