ear, “Call me later. Let me know what you decide.”
Before I could stop her, she waved and then practically skipped out of the restaurant while Remington and I both watched her go.
“Should I make sure she gets back to the hotel safely?” he asked after a moment.
She was already getting into a taxi, and I shook my head. “Shaw is the most capable person I know. That girl could take on the world all on her own and still come out swinging.”
“I don’t doubt that.” He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingertips. “What would you like to do now? I know a few clubs we could try out. I’ve never been to them, but my assistant sent me a list of places she assures me are popular.”
“Take me home with you,” I told him boldly. Having let fate decide for me, I was going to grab on to this moment and not let go until I couldn’t hold on any longer.
His eyes darkened. “You sure about that, Stevenson? Because if I take you home with me, I can’t promise you’ll leave it anytime soon.”
“Promises, promises.” I tilted back my head bravely. “I’m sure, Remi.”
Chapter 33
Violet
I felt something lick my toes, and my eyes flew open. Sunlight was leaking through the partially drawn drapes, but I could tell I was alone in bed.
Alone except for the massive black pit bull at the end of the bed, licking my foot. I’d only seen a dog this big in pictures on social media. This one made those dogs look like toy poodles in comparison. But when I looked into his eyes, all I saw was a sweet soul looking back.
Smiling, I tucked the sheet around my naked body and then patted the bed beside me. “Let’s go, sweet baby,” I cooed, and the dog climbed up beside me. His head took up most of my pillow, and he stuck his nose right to mine for a boop before licking my cheek.
Giggling, I kissed his head and then cuddled up against him. I didn’t know this dog’s name, but he was just as cuddly as Oscar. Burying my face in his fur, I closed my eyes and started to drift off to sleep again.
I didn’t know how much time passed—it could have been five minutes or five hours—but I heard the curtains being pulled back, and then the room was flooded with light. Groaning, I held on to the dog a little tighter and slowly lifted my head.
Remington, dressed in nothing more than a pair of gray sweats, walked to the end of the bed, where he picked up a tray loaded with toast, scrambled eggs, juice, and a pot of tea. I noticed his hair was still damp from a shower as he carried the tray around to my side of the bed and waited for me to sit up.
I didn’t know what was more mouthwatering. The smell of the food or the sight of his bare chest and stomach. With each step he took, the outline of the bulge in his sweats was more defined, and I found myself licking my lips as a plethora of dirty images flashed through my head.
I felt a blush fill my cheeks when he smirked, telling me he knew I was checking him out, and I tried to keep the sheets tucked under my arms as I settled back against the pillows. The dog grumbled loudly and rolled over, but he pressed his back into my side like he couldn’t bear not to be touching me.
“Krush, down,” Remington ordered.
The beautiful dog lifted his head, grumbled again, then laid it right back down. Remington huffed, and I couldn’t hold back my giggle. “Already trying to move in on my girl, I see.”
“Am I?” I asked, cocking my head to the side as he placed the tray over my lap.
“Are you what?” he asked, meeting my gaze. With a groan, he kissed me. “I’ve tried to be good all morning, Violet. I woke up with your beautiful body pressing into me so warm and trustingly, wanting you so badly I could barely think. I went for a run and then took a cold shower just to keep my hands to myself, to give you time to recover after last night. But you keep looking at me like that, and I won’t be able to control myself.”
Memories of the night before played in my head, making my body come alive all over again, and I couldn’t help squirming. Being with Remington had been more than I could have ever dreamed. It wasn’t how I expected to lose my virginity, and he wasn’t the guy I’d always thought I would lose it to.
But he wasn’t a substitute.
Luca was my past.
Remington was my now.
Biting into my kiss-swollen lip, I looked up at him through my lashes. “No one told you to be good, Remi.”
“No one has ever called me Remi,” he informed me as he sat on the edge of the bed beside me.
“Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll stop.”
“I don’t want you to stop.” Taking the tray from me, he set it on the nightstand then leaned in to kiss me again. “I fucking love it, Violet.”