“You can’t do that. I can’t be dependent on you. What if we split, then what?”
“Didn’t you just hear me?” I cupped her face in my hands. “We’re not going to split up. Not ever. And anyway, the money is ring-fenced for your brother. There’s no going back on that.”
She sighed, her head resting against my palm. “It’s too much. I can never repay you.”
“I don’t want you to. This was the right thing to do, whether or not I’m in love with you. I caused your brother’s health insurer to stop funding his care.”
“No, Cannon did.”
“Exactly. I brought them to your door. You can’t say no to this. It’s for your brother. And it’s excellent for my tax planning.” I released her and took her hand as she swatted at my arm.
“Thank you,” she said as we began to walk toward the car again. “That’s an amazing thing you did.”
“It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for other people your whole life. This was just money. It’s nothing.”
“You think we can figure out these logistics?” she asked, looking up at me.
“I know we can. As long as we’re together, we can do anything.”
“I’ve never been erect over a spreadsheet,” I announced as Avery pressed save.
“Are you hard because of the spreadsheet, or because it’s finished?”
We’d agreed I’d fly to the Caribbean as much as I could to catch Avery between charters, and in the meantime she’d figure out what she wanted to do now she could pursue her own dreams.
“Because I’m looking at you,” I said as I reached for her, threading my fingers into her hair.
Her gaze slid to my crotch as my dick pressed against my zip, trying to escape.
She rose from where she sat and straddled me so we were face-to-face. “I think I want to go back to school. College,” she said. “I’d like to teach.” She shrugged as if she was almost embarrassed.
“You’re amazing.” Even now, able to do anything she liked, she wanted to do something that would help people. “I love you more every second I know you.”
She grinned and pressed her mouth against my jaw. “I like hearing that.”
“That I love you?”
She pulled back. “Yeah. I don’t feel so stupid for falling for you as hard as I did, for loving you as much as I do.”
I groaned and pressed my hand against her ass, pushing her against my straining cock, and she ground against me. Fuck, she felt good.
“You think college would work? I mean that’s four years. And my dad and brother—they’re in California. You’re in London.”
“They can move, or we can move, or we’ll just split our time. Whatever you want.”
“Are you sure you’re not just saying this so I’ll get naked?” She fumbled with my fly.
“I’m definitely saying it so you’ll get naked, but I’ll still mean it after we’re dressed again.”
“I only have twenty-four hours,” she whispered into my ear. “It’s not long enough. I know how good you make me feel.”
I groaned and stood, carrying her to the bed. “Then I’d better get started. I don’t want you to miss out on anything.” I undressed her, then dumped my clothes on the floor until we were both naked. I stood over her, staring down at her perfect body, trying to take it all in. Jesus, I was a lucky fucker. I knew that whatever happened, however many more times Cannon tried to bring me down, they’d never succeed. I had Avery Walker and that made me a winner every day of the week.
I didn’t know where to start with her. I was always so sure of everything in my world . . . except when it came to the woman in front of me. She constantly had me off-balance. Maybe that was why I loved her. I leaned over her, trailing my fingers over her thigh and dipping over her pussy. Her skin was hot and tight and as I pushed between her folds, so wet. Twenty-four hours? Jesus, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to let her leave this room after a week. I had too much I wanted to do to her, too much I wanted to share with her.
“We’ll have more time soon,” she whispered, as if she understood what I was thinking. She usually did. She circled her hand around my cock and my hips bucked toward her; I needed more, wanted to feel every part of her on me, over me, surrounding me.
“There are so many things I want to do to you.” I crawled over her and rolled to my side, pulling her toward me, her back to my front.
“As long as it involves me having an orgasm, I’m good with any of them.”
I chuckled and hooked her leg back over mine and buried my face in her neck, savoring the feel of her skin sliding against mine. I pressed my palm to her stomach, shifting her toward me so my cock rubbed over her sex from behind. Her heat and wetness and the promise of what came next chased the breath from my chest. I dipped my fingers into her pussy and she sighed.