I pinned her to the counter, caging her in with my arms. “But you’ll bake them for me.”
She looked up at me, the expression in her eyes vulnerable. “If you’re around,” she whispered.
“I will be.”
“Then you can have as many cakes as you want.”
I bent my head and kissed her. “Good.”
Friday night, she was done as soon as the diner closed. I was waiting in my booth as she came over, pulling on her coat. Once again, there was a mist in the air, and the breeze was chilly.
“You tired?” I asked.
“No, actually. I had a nap this morning after Evan left. Lucy was at day care and Paige was out, and I took the opportunity of a quiet house.”
“Would you like to come to my place for a drink?”
“A drink,” she repeated.
“Yes. I don’t want to go to a bar, but I’d like some alone time with you. Nothing more, I swear.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
At the condo, she was curious, and I watched her walk around. It was pretty sparse and, of the three places we had in the building, the smallest. A sofa and a TV that I rarely watched in the living room. A couple of high stools at the bar separating the kitchen from the living space. My bedroom had a king-sized bed and nightstands. That was it. There was a walk-in closet that held most of my clothes, but I made sure the doors were shut. My custom-made suits and dress shirts hung in there, and I wasn’t ready to have that conversation about my wardrobe or the need for it. The bathroom was simple. It was an older BAM building, not as luxurious as some of the newer builds, but still well-appointed. There was a small pool and workout room in the basement, and the security was good. It was an easy drive to the office and suited our needs. It wasn’t the place I considered home. It was modern and clean, and I was good with that. As I looked around and saw it with different eyes, I realized how un-homey it was. Paul’s and Jeremy’s places were both settled, well-furnished, and personalized. While going to school, we’d shared a larger unit on a different floor, but once we graduated, we’d moved in to our own condos. The difference I could see now was that I never planned to stay and they had. This was their home, whereas I was still looking for mine.
“No roommate?”
“Not anymore. I had two going through university. Now I like having my own space.”
“It’s a nice place,” Beth said.
I laughed. “Needs work. I’m rarely here.”
“These places are expensive, aren’t they?” she asked. “I mean, it’s downtown, in a nice area…” She paused. “Paige and I looked at a couple around here, but even pooling our resources, we couldn’t afford one.”
This was a good time to tell her about my family. That they were wealthy. That I was well-off. Instead, I deflected. “It’s an older building, and I guess I got lucky. All condos are expensive in Toronto. It’s only one bedroom and pretty small at that.”
“Oh.”
She waited for me to elaborate, but instead, I steered her to the sofa and went to pour her a glass of wine, then sat beside her. Luckily, she let the subject drop. She drew her legs underneath her and sipped the cold liquid. She hummed and ran her fingers through her hair. “Delicious.” She licked her lips, unconsciously sultry in her actions.
“Jesus, you’re sexy.” I spoke without thinking.
“Me?” she asked, sounding incredulous.
“Yes. Your curls, your curves, your smile. You’re so beautiful, and you have no idea, which makes you even more so in my books.”
She blinked, looking startled. “I had no idea you felt that way.”
I leaned forward, taking her glass from her fingers, setting it on the table, then dragging her onto my lap. I covered her mouth with mine and kissed her. I plunged one hand into her curls I loved so much, smoothing the silky strands between my fingers, and used my other arm to hold her tight. She opened for me, and I explored her, the crisp taste of the wine still lingering on her tongue. I only meant to kiss her once and let her return to her corner, but now that I had her in my arms, I didn’t want to let her go. I kissed her harder, delving my tongue into her mouth and finding all the sweet ridges, the smoothness of her teeth, the velvet feel of her tongue in my quest. She returned my caresses with enthusiasm, pressing herself closer, her legs splaying over mine so she straddled me. She wove her fingers into my hair, tugging and pulling, teasing the nape of my neck, making me hiss in pleasure. I was hard with desire for her, and I let her feel it. I wanted her to know how much she turned me on. When our mouths separated, I dragged my lips to her ear, after worshiping the smooth skin of her cheek and neck. “Beautiful,” I stated firmly.