XOXO

She persisted, stroking me with her tongue in a way that left me craving more. I want more. I’m never going to get enough of her.

She comes marching into my darkened bedroom, naked, with her hair a messy tangle around her face and her arms outstretched in front of her, grasping at the air. The soft light trailing in behind her from the hallway halos her body, showcasing all of her lush curves.

She squints at me. “Dominick?”

I hold in a laugh. “Arietta?”

“I can’t find my glasses.”

They’re on the nightstand, but I’m not about to tell her that. Her face is adorable like this, with her nose scrunched up and her brows furrowed together. “Do you remember where you left them?”

She chuckles. “I can barely remember my name after what you did to me.”

I step closer and reach out to guide her to me. “You did a few things to me too.”

Her gaze travels over my body, although I have no fucking idea what she can see without her glasses on. “Did you like it?”

I run a finger over her chin. “I fucking loved it.”

I fucking love you.

I hold those words inside because it’s too soon. It’s too much. It’s too goddamn everything.

“You’re not going to fuck and flee, are you?” She reaches for what I suspect is my chin, but her hand lands on my nose.

I slide it down to my lips. I plant a kiss on her palm. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She leans closer to me, her eyes still searching. “Can I tell you a secret?”

I want to know every secret she’s ever kept inside of her. “Tell me.”

Her voice comes out in a strangled whisper. “You’re the first man I’ve ever had an orgasm with.”

That hits me hard. I hate that she’s been with other men, but it kills me inside that they didn’t take care of her.

“Selfish assholes,” I mutter.

“There were only two,” she confesses. “They were back home. I never slept with anyone in New York. I’m so glad I didn’t have sex with Lowell.”

That bastard didn’t deserve a minute of her time.

“I told him that I wasn’t very experienced.” Her tone is soft. Vulnerability blankets the words. “He knew that I’d never come with a man before.”

Regret courses through me. He was boasting in the elevator about taking her to bed, knowing full well that it would mean more to her than a random fuck. I should have throat punched him when I had the chance.

I cup her face in my hands, desperately wanting her to stop talking about other men; men who couldn’t satisfy her and one who didn’t respect her or the woman he made his marriage vows to.

“Thank you for trusting me with your secret, Arietta.”

Now, trust me with your heart.

She falls into my chest, so I wrap my arms around her, cradling her against me, relishing in the feeling of her naked body.

“I like you,” she says quietly. “Like a lot.”

I’m the goddamn luckiest man on this earth.

“I like you a lot too.”

She presses her lips to my chest for a kiss. “I need to go home.”

“Stay,” I insist. “Spend the night.”

She gazes up and into the darkness that surrounds us. “I need to sleep a little and then get ready for work. My boss is a dick.”

Laughter consumes me. “What the hell?”

“You live up to the nickname,” she says with her hand gliding down my body. “You really are The Dick.”

“Grant me one more chance to prove that to you before you leave.” I cup my hand over hers so she can feel how hard I am for her through my boxer briefs. “One last fuck before you take off.”

She spins around, taking me with her. I have to gather her up into my arms because she’s about to plant us both on our asses on the floor just inches from the bed.

I toss her on her back in the center of the bed. “I’m getting a condom, and then I want you on top of me.”

“Your wish is my pleasure, sir.” She leans back, opening her legs. “Just don’t break me in two.”

I won’t. I can’t. I will hurt myself before I ever cause her any discomfort.

I slide off the boxer briefs, grab the condom package, and sheath myself while watching her every move. When she rolls to her side, I crawl onto the bed, flip her on her stomach and glide my tongue over her cleft.

“I’m supposed to be on top,” she protests in the middle of a slow moan.

“You will be,” I promise. “I want this first.”

I want it always. I want all of this forever, even if I don’t deserve any of it or her.

***

An hour later, I watch as she slides her feet into her sneakers. “I hate that you’re leaving, Arietta.”

She insisted on going home alone even though it’s nearing three. Sending her out in the dead of night to ride the subway wasn’t going to happen. I called Modica’s driver and woke him up with the promise of a bonus if he got his ass in gear and had the car down here in fifteen minutes.