I believed him. And I wanted to. But, as the haze of my orgasm wore off, I knew that it couldn’t be tonight. Not with the events that had unfolded, clouding our relationship. I wanted it to be right. Not because Penn had pushed me into Lewis’s arms.
“It’s been a long night. Maybe we could just sleep instead?”
“Of course. Stay here with me. It’s late, and I already sent my driver home.”
“You think we’ll do much sleeping if I stay here?”
“I can control myself,” he said with a laugh. Then he kissed me again, slow and delectable. His hands splayed across my hips. “But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t want to try to seduce you in my bed.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I murmured.
He seemed to take that as a challenge. His knee coming between mine, his body sliding atop me. One arm sinking underneath my lithe body and firmly pressing us together. I could feel the length of him through his suit pants. And for a second, I could think of nothing but grinding against him to relieve that pressure once more.
His cock moved against the space between my legs, and a desperate moan escaped me. His hips circled, increasing the friction. Tempting me with every movement as his lips claimed mine. We breathlessly tangled together on the couch. Nothing but heat and tension crackling between us. Classical music reaching a crescendo.
I knew that if I didn’t stop him now, I would never stop him. We’d go all the way tonight. And I might regret how we got here.
“Lewis, please,” I purred.
“Yes?”
His hand slipped to my ass, drawing me harder against him. A strangled gasp released from my mouth.
“We should…stop,” I got out.
And he stopped instantly. His eyes fluttered open, and they met mine. “Whenever you’re ready.”
I swallowed and stopped myself from saying, Now. Because logically, I didn’t want it to happen tonight. But my body simply didn’t give a fuck.
He straightened and helped me to my feet. I wobbled, my legs still weak from my orgasm. He brushed my wild hair out of my face, cupped my cheeks in his hands, and kissed me.
“We have all the time in the world,” he told me. “We’re in no rush.”
I nodded. “I like that.”
“But you’re mine,” he whispered against my lips. He circled my waist, and I wrapped my arms around him. “All mine.”
Natalie
20
The good thing about staying in all weekend after the disaster at Harmony’s party was that I got so much writing done. In fact, it was starting to shape up into a real story. And while Lewis worked during the day, I had taken to wandering Central Park or finding a café to get more done.
Jane had messaged me this morning to meet her for coffee, and I’d promptly slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and headed her way.
The patisserie was everything I hadn’t known I was missing. I’d spent hours writing in little cafés in Paris my first summer after college while house-sitting Amy’s parents’ flat in the city. Jane had picked the perfect place with rows upon rows of French pastries. I ordered a café au lait and a pain de chocolat and then found Jane seated at a corner table by a window.
She rose to her feet when she saw me approaching and kissed me on each cheek. “Natalie! Here, take a seat. Don’t mind my mess. It’s all for the opening next weekend.”
“Thanks.” I took my seat and then booted up my computer.
“So many last-minute things to get done though. I have a whole team working on the venue and making sure everything is up to code. It’s taking way more time than I thought.” She laughed this light, tinkling laugh. She sounded frazzled, but she looked relaxed. She was even dressed down in designer athleisure attire with black leggings and a hooded pink jacket that probably cost a small fortune. Her enormous Cartier sunglasses were perched on her head.
“You’ll get it all done,” I assured her.
“No doubt.” Jane grinned. “Just like you and your book.”
The next couple of hours were spent hunched over my computer, typing and deleting at equal paces. I finally had a passable intro. Now, I needed to work on a synopsis so that Caroline could sell this thing. But I didn’t want to interrupt the flow to work on that instead.
“Oh my god,” Jane groaned. She’d hung up the phone on her fifth call since I’d gotten here hours earlier. “I am wrecked. This is going to make me break out, I swear. I need retail therapy. Bergdorf?”
I found myself nodding. I wasn’t going to buy anything, but it’d be fun. Plus, I needed a break.
“Excellent.” Jane stuffed everything back into her Hermes handbag and then hurried us around the corner to the enormous designer department store.