Sin (Just This Once 3)

I’m not surprised. It’s hard for me to imagine anything she’s not good at. “Tell me one of your secrets, angel.”

She gazes past me to the window and the rain pelting against it. “Sometimes if I wake up in the middle of the night and it’s raining, I go for a walk.”

I glance briefly at the window before I look at her. “You do? Why?”

She takes a deep breath. “I was scared of thunderstorms when I was a kid. One night I woke up crying and my dad told me that we’d face my fear together.”

Her eyes linger on the window as she talks.

“The storm was passing by the time we got outside, but we walked hand-in-hand for blocks while the rain fell on our umbrellas and the lightning flashed across the sky in the distance.”

I listen intently to her while she shifts her gaze from the window to where our hands our joined.

“I was never scared of storms after that night.” She slowly rolls onto her side. “There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the rain.”

“Do you want to go for a walk now?”

Her eyes flicker across my face. “Can I tell you another secret, West?”

I cup her cheek with my hand. “Tell me. Tell me anything.”

“I’ve never made love when it’s raining.”

I stare at her, my heart stuttering in my chest. “That changes right now, angel.”

I slide back under the blanket next to her and tug her close until there’s nothing between us but our undeniable raw need for each other.

Chapter 35

Linny

It’s been days since I was with West, but there’s still a faint ache between my legs.

I lost track of how many times we made love.

The last time was right before I had to rush from the hotel to my apartment to get ready for work.

West took his time with me, making sure that I came before he chased his release.

I wanted to spend all day in bed with him, but I had a meeting with Ivy and a list of things to do for the Rizon campaign.

We agreed to talk the next day, but missed calls and busy schedules have kept us apart.

This morning a large bouquet of flowers was waiting for me when I arrived at my office.

The small sealed rectangular white envelope held a handwritten card with a simple message.

You in my bed in New York: perfection.

I slid the envelope with my first name on it and the card into the same drawer of my desk where the tiara still is.

I placed the flowers on the corner of my desk, so I could stare at them all day. I did just that until I left my office for this meeting a few minutes ago.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

I look up to see my dad entering the conference room. Mitchell is on his heel with his eyes glued to his phone.

“Hi, dad.” I smile. “Did you have a chance to look at the Whispers of Grace website? It’s been redesigned and I wanted your …”