After All - Romancing Manhattan

“I can be ready to go in about thirty minutes,” I finally say with a smile.

“Perfect.”

He nods and I walk away, anxious to wrap up the few things that need to be seen to right away, then take the rest of the day off with the man I’m quickly falling in love with.

“I can’t believe you haven’t spent more time at the Met,” Carter says an hour later as we stand in front of a painting of a woman in a black dress called Madame X.

“I’ve been a little busy,” I say defensively. This museum is huge, there’s no way we’ll be able to see it all in an afternoon. “I work for a workaholic.”

“You have weekends off,” he reminds me and slips his hand into mine, giving it a squeeze. “Do you enjoy art?”

“Very much,” I say with an enthusiastic nod. “Seeing the Louvre in Paris is on my bucket list.”

“Really?”

I nod again and look up at him. I feel so short next to him, and I’m not a short woman. “Have you been?”

“No, but maybe I’ll have to change that.”

“I think everyone should see the Mona Lisa at least once in their lives,” I say as we continue to casually stroll through the museum.

“They say she’s small,” Carter murmurs.

“I don’t care if she’s the size of a postcard.” I stop to stare at a sculpture with no head. “Leonardo da Vinci touched it. It’s incredible. I was an art minor in college.”

“No kidding,” Carter says in surprise. “That’s cool, and something else I didn’t know about you.”

“I’m just one surprise after another,” I reply with a laugh. Carter tugs me gently against him and kisses my cheek. “You’re making me crazy in these shoes.”

I’m wearing the black heels with red bows. His favorite.

“Are the shoes the reason you were so adamant that we play hooky today?”

“Part of it,” he admits without apology. “I’d take you home right now, but Gabby’s there with Maggie.”

“We’re still looking at art.”

His lips twitch as he gives my hand another squeeze. “I’m looking at the most beautiful work of art I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Well, isn’t he the charming one?

“No one’s at my place,” I remind us both, my breath coming a little faster now. “Why don’t we go there?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he says with a laugh and leads me through the museum, and out the doors leading to the parking garage.

“How is Gabby feeling?” I ask once we’re in his car. “Is she sick of being at home yet?”

“She’s sassy as ever, so she’s feeling better,” he says. “She was vaccinated as a little one, so she’s recovering quickly. She shouldn’t be contagious by the weekend.”

“I’m glad. Being sick sucks.”

“Thank you for asking about her.” Carter reaches for my hand and kisses my knuckles as he watches the crazy Manhattan traffic.

“I love Gabby, you know that.”

“She loves you, too.”

Once we arrive at my building, I show him where to park, thankful that my space is open, and I shoot the super a text, letting him know the car parked there is with me so he doesn’t get towed, and lead Carter up to my place.

“How did you manage to score that parking anyway?” Carter asks. “In Manhattan, no less.”

“The super likes me,” I reply with a shrug. “And the person who owned my unit before me also used this spot, so he said I could have it as well, for a small monthly fee. And let me tell you, it’s worth every penny.”

He nods and follows me into the building.

My apartment is a quarter of the size of Carter’s penthouse, but I love it. And I’m grateful that I changed the sheets on the bed yesterday.

We walk inside, shed our coats, and I immediately reach for Carter’s hand and lead him directly to my bedroom.

Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

I reach for him, unfastening the buttons on his expensive shirt, ready to finally have him naked and as turned on as I am right now, but he stills my hands.

“Slow,” he says softly. “I haven’t done this in a really long time, Nora.”

“Me either,” I admit with a grin. “And I want you.”

He clenches his eyes shut, as if he’s trying to keep himself under control. “Trust me, I want you more than I want my next breath.”

“Awesome.” I reach for his buttons again, but he swiftly spins me to the bed and has me flat on my back and my hands pinned above my head before I can blink. “You move really fast for such a big man.”

“I was a sprinter in high school,” he says and slides his tongue over my bottom lip. “We have to talk about a couple of things, sweetheart.”

“I think we should just get down to business and talk later.”

He laughs and drags his nose along my neck, sending every nerve ending in my body on high alert.