pillow. I got a little too warm is all, but I have a solution.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” He held his hand out for the glass in her hand and she passed it to him.
“I’ll be turning the thermostat down on the nights you’re in my bed.”
At her words he pulled the glass from his lips. Several drops ended up on his smooth, muscular chest. Instinctively her fingers reached out to play in the drops of juice. As she massaged the cranapple into his skin using her fingertips she said, “You know what you need, don’t you?”
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Her eyes widened, further waking her, and she found herself more alert. “Do you?”
“A tattoo.”
“Would you let me ink you?”
“I’ve never desired a tattoo … until you.” His gaze simmered.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“So you think you’ll let me?”
“I’m seriously considering it. Would you sketch something for me?”
“I’d love to. What do you want?”
He dipped his head and smirked at her as he pulled her against him. “I want you to design a scene for me based on what you know about me. I was hoping for something that would define me symbolically. Are you up for the challenge?”
“As I said before, I have some ideas. But first I need to know that if I design it, you’ll get it in ink.”
“I will.” He kissed her nose.
“What if I define you as a black roof rat?”
“I’ll know where I stand in your life, but I already gave you my word so I’d get it.”
Her hands curled into his hair. “Hmm, lucky for you I don’t define you as a roof rat.”
“I’m glad.” He kissed her lips, and then pulled her to the bedroom.
She turned the bedside lamp on and pulled out her sketchbook. “What are your favorite colors?”
“Blue and green.”
“Do you have a hobby?”
“Sadly, between law school and making partner at the firm, I don’t. I do maintain membership at a club in Boston that I frequent daily to swim laps and box with a trainer. You know I enjoy running.”
“And you like tailored suits and expensive watches.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“True.” She smiled.
“What makes you instantly irate?”
“Animal cruelty.”
“What three things do you have to take with you when you leave the house?”
“Sunglasses, iPhone, debit card.”
“Favorite food?”
“Sushi.”
“Mmm, I love sushi.”
“Today we must have sushi.”
“What makes your heart melt?”
“Until recently, not very much. Now, it’s watching you with Ryder.”
She dropped the pen. His words startled her. “Really?”
“The way you love him is primal, honest—it’s real. It makes me want to be loved that fiercely by someone.”
The intensity of his gray stare seized her in its grip. She wanted to fulfill his need to be loved by her. Only her. The sketchpad hit the floor with a thud—forgotten—as Everett’s arms snaked around her upper body to embrace her in a heated kiss. Thick chestnut hair spiked through her fingers and smelled of the rich cologne that she’d come to associate with him.
Standing on her knees in the bed she was eye to eye with him. “You’re so petite.”
“You say that a lot. Does it bother you?”
“Quite the opposite. I find it fascinating how well you fit in my arms.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you if I need to keep using condoms.”
“Unless you’re ready to have a child with me, then yes.” She giggled. “But I know it’s less than desirable for you.”
“Nonsense, nothing could make you less desirable.”
He swiftly pulled the shirt from her body. On her knees between his legs he hugged her to him with his warm, large hands on her back, cradling her. His hands went lower and pressed lightly, causing her back to arc and her breasts to meet his lips. His lips kissed her softly, almost reverently, before he took her into his mouth and lightly sucked. His teeth delicately captured her, squeezing and gingerly tugging, and then his tongue
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” He held his hand out for the glass in her hand and she passed it to him.
“I’ll be turning the thermostat down on the nights you’re in my bed.”
At her words he pulled the glass from his lips. Several drops ended up on his smooth, muscular chest. Instinctively her fingers reached out to play in the drops of juice. As she massaged the cranapple into his skin using her fingertips she said, “You know what you need, don’t you?”
“I know what you’re thinking.”
Her eyes widened, further waking her, and she found herself more alert. “Do you?”
“A tattoo.”
“Would you let me ink you?”
“I’ve never desired a tattoo … until you.” His gaze simmered.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“So you think you’ll let me?”
“I’m seriously considering it. Would you sketch something for me?”
“I’d love to. What do you want?”
He dipped his head and smirked at her as he pulled her against him. “I want you to design a scene for me based on what you know about me. I was hoping for something that would define me symbolically. Are you up for the challenge?”
“As I said before, I have some ideas. But first I need to know that if I design it, you’ll get it in ink.”
“I will.” He kissed her nose.
“What if I define you as a black roof rat?”
“I’ll know where I stand in your life, but I already gave you my word so I’d get it.”
Her hands curled into his hair. “Hmm, lucky for you I don’t define you as a roof rat.”
“I’m glad.” He kissed her lips, and then pulled her to the bedroom.
She turned the bedside lamp on and pulled out her sketchbook. “What are your favorite colors?”
“Blue and green.”
“Do you have a hobby?”
“Sadly, between law school and making partner at the firm, I don’t. I do maintain membership at a club in Boston that I frequent daily to swim laps and box with a trainer. You know I enjoy running.”
“And you like tailored suits and expensive watches.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“True.” She smiled.
“What makes you instantly irate?”
“Animal cruelty.”
“What three things do you have to take with you when you leave the house?”
“Sunglasses, iPhone, debit card.”
“Favorite food?”
“Sushi.”
“Mmm, I love sushi.”
“Today we must have sushi.”
“What makes your heart melt?”
“Until recently, not very much. Now, it’s watching you with Ryder.”
She dropped the pen. His words startled her. “Really?”
“The way you love him is primal, honest—it’s real. It makes me want to be loved that fiercely by someone.”
The intensity of his gray stare seized her in its grip. She wanted to fulfill his need to be loved by her. Only her. The sketchpad hit the floor with a thud—forgotten—as Everett’s arms snaked around her upper body to embrace her in a heated kiss. Thick chestnut hair spiked through her fingers and smelled of the rich cologne that she’d come to associate with him.
Standing on her knees in the bed she was eye to eye with him. “You’re so petite.”
“You say that a lot. Does it bother you?”
“Quite the opposite. I find it fascinating how well you fit in my arms.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you if I need to keep using condoms.”
“Unless you’re ready to have a child with me, then yes.” She giggled. “But I know it’s less than desirable for you.”
“Nonsense, nothing could make you less desirable.”
He swiftly pulled the shirt from her body. On her knees between his legs he hugged her to him with his warm, large hands on her back, cradling her. His hands went lower and pressed lightly, causing her back to arc and her breasts to meet his lips. His lips kissed her softly, almost reverently, before he took her into his mouth and lightly sucked. His teeth delicately captured her, squeezing and gingerly tugging, and then his tongue
Similar Books
