RISK(69)

"Never," I say breathlessly. "I'll be the first?"

"The first," he repeats as he moves his hands to cradle my ass. "My first bare f*ck. The first woman I've ever loved."

I close my eyes to ward off the tears.

He loves me. I love him.

He thrusts hard, the entire length of him driving into me. I gasp as I claw at his shoulders, my legs wrapped around him, my back pressed against the wall.

"Jesus, this feels like heaven." His lips are on my neck. "You feel like my heaven."

I cling to him as he drives into me with long hard strokes. My back thumps against the wall, each of his groans shooting right through me to my core.

"I'm going to come so hard. This is way too f*cking good." He clenches his jaw, his neck taut as he increases the tempo. The sensation of feeling him like this, inside me, raw and exposed is almost too much to bear.

"It's too good," I cry out. "So good."

He bores into me with solid thrusts, his mouth on my neck, on my cheek, his lips fluttering over my mine. "Take it, Ellie. Feel it. This is all yours."

"Mine," I repeat back. "You're mine."

"You better f*cking believe it," he grunts as he digs his hands into my ass and f*cks me, each stroke a promise; a pleasure filled vow that he belongs to me and I am his.





Chapter 47


Ellie




"You like cold pizza?" I scrunch my nose. "I would heat it up in the microwave."

"Las Vegas softened you." He takes another bite. "Real New Yorkers are good with eating cold pizza. Try it."

"I'm full." I lick my bottom lip. "I have to go soon."

"Where?" He tugs his T-shirt back over his head. "It's midnight. You're not going anywhere but home."

"That's exactly where I'm going." I slip my feet back into my sandals. "You should get home and I need to do the same."

"You liked her, right?"

I push my hair back behind my shoulders. "She's like a little princess. I really like her, Nolan. I'm glad I came over today."

"You'll come back." It's not a question. It doesn't need to be. He knows that I lost part of my heart back in his real apartment this afternoon. It's hard not to fall instantly in love with a little girl like May.

"I will. I'd love to spend more time with her."

"After you left she told me that I was lucky." He sighs. "I asked her why."

"Why?" I question with the hope that it's because of me. I want her to like me. A few days ago I wasn't sure I wanted to know her, and now I want her approval. I want her to understand how important her dad is to me.

"She told me I was lucky because my best friend is better than her best friend."

"Are you May's best friend?"

"I wear clip-on earrings and get my toe nails painted. Of course I'm her best friend."

I glance down at his toenails. Two of them are painted bright orange. The surrounding skin is the same hue. "What color is that?"

"It's hideous."

I chuckle. "I was asking what shade of Matiz nail polish that is."

"A shade that will never be sold in any of our stores again. I'm pulling it tomorrow. My toes look like f*cking pumpkins."

"You're such a good dad." I close the top of the pizza box. "Can I take this with me or do you want it?"

"I like that you think I'm a good dad. It's my goal to be the best at that I can be." He looks down at where my hand is resting on the box. "Are you going to eat that for breakfast tomorrow? If you are, don't put it near a microwave. You'll ruin it."

"No. I'm going to give it to a man who lives on the corner."

His fingers trace over the pizza place's logo on the front of the box. "You like helping people, don't you? You were going to give all those pastries from the conference room away too."

His words aren't meant to make me feel uncomfortable, but they do. "I don't like wasting food."

He lifts a brow. "That's admirable and very responsible. There's some fruit in the refrigerator I bought the other day for you. You can take that for him too."

"I will." I smile softly. "Thank you, Nolan."

"I'll walk you out." He picks up the pizza box from the nightstand. "Text me once you're home so I know you made it safely."

"I can do that."

"You will do that."

I want to do that. I like the protectiveness. It makes me feel safe, even if I can defend myself with one hand tied behind my back. "I'll see you at work on Monday?"

"Unless you want to hang out with May and me tomorrow." He takes a step back. "She'd love to see you again."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm going to lay low tomorrow." I need some time to absorb everything that's happened today. I feel like I woke up with one life and I'm going to sleep with another, better, happier life. "Pajamas and Netflix for me."

"I wish I could join in on that." His voice is quiet. "I will one day."

He will. It won't be tomorrow or the next day, but I want it someday. I'm sure about that.