Elastic Hearts (Hearts #3)(55)

“I’ll wait here,” Marcus said when he put the gear in park behind Victor’s Jaguar.

I swallowed. I could have him wait there. It would be the perfect scapegoat. But I didn’t want a scapegoat. I didn’t want a way to leave. If he wanted me to stay, I’d stay, and if he pissed me off, I’d Uber home. I took a deep breath.

“No. Just go home. I’ll call you when I need you to come pick me up.” I put my hand on the door handle and looked at him. I could tell he was still having a difficult time with the idea of just dropping me off. “I know I don’t have to say this because you signed non-disclosures, but—”

He put a hand up, and I stopped talking. He didn’t say anything, but his clear-blue eyes were sharp and serious, and I knew I was understood. I got out of the car, made my way up the gravel driveway and the few steps to the door. My hand went up in a fist to knock, but the door opened before I could. Victor didn’t peek out, he just opened it wide enough for me to step in and closed it right behind me. The house was dark, only the glow of the kitchen light seeping through.

“Hi,” I whispered, suddenly feeling shy as I tilted my face to his.

“Hi,” he whispered back, grasping my wrist with one hand and pulling me a little closer, until his minty breath was over my face, and bringing his other hand up to the side of my face in a slow caress.

“I don’t know if I already told you this, but I really love your house,” I said.

I could barely make out his smile, but I knew it was there. In this kind of lighting I could barely make out his face, but I knew his features so well it didn’t matter. If I went blind in that instance, I could perfectly describe him for a sketch.

“Wait until you see my bed,” he said, his voice still quiet as if he were afraid to burst the bubble we were in. I smiled.

“Were you followed?” he asked, bringing his lips down to my jaw. “I don’t want the media assuming things about you.” His mouth worked its way up to my ear and back down slowly. I sighed against him.

“You mean about us,” I said. He pulled back slightly, his hand still on the side of my face, the other making its way down to my ass.

“I wish I cared about that. I should, but I want this to happen too much to let that stop me,” he said squeezing my ass. “I don’t know if you were serious about finding another man to satisfy your needs, or just saying it to push me over the edge, but f*ck that idea, Nicole. Fuck that idea. I need you. I want you, and I always get what I want.”

“So spoiled,” I whispered, leaning into him and tipping my face a little more until our lips brushed against each other’s.

“Hard working,” he replied as his hand slid to the back of my neck and his lips molded against mine.

They were soft and tentative, tasting, his teeth teasing as he tugged on my bottom lip, his hands making their way down my body and inching my dress up slowly. So slowly. I started undoing the buttons of his dress shirt quickly, and he chuckled against me, the sound vibrating through me and making me shiver.

“We’re not rushing this, Nicole,” he said, a whisper against my lips. I felt like I was on fire, burning for him, desperate for anything he’d give me, my breath fast and erratic.

“A quickie is fine by me,” I said when he successfully pulled the dress over my head. His gaze alone made me feel like I was off balance. The way he looked my body up and down, slowly, as if savoring me. He shook his head.

“No quickie.”

I reached for his shirt again, tugging it open and planting my palms on his hard chest, making my way to his shoulders and down his sculpted arms, taking the shirt off with my touch. My heart was beating wildly as I studied the sight in front of me, his lean frame, the six-pack I had no idea he had beneath his work clothes. I swallowed thickly as my gaze made its way back up to his eyes. The fire in them made my stomach flip. He took his shoes off, kicking them off to the side before stripping out of his socks, then he pulled me back to him and took my mouth in his again, his hands groping my ass, my waist, my breasts. His hands went around and unclasped my bra, tugging it down quickly and throwing it to the side. His hands cradled my face as he gazed down at me and my heart began to thunder inside my chest. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but didn’t, instead lowering his mouth to mine once more.

He walked backward, bringing me with him as he held me by the waist, his mouth all over me—my mouth, my neck, my shoulder, my collarbone. I held on to his strong forearms so I wouldn’t trip over my feet or his. He pushed a door open and I gripped on to him when I opened my eyes and realized I was standing inside Victor’s bedroom. The young version of me did a backflip. Never in a million years did I ever think my life would take me there, to his intimate lair. And never in a million years would I have thought it would be so normal, so cozy, unintimidating. It was a very manly room, from what I could see—large bed, dark sheets, dark décor. He pulled me toward the bed and pushed me down so I landed on my back, the plush mattress catching me and springing me up slightly.

I laughed as I looked up at him, towering over me, looking all serious wearing only his slacks.

“You look like you’re about to punish me,” I said.

“Be careful what you wish for.”

His gaze made its way down my body as he said the words, licking his lips in the process. I shivered against the soft sheets beneath me. He came closer, putting a knee between my legs to push my legs farther apart. In only a black silk thong and matching pumps, I was exposed. I would have felt shy, had it not been for the way he looked at me, like I was the most incredible thing he’d ever seen. I opened my legs farther as he stood up straight and started working on taking off his belt. As he unbuttoned his pants, I fondled my breasts, and he groaned at the sight. My hands trailed over my stomach. I laid them flat against my abdomen, tucking them into my panties.