London Falling (Falling #2)(23)

“Bloody brilliant,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

I smiled and giggled.

“Best way to wake up, thank you.” I turned my head and he kissed me.

“Agreed.” He lifted up, tied off the condom and tossed it in the trash near the bed.

I wondered if he threw out his own trash or would an unlucky maid find proof of our night of debauchery.

He smacked my ass and I whooped. “I’m going to hop in the shower. Then I’ll make you some tea and biscuits.”

“How very English of you,” I joked.

He smiled and entered the bathroom, leaving the door wide open.

If that wasn’t an invitation to join him I didn’t know what was. I debated a few minutes but chose to enjoy stretching out my sore overused limbs in his bed that smelled of him and sex. Two of my newest favorite smells.

He came out of the bathroom with a towel draped low on his hips. Water dripped down his chest and it took everything I had not to jump out of bed and lick them off. Lucky droplets. Before I made my decision, he pulled the duvet off my naked body. He whistled as his eyes scoured every inch of my bare skin.

“Feel free to use the shower while I start breakfast.” He turned to go through a door next to his dresser. I assumed it was the closet but I hadn’t spent much time checking out his house when we arrived last night, preferring to check him out instead.

I took an extra long time in the shower, letting the heat loosen up my muscles. Looking down I did a survey of my body. Shit. I was littered with reminders of our night together. Bite marks, finger print sized bruises on my thighs and hips. This was going to put a damper on me bedding Dylan this week. Though after last night, with Collier, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue screwing around with Dylan. The boy was good in bed but he was a boy compared to my Englishman. Jesus, I lost count at how many times we pleased each other last night and then again this morning. As much as I didn’t want to admit, it was more than the physical.

Confused I scrubbed my body clean while my mind felt twisted and dirty. For the first time in four years I didn’t want to have sex with anyone else. Last night with Collier something clicked, like a deadbolt locking into place. The tide had shifted and the beach was scattered with remnants of what once was normal for me. Fear and uncertainty filled my thoughts.

Normal. What was normal? Being with a variety of men, having a good time with whomever I wanted to on a whim? Yes, that was normal. Now it seemed as though my normal was obliterated. Shattered into a million tiny pieces. Still, I had no idea how to handle it. It was one night. I was still me. London Kelley.

I couldn’t deny that something happened last night putting a chink in my armor. What I experienced with Collier was beyond anything I’d ever felt with another man, including my husband James. And I loved him with my entire body and soul. So why did I have a sinking feeling in my chest like I’d cheated on James? He’s been dead for more than a few years now. He wanted me to move on. He told me to find someone else. To fall in love again. He said it right before he took his last breath, “Someday London, you will love again.” I needed to get out of here. Think this over. Figure out what took place last night.

After I dried off, I slipped into one of Collier’s clean dress shirts and my underwear. My dress was in a heap on the floor in the living room. If I went out there naked, it sent a message that I was ready for more and right now, where my mind was at, I knew I needed to be alone.

Collier however, had other plans.

“Oh, Beauty, come sit down. Have some tea and a biscuit.” He really did have honest to God tea and biscuits which he delivered on a very traditional English style tea set with a saucer and small teacup. The biscuits were actually cookies.

“I thought you were kidding.” I joked.

“Us English chaps never joke about tea. It’s sacrilege.” He turned and with a whip of a spatula, turned over four fried eggs. Bacon sizzled in a pan next to the eggs. With a stretch of his arm, he pressed two slices of bread down in a toaster. Fascinated, I watched him work.

Never before had a man I slept with made me breakfast, aside from Tripp, and he didn’t really count. Technically, I hadn’t shared a bed for the night with any of my previous conquests. Once the sex had finished, I’d leave their apartment or they’d leave mine. Even with my clients I’d get up and sleep in the bed assigned to me, not wanting the intimacy of sharing a bed with a fling.

Collier set a steaming plate in front of me. “Do you like marmalade?”

I nodded and he spread some of the orange jelly substance along a piece of bread and added it to the feast before me. I waited for him to sit and then clinked my tea cup with his.

“Cheers,” he said and took a sip.

We ate as if it was going to be taken away any moment. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. A baker’s dozen worth of orgasms will do that to a girl.

Collier seemed to feel the same. When he finished off round one, he plopped another heaping pile of bacon on his plate and another piece of toast.

I eyed his toast lustfully. He looked at me and held the toast in front of my lips. I took a gorilla-sized bite and he snorted and choked on his food, obviously surprised by my audacious response.

“In my defense, that’s some damn good marmalade!” I pouted and he placed the rest of his toast on my plate with a sexy grin. I leaned over and gave him a sticky kiss for his chivalry.