My pulse accelerates as he keeps speaking.
“And after that… I’m going to ask you something else.” His eyes burn into mine, serious and intense. “I’m not kidding around with you. This is it, for me.”
My heart takes off in a sprint now. I’m breathless as I stare at him. Is he really saying what I think he is?
“Michael…” I shake my head in disbelief. I want to make sure we aren’t getting swept up in the moment, that this is real. Because he’s offering me everything I could ever want. “How can you be certain, so soon?”
He gives me a tender smile. “Ever since you came into my life last year, I’ve been happier than I ever imagined I could be. I never thought I’d feel like this again.” He scrubs a hand over his beard, thinking. “And when you’ve had everything you don’t want, it becomes pretty fucking clear when the thing you do want is right in front of you. And then you don’t want to let that go.”
I press my eyes shut, feeling tears slip out and down my cheeks. Holy shit, I cannot believe what this man is saying to me. I’m vibrating with happiness. It’s coursing through me like an electrical current, lighting every cell in my body. I could power the whole city.
I feel Michael wipe my tears, and when I open my eyes, he’s regarding me with concern. “I don’t mean to freak you out. I know it’s quick, and I don’t want to rush you. But—”
“No.” I place a hand on his chest, trying to figure out how to put what I’m feeling into words. “From the first day that I arrived in this city, I wanted two things: to build a writing career, and”—I give a little shrug—“you.” It’s true, I realize. As soon as I saw him in line at Starbucks… He was the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. And even though he was grumpy, maybe a tiny part of me could see what was underneath: a good man who just needed to be loved.
“When I finally got my column, when I met with the agent… it felt like nothing without you. Everything feels like nothing, without you. So I can assure you, whenever you decide to ask me, the answer will be yes. Hell yes.”
Michael’s mouth pulls into a grin and he glances away from me, huffing a little laugh to himself. “Fuck, I’m a lucky guy.”
I shake my head, lifting the covers and climbing on top so I’m straddling him. I lean down and thread my hands into his hair, kissing him softly. “I’m the lucky one.”
He slides his hands up my back, holding me down against him as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, hungry for me again. When he releases me, his eyes are twinkling. “So Natalie loved your romance novel, huh?”
“Yes. And—wait.” I push up so I’m sitting. “I never told you her name.”
“Didn’t you?”
“No.” I narrow my eyes and his mouth pulls into an impish grin. “It was you?”
“Yeah. I hope you’re not mad. I know you told me not to show it to anyone but I had to, Alex. I’ve been with Natalie’s agency for years and I knew if I gave it to her, she’d love it.”
“But why didn’t she tell me it was you?”
“I asked her not to. I didn’t want you to think I’d only done it to get your attention. And I didn’t want you to think she was just doing it as a favor to me. If she told you she loved it, then she means that.”
“Well… I guess I owe you a thank you. Here’s hoping someone will publish it.”
“I’m sure they will.” He lets his hands skate down my bare thighs. “But there is one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“There are a lot of intimate scenes, involving—well, basically involving us.”
I blush, glancing away from him. I guess he has a point there, and it never occurred to me he might be uncomfortable about that.
He takes my chin, turning my face back to him. “I love it, Alex, all of it. But I was just thinking… we don’t want to mislead people.”
“How?”
“We haven’t done even half the things in there. You have a very vivid imagination.” His mouth tilts into a sly smile and the dimple appears in his cheek. My face burns, but I don’t look away this time, because there’s a playful spark in his eyes that’s making my heart beat harder, making heat shoot out along my limbs.
“I just think we have an obligation,” he continues, sliding his hands up to the meeting of my thighs.
“An obligation?” I ask, trying to keep my breathing steady as he lowers his thumb to trace a lazy circle between my legs. Pleasure zings through me, and he grins when he sees it on my face.
“Yes. An obligation to act out every single one of your dirty little fantasies. I think it would be irresponsible not to.”
I huff out a breath, arching forward against his hand, noticing that he’s ready for me again too. And, oh God—the thought of actually doing every single thing I’ve imagined myself doing with Michael? Fuck, I can’t even see straight at the thought.
I lower my mouth down to his and nibble on his bottom lip, delirious with desire. “We definitely have an obligation.”
He chuckles, extending an arm to feel about for a condom on the nightstand. I watch as he rolls it on, feeling the need building between my legs.
“There’s probably going to be a sequel too.”
His eyes meet mine, dark and hazy, and a naughty grin is dancing on his mouth as he pushes into me again. I close my eyes and submit to the shiver of ecstasy it sends through
