Page 66

Long fingers traced her cheek. “You looked happy for a moment. But I’m guessing you let the monsters win yet again?”There was a heavy vein of sadness in his voice. “Does the thought of having me close distress you so much?”
She slid her arms around his waist and propped her chin on his chest. Preparing to bare herself to him made her heart hammer wildly. But she needed to take the step, or risk losing him sooner rather than later. “You want the truth?”
His nostrils flared. “Always.”
“It scared me a little, I won’t deny it. What we do to each other… it’s powerful and untamable and reckless. I feel like I’m plugged into a live electric current every time I’m around you. It’s exhilarating but I can’t help wondering every now and then if it won’t… destroy us…” He started to respond but she shook her head. “That said, I’d rather have this, have a little of you for as long as you want this…” She attempted to smile around the painful throb in her chest. “I’m taking the condo downstairs, Noah. So you need to decide if you want this one.”
His forefinger traced her mouth and he swallowed before he spoke. “It’s already decided. I’ve had a duplicate keycard made for you for this place.”
Her heart caught and happiness burst through her chest. “I’ll have one made of mine for you, after I sign the lease.”
“No need, it’s already taken care of.”
One corner of his mouth quirked at her affronted gasp.
“The lease or the keycard?”
“Both.”
“Do I need to waste my breath arguing with you on either issue?”
“Ah, baby, I wasn’t really offering you a choice in the matter.”
He grabbed her hand and guided her through the sprawling condo. It was easily twice the size of hers, with a larger pool, terrace and a hot tub. He groaned when they opened anotherdoor to a gaming room complete with roulette, pool, and poker tables.
“The guys will never leave me in peace if they see this room.”
She was wondering about his friends when he dragged her into the empty master bedroom and pulled down her zipper.
“I don’t think I can call this place home until it’s christened properly,” he whispered in her ear. Her dress pooled at her feet and he lifted her out of it. Clad in just her panties and heels, she shivered at the fiery blaze in his eyes. “Will you help me christen it?”
“Yes, Noah.”
Her throat dried as she watched him fumble to release his fly. His thick cock sprang free and she juddered in delight. Unable to wait, she pushed down her thong and kicked it away.
“Be a good girl and get on your knees.”
22
They moved in gradually over the course of the week, a week during which Noah forbade her from leaving his side for all but the most important meetings. And even then, he’d argued that she relocate them to his offices. When she’d refused, Paddy’s gruff and stoic presence had become a fixture in her office, along with goodness knew how many other minders that she couldn’t see watching over her outside.
By mutual unspoken agreement, they didn’t talk about Warren. Or Ashley. Or her stepfather, although she knew Noah had several video conferences day and night with Tim and Harry.
Warren had extended his leave of absence after the board had reluctantly taken the decision to delay floating the company on the stock market.
Then he’d abruptly sold his stake in La Carezza and resigned. Paddy had informed them that the Palm Beach house had been put on the market.
The ripple of Warren’s sudden resignation had threatened to focus unwanted media attention on her, but Leia had put herfoot down about delaying the launch of the new lingerie collection.
She refused to let Warren’s sudden disappearance or Stephen Willoughby’s black silence derail her life.
The auction website had stayed down. Its ominous threat worried her, but not enough to mar her happiness at having Noah close.
He’d hired a team of designers to deal with his condo, and at the times when the workmen got too loud, the two of them relocated to her apartment. While Noah wanted his place ready to be lived in immediately, she was content to take her time shopping for the right accessories for the furniture she had.
Her only compromise had been a bed large and sturdy enough to accommodate her lover’s height and endless stamina. And seriously comfy and expensive bed linen that made her smile stupidly every time she burrowed into it.
Memories of cooking sausages and waffles with her father had triggered a visit to the grocery store, and she’d cooked her first meal in her new kitchen on their first weekend.