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I bit my lip on purpose.
“Especially when you do that.”
He nipped at my lips and I let out a squeal before kissing him. When I pulled away, he was looking at me intently.
“What is it?” I asked with a touch of nerves. He had never looked at me like that before.
His brows furrowed as he reached up and cupped my face. “I’m falling in love with you.”
I sucked in a breath. It wasn’t what I was expecting to hear, though I had admittedly hoped for those words to fall from his perfect mouth.
“I have been for a while. Maybe even since I first laid eyes on you at that bar. You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I remember exactly what you were wearing. That green sweater dress that hugged you like a damn glove. I remember how your hair was pulled back to reveal your beautiful face. Every man in that room couldn’t help but watch you as you walked past them. Not knowing you, I was irrationally jealous that they even had the chance to look at you. I didn’t know what came over me, but I had to have you.”
His words landed like rose petals against my ears. I couldn’t have written it any better if it were in one of my books.
“Are you sure you’re not the writer?” I asked. “Because…wow.”
He laughed softly as he pulled me in for another kiss. As I pulled away, I whispered, “I’m falling in love with you, too, Troy. You said you wanted to be the man I dreamed of. Like one from my books. But you already are all of that and more. My stories are never perfect. They’re messy and chaotic, like life, but there’s always love. And I love you.”
We stared at each other in a comfortable silence, soaking in each other’s words before he rolled on top of me and made love to me again. This time, softly and sweetly.
The sun was beginning to set as we lay in a tangled heap in my bed. It was so strange to have him here in my apartment. He had never been here, aside from when he came to find me after the disastrous gala with Veronica. I liked having him here. I thought I would feel embarrassed, which was why I had never invited him over in the past. A billionaire in Queens. What a juxtaposition. But he fit in my cozy apartment nicely. He fit in my life nicely. In me nicely.
My stomach grumbled slightly. I realized we had skipped lunch and were now approaching dinner as the pink hues from the sunset flowed through my small apartment windows, casting colorful squares on the hardwood.
Troy put his hand on my stomach. “Let’s eat something,” he said. “You wore me out.”
“Me?”I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t worry, I like it. And plan on more of it after dinner.”
I swallowed hard at the way his voice ran down my spine. Not only could I expect more of him ravaging me, but he was planning on staying. The thought made me smile.
I gave him a quick kiss before rolling out of the bed. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked naked to my closet. I slid on a pair of sweats and a hoodie.
“Only you could make sweats look sexy,” he said, his head propped up on his elbow.
“Down, boy.”
He laughed as he rolled out of the bed and started to put his clothes on. It was my turn to watch. When he was dressed, we walked out to the kitchen. I slid open the drawer with all my takeout menus and pulled myself up on the kitchen counter.
“What do you feel like?” I asked, displaying the menus like a hand of cards.
He laughed and studied each one. “Thai?” he asked, plucking a menu from my hands.
“Good choice.”
I dialed the number on the menu and placed an order for delivery for pad thai, coconut curry shrimp, lemon chicken, and steamed vegetables. When I hung up, Troy wrapped his arms around me.
“And I’ll have you for dessert,” he said.
I shook my head at him. “You are relentless.”
“I can’t help it.” He shrugged.
“I know the feeling.”
He lifted me off the counter and carried me to the couch. We had about forty-five minutes until the food arrived, so we opened a bottle of wine and turned on the TV. I sat with his arm around me as we sipped on white wine and laughed at whatever stupid show was on. It was some reality dating show that his ex-wife would be the perfect villain on. I almost said so, but didn’t want to bring her up.