Page 20

nineteen

Lane

The moment the elevator doors close behind us in my building, I pull Olive against me, capturing her mouth.

Our tongues are tangled during the entire ascent up to my penthouse.

When the doors open, I walk us backward to my sofa, never breaking our kiss, as we strip ourselves out of our shoes and jackets, tossing them to the floor.

With Olive now straddled across my lap, I just enjoy the feel of her on top of me, relishing in our closeness.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I just made out with someone, but I could do this for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy. Olive’s kisses are drugging, and I’m already a fucking addict.

She may not have experience with sex, but goddammit, does she know how to kiss.

Olive pulls away from me, resting her forehead against mine with her chest heaving. “Lane… holy shit.”

My laugh is a deep rumble. “I understand the feeling. You are fucking amazing, Liv.”

“Not so bad yourself, Hotshot.” Her smile is blinding, and I’m lost in her light. “That was…”

“Incredible,” I answer for her, pecking her lips again. “Fucking incredible, baby. I could kiss you all damn night.”

She takes a deep breath. “What are we doing here, Lane?”

“Kissing,” I respond, rubbing my hands over her thighs. “And I would really like to keep doing that.”

“Is this too soon?” she asks quietly, averting my eyes.

“No.” I bring a hand up and rest it on her cheek, tilting her face toward mine again.

“I know we’ve only known each other a few weeks, but it’s been enough time for me to learn more about you.

I like you, Liv. A lot. I’ll take things as slowly as you need, but I want to make sure you know that this is something to me.

You mean something to me. I want to explore what we have between us and see where this goes. ”

Olive looks at me with nothing but warmth. “Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. As long as I’m not too much for you, old man.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “You’ve got jokes, huh?” I tickle her side while she squirms. “I might be older than you, baby, but I’m a professional athlete. You better hope you can keep up with me.”

“I’ve always liked a challenge.”

I palm the back of her head and bring her face back to mine, kissing her deeply as I let go and do something for myself for the first time since Sage was born.

Olive presses her chest against mine, and I nip her bottom lip, swallowing the light moan she lets out when I do.

Fuck, that was a bad idea.

That sound travels straight to my dick, and there’s no way Olive can miss that while she’s sitting on top of me.

“Lane,” she gasps. “Are you…”

I chuckle and push her hair behind her ear. “Yes, baby. I’m hard right now.”

“All we’ve done is kiss…”

“And I happen to thoroughly enjoy kissing you, Liv.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

I laugh harder this time. “Do not apologize for making my dick hard, Olive. I can promise this won’t be the last time you do.”

She sighs. “I feel bad. You clearly want more from me.”

“Olive.” My voice is stern as I cup her face with both hands.

“I’m not going to deny that I want you. It’s extremely apparent that I do.

But don’t you dare feel bad about that. I haven’t had sex in well over three years.

I have no problem waiting. I don’t need anything more from you than you’re willing to give me. ”

She leans into me, sighing happily. “You feel too good to be true, Lane.”

“The fact that basic human decency feels too good to be true says a lot about the state of the world right now.” I shake my head. “You deserve to feel comfortable in everything you do. As for me, my hand will be just fine.”

Lips brushing against mine, she whispers, “Thank you. I’m so glad I met you, Lane.”

“I’m glad I met you, too, Ballerina.”

But glad doesn’t even scratch the surface.

I’m thankful, grateful, lucky.

The luckiest man on the planet, honestly, that a woman this stunning even wants to give me the time of day, let alone get to know me and more.

I’ve been longing for a connection with somebody, and Olive Finch came in right when I needed her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to just take the guest bed?” Olive asks shyly as she steps out of my en-suite bathroom in just one of my T-shirts and her black tights.

“Fucking positive,” I reply, taking her hand and leading her over. “When you’re here with me, this will be the only place you sleep.”

“Little controlling, don’t you think?” she teases, sliding up the bed and resting her head on a pillow.

“Just… worried,” I say softly, expressing some vulnerability. “The last time you were here, baby, you had a nightmare that had you screaming. If that happens again, I’d much rather you be beside me.”

Her face turns somber. “I hadn’t had one in months. I didn’t know it was going to happen again.”

I sit next to her on the bed, legs up as I lean on my hip and use my hand to support myself. “You don’t need to feel bad about it, Ballerina. I just don’t like the idea of you being alone if it happens again.”

“Thank you.” Olive’s smile is so soft and tender. With her deep brown hair splayed on the pillow behind her and my T-shirt around her, she’s the most beautiful she’s ever been. She’s comfortable .

“You don’t need to thank me, Liv. Believe me, I’m not sacrificing anything by having you in my bed.”

Her laugh is the sweetest melody. “Such a flirt, Hotshot.”

“I told you,” I murmur, leaning down and brushing my lips against hers. “I can’t help myself around you.”

“Then you’re lucky I don’t mind your flirting,” she rasps before kissing me softly.

I let my eyes rake over her body, tracing every perfect curve from her head to her toes, paying extra attention to her legs. Her long, flawless legs.

Legs that would look so good wrapped around my—

I cut off my sinful fantasy, but the damage is already done. My blood is pooling exactly where I don’t want it right now.

“Fuck,” I mutter, trying to adjust myself without attracting Olive’s attention. I do a terrible job, though, as her eyes dart right to my hand, and she sees exactly what I’m doing.

“Oh!” she squeals, averting her eyes. “Do you, uh… need to take care of that?”

“Nope,” I grit, willing my dick to go down. “Doing that would mean leaving you alone in my bed, and there’s no fucking way I’m doing that. You look damn good right here, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”

“You really can’t help but flirt with me,” Olive laughs.

“Nope. You entice the hell out of me, baby.”

She bites her lip with an innocent look in her eyes as she gazes at me. “Do you not wear pajamas to bed?” she asks, taking note of the sweats and T-shirt I threw on.

“No,” I say, rubbing my jaw. “I usually just sleep in my underwear, Olive, but I’m trying not to be inappropriate.”

“Oh!” Her eyes go wide. “Yes, keep your pants on.”

I cock my eyebrow. “But not my shirt?”

“I-I mean, you could take that off if you want. That’s… okay.”

Without a second thought, I grab my shirt from the back of my neck and pull it over my head before tossing it to the floor. Olive is trying not to look, biting her thumb and looking away.

I brush my lips over her ear. “You’re allowed to look at me.”

Her eyes rake over my chest and torso, and she clearly likes what she sees. “You’re, uh… very fit.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Professional athlete, remember?”

“It shows,” she whispers, and all I feel is smug satisfaction at the way she’s so affected by me right now.

I lean down and capture her lips again, losing myself in the way her tongue swipes over mine.

God, I could kiss her all night.

Panting, Olive pulls away slightly. “We should probably get some sleep.”

“Alright, Liv,” I reply, pecking her one last time. “Let’s get some sleep. Then I’m going to kiss the hell out of you again when we wake up.”