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TWENTY-SEVEN

DANIEL

“The moment of truth,” Hannah says as I pull out the key to our room. It’s a legit brass key. Of course it is, because we’re staying at a classic New England Airbnb. While Hannah enjoys luxuries, I can’t help but think the author in her would prefer the feel of this spot over an impersonal hotel room, even at the Ritz.

Aside from the romantic vibe, there’s a forest behind the house with trails that lead to a waterfall. I don’t know whether she’s into hiking, but if not, there’s plenty to do without wandering into the woods.

I quirk a brow her way. “The moment of truth?”

“Yes, in romance novels, there’s a moment when the couple opens the door to their hotel room to discover there’s only—” She stops, brows lifted, so I swing the door open and step aside. As she walks in, her shoulders slump almost imperceptibly. “Two double beds,” she says, her tone a bit softer.

I inspect the room from the doorway. It seems clean and airy. The forest is framed perfectly in a picture window, and the bench built into it is cozy. I was certain she’d love that part. Yet I swear she’s trying to hide her disappointment. “Something wrong with the beds?”

She smiles and shakes her head. “Nope. I’m going to use the bathroom really quick. I’ve had to pee for, like, ten exits.”

I wave her deeper inside, then set our bags on the small benches at the end of each bed. Hands in my pockets, I shuffle to the window and take in the view. When the bathroom door opens, I spin around and pat the bench. “Come join me over here for a minute.”

The second her ass hits the cushion, I pull her closer. For a moment, we just breathe together, holding one another. In this moment, I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in a long fucking time. It’s easier, I’ve noticed, to settle when I’m with her. Sitting quietly with Hannah like this is a gift, doing so with my hands on her, a dream. With my baby inside her? It’s fucking otherworldly.

How did I get so damn lucky?

“You sure the room is okay?” I nuzzle against her neck. “You seemed upset by the two beds.”

Hannah tilts her head up, her blue eyes sparkling with humor. “You noticed that, huh?”

With a hand under her chin, I smooth my thumb over the little divot that feels like it’s just for me. “I notice everything when it comes to you.”

She worries her bottom lip, her soft breath fluttering against my fingers. How is it possible that such a tiny wisp of air could send blood rushing straight through me?

“Don’t look at me like that unless you intend to do something about it,” she practically purrs.

I angle in, my lips brushing hers. “We have nowhere to be and nothing that has to be done for the next three nights.”

“With two beds,” she sags in my arms.

My lips curve up. “You really hate that second bed.”

“I really do.”

“It’s a good thing we’ve got this bench, then.” Without pulling my face from hers, I pat at it.

She sticks out her tongue, and instead of licking her bottom lip, she laps at mine, and fuck does that make my toes curl.

Unable to hold back, I pull her closer and suck her tongue into my mouth.

Fingers digging into my thighs, she matches my fervor. Soft whimpers have me pulling her onto my lap, trying to get her closer.

“God, I’m so horny,” she mumbles against my mouth as she pulls at my shirt.

With a laugh, I break away so she can yank the fabric over my head. “Way to make a guy feel special.”

“I’ll make you feel special. I’ll make you feel so special your eyes roll to the back of your head,” she teases as she drops onto her knees and pushes my thighs apart.

I bury a hand in her hair and tug gently. “What are you doing, dream girl? I should be on my knees for you.”

Brows waggling, she grins. “We’re going to work on your stamina.”

She’s already tugging on my shorts, so I lift my hips to make it easier. “And how are we going to do that?”

“I’m going to blow you until you’re seconds from coming, then you’re going to stop me.”

“That sounds like an awful idea.” My tone is all tease as I give my cock a firm tug and brush the head over her lips. She wants to teach me how to last longer, and there’s no way in hell I’ll stop her. She knows what she’s talking about. My fucking Calliope.

She purses her lips and literally blows warm air against the head of my dick. I let out a rough exhale at the tingling sensation coursing up my spine. And when she flicks her tongue over my crown, taunting me, I resist the urge to force her mouth open wide.

She cups my balls and squeezes, focus fixed on my face. “It will be incredible. Because, eventually, you’ll have the ability to orgasm multiple times, just like me.” With a long lick up my shaft, she finally takes me into her mouth.

I slump back, my head bumping against the window, eyes closed. “That’s the dream, Hannah. You are a fucking dream.”

She hums around me, the vibrations sending electricity straight to my balls. I ease up straight again so I can watch her. Hannah’s blow jobs are a performance art. She doesn’t just suck. She fondles and deep throats. She hums and moans. She jacks me and then squeezes, and when I signal that I’m close, she holds me at the precipice. Over and over, she does it until I’m panting and begging.

“You’re such a good boy.” She licks my sac and sucks my balls into her mouth. It’s heavenly. Euphoric. Transcendent.

Until she falls back, leaving me hard, aching, ready to burst.

On instinct, I reach for my dick, desperate to ease the ache, but she bats my hand away.

“Don’t touch.”

“Fuck, baby. I don’t know if I can?—”

She tugs her shorts off and spreads her thighs, and goddamn, I fall to my knees, crawling to get to her, my mouth watering. My aching dick all but forgotten.

“I need to touch you,” I plead, holding myself back until she gives me permission.

She spreads herself with two fingers, unabashedly showing off that gorgeous, drenched pink flesh. “You’ve been a good boy. You can eat now.”

Just like she taught me through her column, I lick and suck until she’s a puddle, crying out for me to fuck her. When I finally slide inside her, still avoiding either of the fucking beds, we let out matching sighs.

“I could live inside you,” I tell her, thrusting slowly. Each time I pull back, she tightens her thighs, bringing me closer, as if she can’t stand the distance.

“ Daniel ,” she moans. Gripping the hair at my nape, she pulls me in for a kiss. Our mouths stay fused like that until I’m once again on the precipice. She’s writhing and panting like she’s right there with me.

Before I can plunge in again, she pulls back, and I have to fight the whimper that rolls up my throat.

“Please, dream girl,” I pant. “Please let me come.”

With her eyes fixed on the space where we’re joined, she gasps. “Do it, Daniel. I want to watch you pulse as you empty inside me. I want you to fuck me so good I could get pregnant again. Fill me up and don’t you dare let a drop escape.”

Fuck. This woman. The need to see my release dripping from her spurs me on. I piston my hips, quickening my pace until I’m unloading every ounce of pleasure inside her. And when I pull back and admire the way my length is coated in a mixture of both of us, I can’t fight the urge to thrust back inside her, pushing it all back in.

“Yes,” she yells, her voice hoarse.

Every nerve ending in my cock sparks. Fuck . The pleasure is almost unbearable. I pull out and replace my cock with my fingers, pushing my cum back inside her. Finding the exact angle my girl needs, I curl my fingers, hitting that magic spot, kissing her through her orgasm. I keep kissing her, and I don’t stop, even as the kisses become softer, more affectionate rather than passionate. I kiss her because I can’t pull away. Then I lift her up and set her on the bed closest to the bathroom while I run a bath for her.

We spend the afternoon soaking in the tub, talking and getting to know one another even better. She tells me about every town she lived in growing up. We talk about the towns we’ve both traveled to with our respective teams, comparing our favorite sights, discovering that we like a lot of the same restaurants and bars. Each time the water cools enough to become slightly uncomfortable, she turns on the hot water with her toes, and we drain a little of the cold out.

By the time we emerge, the sun is dipping behind the mountain.

“I ordered room service,” I call from the bed.

“I feel bad.” She appears in the bathroom doorway, wearing a fluffy white robe just like I am.

I pat the spot next to me, and she pads over and then settles close.

“Why?”

“You planned a special trip, and we haven’t left the hotel room.”

I tilt her chin up so she’s looking at me again. “Are you having a good time?”

Her lips curve into that beautiful smile I’m starting to become addicted to. Oh, fuck, who am I kidding? I’m well and truly deep in my addiction by now. There’s no starting involved.

“The best.”

“Then I’m happy. My goal was to give you a few days away from real life so you could relax. You’ve been going nonstop, and I’m about to do the same since training starts next week.”

She hums contentedly. “I appreciate it. Did Noah tell you this is what I did for him when he found out Jen was pregnant?”

“He did. Though he didn’t say much more than that. Just that it’s something you do for people.”

“ Have a day trips.” She leans against me. “I started the tradition after my mother’s first divorce.”

I let out a low hum, hoping she picks up on my interest. I’m completely infatuated with this woman, and I don’t mind admitting it one bit.

“She was so depressed. She wouldn’t get out of bed. Wouldn’t get dressed. He was the only husband to ever leave her . And she never allowed that to happen again.” She shakes her head subtly, like she still doesn’t understand it. “When I was young, if I had a bad day, she’d tell me we should have a day. It meant shopping, treating ourselves. She did it on her ex-husband’s card back then.

“When he left her, that was no longer possible, but I wanted to cheer her up like she’d always done for me. So I counted up all the money in my piggy bank, and we spent the night at a local hotel. We ordered room service and laid in bed, watching movies for hours.” She gives me the smallest of smiles. “The next day, she perked up. God, I was so relieved. I can see now that it wasn’t so much the hotel but that she realized it wasn’t right to fall apart like that when she had a child to take care of. I think it hit her how sad it was that her daughter had to orchestrate the scenario to get her moving. Or at least I’d like to think that’s what it was. Anyway.” She shrugs. “From then on, any time a friend or family member hit a rough patch, I’d take money that I’d set aside and we’d go have a day. I’ve had far more of those days with my mother. One after each of her divorces. Then another after my own divorce.”

Without my permission, my body tenses. Divorce? This is the first I’m hearing of it.

She peers up at me through her lashes, worrying her lip. “That’s a story for another day, please?”

I give her an easy smile and squeeze her hip. I’ll wait as long as she needs. “I’m glad that we’re having a day,” I say softly, “But, Hannah, our reality isn’t something I need a break from. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but honestly, this is easily the best thing that’s happened to me.”

She pulls back, eyes wide. “How can you say that?”

An ache blooms in my chest. I want to pull her in again, but it’s better that she looks me in the eye so she knows I’m serious. “Do you trust me?”

She nods. “I really do. It may not seem like I’m giving you much, but for me”—she motions between us—“ this is a lot.”

I get it. The last few hours in the bath—hell, the last few weeks—she’s been slowly opening up to me in a way I don’t believe she does with others. Now that I have a little insight into her history with her mother and the smallest tidbit of information about her divorce, I can’t blame her for holding her cards so close.

I press a kiss to her head. “You’ll understand eventually, but for right now, just believe me when I say that I don’t have a single regret about what led us to where we are.”

She settles against my chest, her warm breath tickling my neck. “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

With another kiss to her crown, I chuckle. And my heart does this strange flippy thing that I’ve never experienced before. “Yeah, dream girl. You can sleep in my bed any night you want.”

“I might hold you to that.”