Executive - The Complete Series Box Set (A Single Dad Romance)

by Claire Adams

  As if he felt the same way, he suddenly stopped and grabbed my ass, lifting me in the air.

  “Oh!” I cried.

  “I can’t wait any longer for you, Jess,” he said with hunger in his eyes.

  He pressed me against the wall, and I held onto the railing for balance as he entered me again. I tilted my head back toward the sky, closing my eyes and feeling the swell of my lips as his cock pushed inside of me once more.

  “Oh, God! Noah, keep going,” I said, unable to allow him to stop. I needed to come. I wanted it so badly.

  He held me against him and then started to thrust quicker until my entire body rocked against his. He touched my sweet spot over and over until I reached the top of my peak. I cried out. My voice swallowed up by the ocean crashing to shore behind me.

  Noah’s head dipped down, and his chin touched his chest. His hands gripped my waist until it almost hurt, but I knew he was close so I didn’t say anything. I rode the wave down as he came inside of me. Those final thrusts were slow as he finished, milking the feeling for all he could.

  Once he was done, he helped me down from the railing.

  Pins-and-needles prickled up my legs as I found my dress and slipped it back on. The fabric was harsh against my sensitive skin.

  Noah pulled on his boxer briefs and pants, leaving his chest exposed.

  Since there wasn’t any furniture, after we caught our breath, we sat on the terrace with our backs against the edge. Noah twined his fingers in mine, and I dropped my head to his shoulder. The after-effects of our lovemaking were delicious, and ripples of pleasure continued to course through me. I loved the touch of his hands on me. And I regretted that it was over too soon.

  We sat there for a few moments, listening to the waves.

  “That was fun,” he said and smiled against my hair.

  “Mmhmm,” I said.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I said.

  He tilted my head up toward him. “Your eyes are far away; tell me,” he said. “You don’t regret doing this?”

  “No!” I said quickly. “Of course not. I just want to make sure that you really want to move down here. For good.”

  “I do,” he said without hesitation. “I want nothing more than to be here with you. If you were living in Antarctica, Gina and I would live in an igloo to be there. I want to be anywhere if you are there too.”

  His words spread warmth throughout my body. I knew I had strong feelings for Noah, but for the first time, I admitted to myself that I actually loved him. Saying the words was a whole other thing, but I felt the same way about him as he did me. Even though I ran away from them, I didn’t care where we lived, just as a long as we were together.

  We sat there for some time in silence, taking in the space and the future that was just starting between us.

  CHAPTER 35

  Noah

  I expedited the paperwork for the house so that we were able to move in a week later. Jess and I chose our interior designer and the motif we wanted for the house. By the time Friday came around, most of the furniture had already been delivered and placed. It was nice to sleep in a king-sized bed again, even though Jess and I spooned together in the middle of it. Her full-sized mattress at Chloe’s was a little stiff for me.

  The rest of the decorations would be placed and hung later next week. I couldn’t wait for all of it to come together.

  In the meantime, we brought our meager belongings to the house. When Gina and I left St. Paul, we only took what we needed. All of the furniture stayed in the house for the next owners to do as they pleased with it. I wanted us to have a fresh start, so besides clothes and some of our treasured possessions, we left the rest behind. I would never forget Wendy, and I didn’t want Gina to, but this was something I needed to do for a while. Moving to Australia was a big step, but now we were with Jess, and it was time to get started on that relationship together.

  Chloe had the day off work to help us but made sure we had our television set up for that afternoon when she’d watch her soap operas. She didn’t mention it, but I knew it would keep me in her good graces. Besides, it helped distract Gina while Jess and I worked around the house.

  That morning, Chloe and Gina worked in Gina’s room, setting up her closet and toys. I loved seeing the relationship between Gina and Chloe grow. Chloe was the closest thing Gina ever had to a grandparent and Chloe was happy to be one to Gina.

  While they worked upstairs, Jess and I drove the boxes from my storage unit to the house, then unloaded everything into the foyer. In Minnesota, I’d hired a company to move all of our things, and they color coded the boxes, which made it much easier to sort. Everything we had was for our living spaces.

  Earlier in the week, Jess and I made lists of other things we needed. Using two-day shipping, we had everything delivered quickly, and those were stacked in the foyer, ready to be opened. The items were staples for our home, such as utensils and other necessities that Jess and I ordered online.

  It took her some time to get over asking me if it was okay that she was spending the amount she was on items for the house.

  “It’s our place, remember?” I’d said. “And my money is your money now. Don’t worry about it. We need forks.”

  “Not sure we need forks that are this expensive,” she muttered.

  I kissed her cheek. “Buy whatever you like, no matter if they are cheap or costly.”

  Chloe and Gina were finished with Gina’s room less than two hours later. While Jess and I sorted where everything went in the kitchen, Gina and Chloe cooked us lunch. Gina was getting good at keeping her hands steady for a lot of the tasks, and she improved daily, soaking in the cooking wisdom from anyone who would offer it.

  We all ate while we were completing other tasks, wanting to get as much done as we could. The sooner we finished, the sooner we’d be able to live in a house without boxes everywhere.

  Jess and I completed the kitchen by late afternoon and decided to take a break. Gina sat down with Chloe in front of the television. Chloe’s routine quickly became Gina’s as Gina now tended to take her afternoon nap with Chloe while she watched television. I wasn’t sure it was a healthy habit for Gina, but I didn’t say anything for the time being.

  Besides, neither of them minded, and it gave them some bonding time as well, even though Gina was sleeping for most of it.

  The coffee maker was the first thing Jess set up when we started working that morning. Even though we already had two cups that morning, it was later in the day, and I wasn’t the only one who needed a caffeine boost.

  Jess made a carafe and poured three mugs.

  I brought one to Chloe, and she carefully placed it on the side table.

  “You two should take a break,” Chloe said. “Go enjoy the view.”

  She didn’t have to tell me twice. Jess and I went outside to sit on the terrace facing the ocean.

  Even though the inside of the house was a mess, we could forget it all by closing the door and leaving it behind for a few minutes. The crash of the waves on the shore created a gentle rhythmic lullaby that eased any and all tension in my body.

  Jess sipped her coffee before placing the mug down on the ledge below the railing. She leaned over and stared out at the water.

  “I don’t even care that we have a million things to do,” Jess said. “How about we forget all of it and live out here? There’s plenty of room.”

  “I can always use the grill cover for a blanket for us. Though I’m sure our backs will be out of commission soon enough.”

  Jess smiled. “When I was a little girl, I used to keep my windows open at night and let the sound of the waves help me get to sleep. So, when I moved to the States, I had to get one of those sound machines.”

  “You never had issues sleeping at my house,” I said.

  She bumped my arm. “Well, you exhausted me each night.”

  I chuckled. “Well for those nights that my lovemaking isn’t exhaust
ing enough, you can open the windows. Or keep them open whenever you want. I like the sound too.”

  She threaded her fingers with mine. “Are you happy?”

  “Implicitly,” I said without hesitation. “I’m getting used to being retired. I actually don’t remember the last time I checked my phone. “Actually,” I turned to look inside, “where is my phone? I’m serious. I have no idea.”

  “I bet that is freeing,” she said with a smile.

  I sighed. It was. Being with Jess relaxed me to more than I’d ever been, but having work off my shoulders and seeing Gina’s smile each morning at breakfast was worth it.

  “I’m happy for you,” she said. “And I’m thankful for what you’ve done for us. Gina will have amazing memories of you when she’s older. She might not realize it for a while, but someday.”

  A wave of sadness moved through me. Jess grew up never knowing her father. It was the opposite situation from Gina. I never thought about how that might affect Jess. Maybe that’s why she was so persistent with me to spend time with Gina. For me, I knew Gina needed a mother type in her life. I never thought of it the other way around. She needed a father too, which was why it was so important for me to retire. I had the means. There was no reason I had to keep working as much as I did. If I’d continued on that track, Gina might have lost the opportunity for both a mother and a father.

  Even though Jess was the exception, I knew deep down she missed a huge chunk of her life because of that. And even though I couldn’t buy her happiness, I could try to be the man that Gina and Jess needed for the rest of their lives.

  I put my arm around Jess and pulled her close, trying to convey the love I had for her through one single gesture. Her head dropped to my shoulder, and she yawned.

  “We should get to bed early tonight,” I said.

  “Yeah, I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to be sore tomorrow.”

  “Hopefully not too sore,” I said.

  She looked up at me with a quizzical expression.

  “Don’t tell me you forgot about Gina’s surfing lesson?” I asked innocently.

  A slow smile spread across her lips. “That’s right. Sorry. My head has been full of moving stuff.”

  “Well, it’s not like we have to travel far,” I said, indicating the water in front of us.

  “At first, yes,” she said. “But once Gina gets better, then we can move to the bigger beaches.”

  “Not anytime soon, though,” I said. My protective wall shot up for my daughter. She was only three, the only waves I wanted her one were those shorter than her.

  “Who knows?” Jess said. “Maybe she will be a pro at a young age. She could get sponsorships and the like.”

  “Then she can take care of us for a change,” I said.

  We laughed, and Jess wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her.

  CHAPTER 36

  Jess

  The next morning, I woke to the bed jostling under me. My eyes sprung open, and I shielded them from the harsh sunlight coming in through the open windows. The curtains hadn’t arrived yet so each morning the sun was unyielding over the ocean.

  But it wasn’t only the morning sun waking me up. Gina’s little feet bounced her body up and down on the bed. She managed to wedge herself between Noah and me.

  I rolled over, and Noah stared up at his daughter with one eye open.

  “Wake up!” Gina said.

  “What time is it?” I asked.

  “It’s seven,” Noah said, adjusting himself under the covers. Noah and I had settled into a more intimate routine. Part of that involved him wearing nothing to bed.

  I pulled Gina down to me and tickled her. Her squeals of laughter filled the room.

  “You said the waves were big in the morning,” Gina said after I was finished with her.

  I tucked her against me. “The waves aren’t big at all around here. So we can go at any point today.”

  “How about now?” she asked.

  Noah kissed my shoulder. “We are up now.”

  I groaned and dug my face into my pillow. My new bed was so comfortable. It was hard to get up on a regular day. But I did promise them. And if Gina was up, there was no way Noah or I would be able to get back to sleep. I hoped Noah would entertain an afternoon nap while Gina slept.

  I sat up in bed, feeling the twinges and aches in my muscles. I hadn’t lifted anything particularly heavy yesterday, but I was still so sore from being on my feet all day and moving things around the house. Today was going to add to that.

  “What’s for breakfast?” Gina asked.

  I had no energy to do anything, let alone cook. “How about cereal?”

  Noah rolled over and grabbed Gina from my side of the bed. She kicked her legs up. “Gina and I are going to make pancakes. Come down when you’re ready.”

  “I’ll be right there,” I said.

  “Take your time,” Noah called from the hallway. “Gina is cooking today.”

  I expected a huge mess by the time I got down there, but I saw no reason to rush.

  Noah really did take to being retired. And he wasn’t one to sit around and watch television. I suspected his willingness to help with chores around the house and sharing responsibility with Gina was him making up for lost time. In the brief period we were officially together, he had transformed into a better version of himself. And Gina was one lucky girl to have two people—three including Mom—to love her as much as we did.

  It was something I always regretted not having. When I was younger, Mom never tried to be the maternal figure I needed. But with that experience, I was better equipped to be able to give someone—Gina—what she needed. I was never going to replace Wendy, but I could strive to be the best role model I could for the growing girl.

  I rolled out of bed and walked over to the windows, peering across the ocean.

  Living at Mom’s, we didn’t have this unobstructed view of the sea, so it was still a novelty for me since moving in with Noah.

  Today was going to be a good day.

  When I went down into the kitchen, I’d been right about the mess. There was flour and egg all over the counter surface. Gina wore the apron we’d made together, but the colored hand prints on the front were nearly covered with white. Gina and Noah were by the stove, and she grinned from ear to ear. Her face was paler than normal, caked with spots of flour across it.

  Noah held the spatula and helped Gina flip one of the pancakes.

  There was a stack several pancakes next to them. One of the requests from Noah when we ordered new appliances was a griddle. Gina loved breakfast foods, and it was only natural for us to purchase the tool for the house. It was much bigger than I pictured from the website. It took up most of the counter, but it looked like Noah was able to make six pancakes at a time on it. Which sped up the time from making the batter to eating.

  “I’ll set the table,” I said.

  “We’re almost done,” Noah said. “Coffee is over there.”

  I stacked three brand new plates with forks and knives on top and headed over to the breakfast nook. As I set the table, a warmth spread through my body.

  Gina’s laughter from the kitchen and Noah’s encouraging voice painted a picture of a family that I always wanted to be a part of. Now that I was in it, I never wanted to let it go. When I was done, I stood there for a minute and closed my eyes, holding onto that moment. Noah and I had no intentions of taking this relationship further for the time being. We had found our niche, and I wasn’t going to rush anything. We saw how that turned out last time. I didn’t regret taking him to Australia the first time, but pushing him right after about Gina wasn’t one of my best moments.

  Though, if I hadn’t, would we still be hiding our relationship from her in Minnesota? I wasn’t sure.

  Noah and Gina came into the room. Noah carried the pancakes while Gina balanced the syrup and butter in her hands.

  “Let me help you,” I said, taking the crystal butter dish from her. It w
as a gift from Mom, and I wanted it to last longer than a week in our house.

  Noah put down the plate and lifted Gina into her booster seat. “Bon appetit!”

  “This looks great,” I said.

  “Wait until you taste them,” Noah said, sitting down at the end of the table. “I added a secret ingredient.”

  “Powdered sugar,” Gina said to me.

  Noah opened his mouth in mock-shock. “It’s not a secret if you tell her.”

  Gina giggled, and Noah shook his head while smiling.

  “In any case, I can’t wait to try them,” I said, placing a pancake on Gina’s plate. I cut it up into several large pieces, and she doused them with syrup before digging in. “Don’t each too much though. You don’t want a full belly for surfing.”

  Gina put down her fork and wrung her hands together in her lap.

  “I didn’t say you can’t have any.”

  “I know,” she said. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

  “What’s wrong, honey?” Noah asked.

  “What if I fall down?” Gina said.

  I reached over and touched her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. I tucked her hair behind her ear and lifted her chin with my finger. “You probably will fall down. That’s part of learning. But your dad and I will be right there to help you onto your feet. Don’t think you need to be perfect on the first day. It took me a while to learn.”

  “It did?” Gina asked, her eyes wide.

  “Yes, it did.”

  Gina sighed and picked up her fork, her appetite returning.

  I went back to my plate and felt Noah’s eyes on me. I lifted my gaze and met his. He had a small smile on his lips, but his eyes sparkled.

  A ripple of heat moved through me. I matched the contentment in his expression. I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten so lucky in life, but I didn’t question it.

  After we had eaten, we changed into wetsuits and headed down to the beach.

  I knew we lived on the shore, but after living in a home that was five minutes from the sand for most of my life, it was a strange sensation to walk down the steps attached to the terrace and be right there.