She handed one over. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I ordered an assortment. It’s one of my favorite leftovers, so I can take whatever you don’t want.”
“Oh, no. I feel the same way.” I walked into the kitchen, and Paige sauntered behind, her gaze touching every surface of my apartment. I started to unload the boxes of food and realized she’d bought enough to feed her entire company. Her generosity continued to surprise me.
“How was your first day with everyone?” I asked, grabbing two plates from the cabinet and placing them on the marble countertop.
She breathed a sigh. “It went well. Better than I expected.” She slid onto the bar stool and pulled two sets of chopsticks from the bag.
“What about those who couldn’t make it?” I wanted to stay on the subject of work for as long as possible. Maybe it would lead into more work conversations, and Paige would leave tonight knowing where we stood.
“Allison convinced them,” she said, dipping her chopsticks into a box filled with Mei Fun. She slurped the noodles, and I couldn’t help licking my lips. How I wanted her lips to be on any part of me. “I helped them out financially, but it seems as if everyone is happy with the move.”
“That’s great.”
She nodded. “Now, we have to hit the ground running. There was too much time wasted with the move. When we do the bigger building, I doubt we’ll get on our feet quickly.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out flawlessly,” I said. “You have so far.”
She shrugged. “Thanks.”
“Thanks for bringing this over,” I said. “I haven’t left the house in like two weeks.”
“You’ve been busy?” she asked.
“Working on your plans.” I rubbed the back of my neck, digging my fingers into my aching muscles. It was a feeling I was used to when I’d worked as an architect full time. Hours spent poring over plans didn’t improve my posture. Slouching had been replaced with standing once I became a professor. Now, I felt the burn. “Do you want to see them?”
“Sure,” she said, pushing away from the table.
I popped an egg roll in my mouth and took a bite. The perfectly fried crunchy exterior tasted like heaven. I’d have to get the name of her Chinese food place of choice.
Paige followed me through the small hallway toward the dining room. A table for twelve took up the center of the room, though I’d never filled it before. I appreciated the idea that someday I might. She looked around the room again as if studying artwork in a museum. I supposed I owed her a tour at some point. But right then, I had to keep my mind on work.
I walked her through the exterior and interior plans, and she stayed quiet while I spoke. She hadn’t offered her agreement or disagreement on the looks of the place. I started to doubt myself. At least until she spoke for the first time.
“You’ve come a long way since the whiteboard,” she said, smiling.
I looked into her eyes. “Do you like it?”
“Of course, I do. I trust you with this Reese. You’ve done everything I’ve asked and more.”
I let out a relieved breath.
She giggled. “Did you think I didn’t like it?”
I shrugged. “I wasn’t sure. You normally give your opinions a little more freely.”
That made her frown, but she didn’t say anything.
“What’s going on, Paige? Should we do this another time?”
She shook her head. “I can’t get something out of my mind.”
“What is it?” I asked.
She shook her head again. “It’s not what I wanted to talk about tonight. I didn’t want to ruin our working relationship.”
“Nothing you can say would ruin it,” I assured her.
She lifted her hazel eyes to mine. They swam with emotion. “Is everything okay with us, on both levels?”
One of the things I loved about Paige was her bluntness, both in business and her personal life. She didn’t double-speak like most women I knew. She asked what she wanted to know, even though sometimes it was hard.
“I believe so,” I said honestly. I couldn’t lie to her. Omitting the truth was the best I could do. The more time I spent with her, the harder it became.
“It didn’t seem like that over these last two weeks,” she said. “I tried to keep my distance, but it was hard. As much as I wanted to know about the building, I wanted to see you, too.” She touched my hand, and I covered it with mine. Her breathing became a little ragged, and I wasn’t sure if she was relieved or upset.
My insides burned. Fuck it all. I couldn’t have her looking at me like that. The urge to hold her overwhelmed my need to keep my distance. I threw away every shred of doubt I had about our future. I wanted to live in the present, and I had a feeling Paige did too.
“There’s nothing wrong with us,” I said. “There never has been. You’re always on my mind. I apologize for ignoring you. I get into my work, and even more so because it’s for you this time. I want everything to be perfect with your building. I know how important this is to you. Which makes it important to me.”
“I feel like an idiot,” she said. “I’ve never felt this way before. About anyone. I want to work with you, but I also want more. Is that stupid?”
“Not at all,” I said, feeling the rush of my heartbeat in my ears. I clasped her hands and squeezed, as if the gesture could convey how I felt about her. But I was finished with showing. I needed to tell her what was in my heart and on my mind. “I haven’t cared for anyone the way I do about you. Ever. And I doubt I will again.”
Her eyes widened as I leaned forward and kissed her. Her hands dug into my shoulders, and her mouth opened for me. I dipped my tongue inside and tasted her. A zap of electricity moved through me, and I knew, more than I ever had before, that I belonged with her. To hell with the rest.
I would take her one day at a time until we were separated. I couldn’t help it. I was a selfish bastard, but I couldn’t say no to Paige anymore. I couldn’t fight it. Because what I said was true. I never allowed myself to open up to anyone the way I did with Paige. I didn’t want to do it with anyone else, either. She was a rare gem I wanted to lock away forever. Even though we didn’t have that amount of time, I wasn’t about to waste what I did have.
Chapter 18
Reese’s words floored me. He cared about me too. All the worrying from the two weeks we were apart disappeared into thin air as he kissed me. Our hands traveled around each other’s bodies as if reacquainting ourselves with each other. It had felt like forever since we’d done this, but the same vibrating feeling numbed my insides. Each one of his caresses was a zap of electricity which pooled inside of me, warming the space between my legs.
Reese’s kisses were feverish. I already felt the swelling in my lips as his mouth and teeth dragged against them.
He lifted me onto the dining room table, and I broke the kiss for a moment, moving the plans away from my body. I didn’t want to ruin his hard work. I almost regretted wearing slacks today. Normally, I wore pencil skirts, but I wanted to be comfortable for any heavy lifting or movement of items at the warehouse.
Reese’s eyes darkened, and he scooped my neck in his hand and pulled me close again. His hands cupped my breast and rubbed the already sensitive nipples. I moaned into his mouth, and he popped the buttons from my blouse.
“I missed you so much,” he said against my mouth.
“Me too,” I breathed. He had no idea. My body responded to him like it had missed him more than I had.
He pulled my shirt away from my body and kissed my breasts, giving them equal time and pleasure. I reached for the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head. My hands splayed over his back, tracing the lines of his tattoos and scars. They were a welcome sight.
He laid me on top of the table. The surface was cool against my heated back. Reese lifted my legs onto the cluttered surface and moved me back. He pulled my slacks down until I was only in my underwear. The fabric pooled around my an
kles, but he held it there. Between my high heels and pants, he held me in place.
His mouth appeared at my lower lips, and he started to suck and lick at the fabric of my panties. Stars sparkled behind my eyes when he slipped a finger under the elastic and inside of me.
“You’re so wet,” he said, his voice low and sexy.
“You made me wait long enough.”
It was a little jab, but he took it in stride, kissing me between my legs. His tongue caressed my skin, and I arched my back to meet his languid kisses. I tangled my fingers in his hair and pulled slightly, moving him toward my sweet spot. He rolled his tongue around my clit, and I moaned loudly. His hands reached up and dug under my bra, squeezing and tweaking my nipples.
The sensation drove my insides wild, and I bucked against his mouth.
“No,” he said as if he were my professor, scolding me for a bad grade on an exam. “Not yet.”
He moved away from me, and the cool air in the room clung to my damp skin. He lifted me from the table so that I sat in front of him. He traced his fingers down the length of my bra strap and moved it aside. I unbuckled his belt, desperate to tease him like he was doing to me.
I shoved his pants down. He was more than ready for me. I pulled him closer, and his hardness pressed against me. I wished there wasn’t any fabric separating us, but I wanted it to go slow tonight. He told me he cared about me. I wanted to make this night special for the both of us.
I ran my fingernails down his back as I kissed him again. He deepened the kiss, and his fingers entered me once more. I bucked against him, intending to slow him down, but he wasn’t having it.
“You feel so incredible,” he said against my lips.
“You too,” I said, smoothing my hand over another scar on his back. He didn’t seem to notice.
Though, I did notice the new one on his shoulder. The one with the jagged edges. It was the same place I’d seen him bleeding the last time I saw him. The time when he left so abruptly, probably to clean himself up. Bumping into a tree didn’t make that kind of mark but now wasn’t the time to discuss it.
To distract my thoughts, I kicked off my shoes and slacks before wrapping my legs around him. I pressed against him and started to rock.
Reese sucked in a breath. “I want you so badly, Paige.”
I answered him with a kiss and then tugged his bottom lip with my teeth.
He scooped me up and walked me down a small hallway. His fingers somehow made it inside of me again, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders to stay upright.
My vision swam with pleasure, and I didn’t realize where we were until Reese placed me onto a soft surface. He walked into a massive closet, disappearing for a minute.
I was in his bedroom. It was far from what I thought his bedroom would look like. The silk coverlet under me felt like I sat on a cloud, and the room was twice the size of my bedroom. One door stood ajar next to me. Double sinks sat inside the dark room, and I imagined even more opulent surroundings.
During the short time I’d spent in Reese’s company, I’d gotten a feeling he had more money than Allison realized. She had mentioned him not making much money, but every time we went out, it was a never-ending stream of expensive restaurants and locations.
I didn’t care if he was poor or rich, but I found it strange that he would keep it to himself. The apartment had to cost a million dollars at least. Probably more. It was much larger than mine and in a more expensive neighborhood in the city.
All my thoughts about his wealth faded away when Reese came back into the bedroom. His boxer briefs were gone, and he had a condom on. He was as ready as I was.
I scooted onto the bed, and the sheets added to the pleasure rippling over my skin. He crawled over to me and pressed his hands on either side of my body. “I wish I could have you here every night. Just like this.”
I pressed my lips together, wanting to open myself even more to him. But that would come at another time. I wanted him now, without any talk of his mysterious past to creep into the conversation and ruin this for me.
My body and mind wanted him, and I was going to take him.
He slipped inside of me, and I inhaled sharply. He slid in so quickly that it took me by surprise. He moved, stretching me out.
I grabbed onto his shoulders and pushed him deeper. I wanted to feel every inch of him inside of me. I rocked against his hips, and his eyes fluttered closed.
I couldn’t help a smile from crossing my lips. I enjoyed pleasuring him as much as he did me.
I tightened my legs around him until he was on top of me. He was heavier that way, but I didn’t want an inch between us. I clawed at his back as he pulled himself all the way out before plunging himself back inside of me. He slammed into me over and over until I felt the familiar heat of my approaching orgasm coming on full force.
“Paige,” he growled against my ear, and I dug my nails deeper into his skin.
We panted, moaned, and pushed each other to the limit before I crashed into him. Waves of pleasure washed over me, and I groaned against his ear.
He came soon after, and I hugged him tightly against me.
“How can you breathe right now?” he asked, propping himself on his elbows.
“We were doing a bit of mouth to mouth.”
He smirked and kissed me again, slower this time. Neither of us moved from our position. We laid on our sides with no more than a few inches between us. He stroked my hair and brought it closer to my breast before stroking those. I loved when he touched me. He ignited something inside of me that I doubted anyone else ever would.
The thought of anyone else brought me back to the scar near his shoulder. I started lower, tracing one of his tattoos, but I couldn’t help running my fingers over the thick skin.
“What happened here?” I asked. “It looks new.”
I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“I don’t know,” he said, stiffening. “I think I bumped into something. It’s not a big deal.”
I nodded and trapped my lip under my teeth. I wanted to press more. Last time I saw him, he said he bumped into a tree. Now, it was something? He’d lied to me. About how much? I had no idea.
No one could bleed through their shirt and have a scar like that without knowing exactly where it came from. Maybe with Reese’s admission of his feelings for me, he’d finally tell me more about his past. He must know I wasn’t stupid enough to think he was poor after having a warehouse to himself and an apartment practically the size of two warehouses.
But Reese scooted away from me and moved off the bed, heading into the bathroom. The water started running, and my skin turned ice cold.
When he returned to the room, I let go of my questions. He was still hiding something from me, even after his declaration. I wasn’t going to spoil the evening, so I didn’t question him again. For now.
Chapter 19
Movement from across my bedroom forced my eyes open. My hackles rose, but quickly fell when I saw Paige. Her back was turned to me as she buttoned her blouse from yesterday. I glanced at the clock, wanting a few more minutes with her. It was only six in the morning, but I knew she had a commute back to her place. As much as I wanted to shower and get ready with her, she had work.
“Morning,” I said, sitting up.
She tensed and turned around. “Morning. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Do you have enough time for breakfast?” I asked.
She smoothed her hair away from her face. Even after the sex we had last night, other than the glow of her skin, she looked as if she’d already showered and done her hair and makeup. How did she manage that?
“I wish I could. I need to get back to my place before work. I wanted to be there before anyone else. Technically, this is the first day of work, and I want to make a good impression.”
She lifted her shoes from the floor and sat on the edge of my bed.
“I’m sure you’ve already made a good impression.” I scooted closer and kissed her
neck.
She leaned against me as she slipped her foot into her shoe. “I hope so. But now that everyone is in the same place, I want to hit the ground running. You understand, right?”
“Of course,” I said. “But you’re an intelligent woman. They all know that, or else they wouldn’t have picked up their lives to come to the city.”
“That’s true. They all seemed excited about the new space. I wonder how it will be when we move.”
“Even better, I hope,” I said with a smirk.
“Your plans are amazing,” she said. “I can’t wait to see how it all progresses.”
A tightening sensation welled in my chest. I wondered if there would be enough time. During the last two weeks, I rushed against a time clock. Knowing my luck, the end would come sooner rather than later. “Me too.” It wasn’t a lie.
“Having everyone here, it makes it so much more real to me,” she said. “This company means more to me than I ever thought when I started it. Having so many people in front of me, with all of them looking to me to lead them. It’s very surreal. I suppose I’ll have to get used to it eventually.”
I looked at her as she buckled the strap of her heels against her foot. Paige worked in the field that she loved. It made everything I did for her worth it to see her so happy. I tried to push Jonah to the back of my mind, but at the thought of Paige going into the world without me, I knew our time together shortened with each passing second.
She sighed. “I had a fun time last night. Can we not go two weeks before seeing each other again?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. If it were up to me, I’d move Paige into my place today. I had the urge to protect her no matter what. Since sharing my feelings for her, I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in a bubble and keep her for me and me alone. “Definitely.”
She leaned over and kissed me on the lips. The hint of mint from my toothpaste lingered on her mouth. “I’ll call you later. But you can text me whenever. If you want.” She finished the last part quickly as if she still didn’t believe in how I felt about her.
Trying To Be Good Book 2 Page 11