by Elise Faber
“And this thing between us?” he teased. “As long as it involves that?”
“Shut it, mister.” She kissed his pec, flicked her tongue over one nipple, grinning when he moaned. “We can’t all be Lotharios spouting perfect romantic sentiments.” He opened his mouth, but she rose up to slant her mouth across his. “Now show me exactly how romantic you can be right here in this shower.”
So, he did.
Twice.
And when they fell into bed later that afternoon, the sky already dark, the stars blinking cheerfully down on them, Cecilia fell asleep with a smile on her lips.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cecilia
“I’m going to meet my friend Heather in Berlin next week,” Cecilia said over dinner.
She and Colin had finally emerged from the cabin after doing little more than sleeping, having sex, and waiting for the night sky to light up with that otherworldly green of the aurora borealis for almost three days. But today she’d spent the morning sketching then several hours in the afternoon with Lizzie, enjoying the spa and getting in a little girl time while their various boys had whittled away the hours doing who knew what.
They’d also made plans to get together when they both returned to California, and CeCe was excited over the prospect of a new friend.
And then there were the magical auroras.
It still made her breath catch, the way those waves of emerald seemed to streak across the sky. She’d managed to see it twice more, bringing her total up to four incredible views.
And each time they appeared, the air still froze in her lungs and awe welled up in her heart.
But she was also going a little stir-crazy.
They’d panned for gold, done the dog sled thing, eaten at the restaurants, had food delivered. They’d read and talked. They’d fucked like rabbits.
Items were being checked off her bucket list left and right, but she missed the sun.
By the time they got up in the morning, the sun was already on its downward trek and when early afternoon rolled around, it was pitch black. The short days were messing with her mind, as was the isolation.
The staff at the resort were great at being unobtrusive, but she needed some people around. Needed to be able to walk down to the corner coffee shop and grab a pumpkin spice latte. She wanted to wear cozy sweaters and black leggings and infinity scarves, not parkas and snow boots.
She missed being home.
She missed Hunter and Carter and Jordan and Abby and Bec and Seraphina.
She missed her family.
But she had Colin, her heart reminded her, swelling like a balloon when he replied to her statement about meeting Heather with, “Do you want me to go with you? I know a great restaurant near . . .”
She squeezed his hand. “Don’t you need to get back to work?”
He grinned. “I haven’t taken a personal day in almost six years. Not since—” His smile faltered, but he pushed on. “Not since I buried my father.”
“But—”
“It was the perfect way of hiding,” he murmured, snagging a piece of meat off her plate. “But I’m done with throwing myself into work at the expense of a life that doesn’t involve conference calls and emergency client meetings.”
“Yeah?” she asked.
He captured her hand and kissed her fingers. “Plus, I think I can spare a few more days for the woman I love.” Her heart skipped at the words. “My business partner, who also happens to be named Heather, will be in Berlin for a conference at the end of next week. It would be good to touch base with her before this project takes off.”
“So, work even outside of work?” she teased.
His expression went guilty. “I—”
She stood up from her chair, crossed around the table, and plunked herself into his lap. “I’m teasing.” A kiss to his cheek. “And you don’t have to stealthily check your emails. I’m going to start doing some freelance design work for my friend Abby’s company, so I might be chained to my laptop more than you.”
“Why work on holiday?” he asked.
“So I can pay for my travels,” she said. “And maybe visit a certain Scottish hunk on my way back to the States.”
“Mmm, I like that idea,” he murmured. “Though that would mean I’d let you out of my sight, and I’m not sure I can do that yet.”
“Col.” She touched his cheek, heart starting to pick up its pace. How could she have not considered the fact that they lived an ocean and a continent apart? How would they manage the distance? She couldn’t drop everything and move to Scotland. Not again. “We’re going to be okay, right? I mean, we’ll manage the distance? I—I mean I live in California—”
One hand rested on her hip and squeezed. “I’m rich, remember? I have a private jet that is always at the ready.”
“But—”
“Plus, my new venture is based in California. It’s why I was flying out of San Francisco in the first place.”
“Yeah, about that,” she said. “If this private jet is such a great perk, why were you on a normal flight with the rest of us cattle?”
“I’d loaned it to a friend.” A shrug. “Next time they’re on their own.” He grinned. “Especially since I’ll be in California more than Scotland for the foreseeable future. This project is why I’ve been working so hard to consolidate the McGregor businesses, to make sure they’re strong and healthy.” He tilted his head down so his eyes met hers. “It was stifling, and I wanted to live my own life.”
“But the dukedom? Don’t you have to run it? You can’t just leave it to flounder—”
“Being a duke isn’t like one of your books. I might have the title, but it’s all in a trust, and I have very good managers to make sure it’s secure,” he said, giving her a soft kiss before gently pushing her off his lap. “Now, eat your dinner. I’ve been planning to step back for a good long while from the non-technology ventures and turn it over to people I trust, people I’ve trained, who are long overdue to take up the reins.”
There was something he wasn’t saying, CeCe realized as she sat back in her seat and studied him. “It’s not just that you were overwhelmed.” She tapped a finger against her chin. “There’s something else you’re not saying.”
He speared a piece of fish on his fork and announced like it was no big deal, “I was coming to find you.”
“What?”
“I was going to start with your former coach and keep going with friends and family, talking to anyone and everyone until I found you.” He smiled self-consciously. “Hell, I even considered trying to go viral. An I-messed-up-and-broke-the-woman-I-love’s-heart post on Facebook or Instagram. I even set up an account on YouTube.”
“You didn’t!”
He pulled out his phone and showed her. “I did.”
“Oh, my God.” She dropped her head to the table. “I’m so glad you found me on that plane.”
“Me, too,” he murmured. “So, so much.” And he took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.
They ate in contented silence, their eyes passageways to all the overwhelming feelings in their hearts.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Colin
“Are you going to argue with me about this, too?” he grumbled.
Cecilia glanced around, taking in the tall stone buildings that lined either side of the street. They’d driven by an open-air market and several roadside cafes before arriving at the flat Joanne had reserved for them in the Bergmannkiez neighborhood of Berlin. Just down the street, treetops were visible, signaling a park.
“No,” she murmured and her face went soft. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
“Good,” he said. “Next time you see Joanne, you can thank her. She picked it out.”
Cecilia huffed out a laugh. “You know, most men would take credit for making their woman happy.”
Fuck if he didn’t love the way she’d declared herself to be his woman.
Not that it wasn’t true, but the sound of it
coming off her lips was something special.
“So, a flat is okay but not a plane ride?”
“A private jet ride is a little different from a few days in a flat. You redirected your jet so we could jaunt over to Berlin.” Cecilia rolled her eyes then snagged the keys from his hand to let them into the building. “We could have just hopped on a plane.”
“We did hop on a plane.”
“Your plane.” When she reached for her suitcase, he shooed her hand away, grabbing it and his bag. The rest of their luggage—their heavy snow gear—had been stored on the plane.
He tipped the driver, thanked him, and followed Cecilia inside the building. “What’s the point of owning a plane if it’s not at my beck and call?”
“What if the business needed it?” She shook her head and started climbing the stairs. “What if my little jaunt to Berlin did something to jeopardize your livelihood?”
Colin dropped the suitcases to the floor and climbed the few stairs between him and Cecilia. He snagged her hand, turning her to face him. “Is that what you’re worried about? Each of the major divisions has their own plane, sweetheart. The one we flew on is my personal jet.”
“I—” Her mouth opened and closed a few times, tempting him until he gave in to the urge to kiss it.
“Everything will be fine.” He bent a little to meet her gaze. “Always the truth, remember? I promise, I won’t hold anything back, but you have to as well.” A kiss to her nose. “No brooding or throwing a fit when I want to give you a little treat.”
“Brooding is a male characteristic,” she said, testily. “And I’m not agreeing to being spoiled. If this”—she waved a hand around her—“is a little treat, then I’ll eat my hat.”
“That is a sexist comment.” He grinned. “And I’ll keep the spoiling in check if you promise to accept it graciously.”
“Fine,” she said, crossing her arms. “But that also goes in reverse. If I want to buy you something, you’ll accept it without grumbling.”
“Deal.” He snagged their suitcases and they climbed the rest of the stairs to the flat’s door. Once inside, he set the bags inside the hall, shoved the keys on top of them, and scooped Cecilia up into his arms. She squealed as he kissed her, swallowing the happy sound, before using his foot to make sure the door was shut. Then he carried her down the hall, checking each of the rooms before finally finding one with a bed.
He tossed her on the mattress and followed her down. “Now, how about you accept something else without complaint?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cecelia
She smirked, staring up at the beautiful specimen of man above her for a moment, before wriggling to reach into her back pocket and retrieve a condom with all the flourish of a magician pulling a rabbit from his top hat.
“I think I can accept something without complaint,” she said, pushing him to his back and tugging down the zipper of his jeans. “But first, it’s my turn to give you a little treat.”
Colin folded his arms behind his head, raised a brow. “Little?”
She snorted and tugged at the hem of his T-shirt, silently telling him to take it off. “Nice try,” she told him, yanking off her own tee when he obliged. A shimmy later and her leggings were off.
He got a glimpse of what she was wearing underneath and grinned.
“You like?” she asked, sliding her hands down over her breasts and teasing her fingertips under the band of her panties. The set was pale pink silk and very, very sheer. “My friends gave me a few parting gifts before I left California.” She smirked. “Told me to use them on a hot European man.” A tap of her finger to her chin. “Hmm. Where am I going to find one of those?”
“Behave.” Colin reached up and tweaked one nipple through her bra, making her jump even as pleasure arrowed straight between her thighs.
She brushed her mouth over his nipple, flicked her tongue out. “I don’t think you want me to behave.” She bit down.
He hissed, fingers coming up to hold her head to him.
“Do you have more?” he asked hoarsely, when she slipped free and started tracing her tongue down.
She paused at the waistband of his boxer briefs. “Yes.” CeCe pushed both his jeans and his underwear down, freeing his cock so she could suck it into her mouth.
“I’m going to kiss your friends,” he groaned.
Releasing him with a soft pop, she glared up at him. “You’ll save all your kisses for me.”
“Of course.” Colin nodded rapidly, arching his hips up, encouraging her back to her little treat.
“Good,” she said with narrowed eyes before gliding his cock back between her lips, stroking her hand up and down its length until she found a rhythm that had him moaning and thrusting up, fingers clenching and unclenching in her hair, breaths coming in rapid gasps.
“Enough.”
Suddenly, she found herself on her back, Colin pressing her down into the mattress. His eyes were wild, his hair askew, and his cock was hard and glistening against her stomach.
He didn’t give her a second to process the gorgeousness of that image before his mouth was moving on her breasts, his fingers slipping between her thighs.
“Col—”
She broke off with a scream when he thrust his fingers inside of her.
He froze. “Too much?”
“No,” she said, quickly. “Just give a woman a moment to catch her breath.”
“No.” He was a flurry of action—sucking on her nipples, kissing his way down her stomach, flicking her tongue against her clit, stroking his fingers in and out, in and out.
Pleasure rose inside her with all the subtly of a tsunami approaching shore. One second, she was merely turned on. The next, she was catapulting up the mountainside, hurtling for the peak, screaming again as she plummeted down the other side.
There was a crinkle and then Colin was pushing inside, not giving her a second for her body to adjust to the rigid intrusion of him before he was pounding into her in a way that intensified the waves of pleasure still radiating through her, fanning the embers of her desire into flames that threatened to engulf her all over again.
“Col—” She broke off and groaned when he hit just the right spot. “Yes. God. Mmm.”
“Look at me.”
Her eyes flashed open and she met his, saw the need in their depths, the razor thin control he was grasping at, but watched captivated her most was the love.
The last bit of fear, the piece she’d been holding back to keep safe. They both slipped away.
She was Colin’s.
Forever.
“Give me everything,” she whispered, her hands coming to his shoulders. “I’m not scared anymore, Col. Just . . . give me everything.”
He didn’t hesitate, just leaned down to kiss her, his tongue thrusting in synchrony with his hips, taking them both over the cliff, driving them headfirst into pleasure on the other side.
And when he held her close afterward, their exhalations still jagged, both of their hearts beating a rapid tattoo, Colin murmured, “Everything is already yours, sweetheart.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Colin
“What time are we meeting your friend?” Colin asked the next day, running a towel over his hair as Cecilia shaved her legs in the shower.
They’d slipped into a comfortable pattern of living together, sharing space and even a bathroom without a moment of awkwardness. Though . . . he grinned, thinking of CeCe’s fantastic body covered in suds his hands had helped create in an effort to make sure she was clean. Co-ed showers certainly helped that along.
“For a pre-dinner drink and then maybe a meal if she can stay away from work that long,” she said. “Heather’s as much of a workaholic as you.”
“Reformed,” he said. “Your man is a reformed workaholic.”
She peeked her head out of the shower curtain. “Who was up at three a.m. checking his emails.”
“Fine. Mostly reformed.” He kissed her, slippin
g a hand around the curtain to cup all his favorite curves.
“Mmm,” she said, leaning into him before jumping back with a screech. “That plastic is cold! Plus, as much as I like your mouth and hands and”—her eyes flicked down and she licked her lips, which pretty much turned his hard-on into blue balls—“certain other parts of your anatomy, I don’t want to be late to meet Heather.”
He rubbed his thumb across her nipple. “I can be quick.”
“No, you can’t,” she said with a smile. “Which is why I love you.”
Colin was grinning when she stiffened and her face went serious. “What is it?”
She dropped the curtain. “Nothing. I just—I had better finish shaving.”
Mentally repeating what she’d said gave him the insight he needed. He dropped his towel and slipped back inside the shower, carefully retrieving the razor from CeCe’s hand before gathering her into his arms. “I love you, sweetheart. I’ve told you, nothing you say will change that.”
She released a shuddering breath. “I know. It’s silly, it’s just last time I said that—”
He’d told her to go.
“You don’t have to say it.” He wiped a thumb below her eye, swiping away the moisture there. “I know how you feel. But things are different now, and if it accidentally slips out, I’m not going to run for the hills or be too drunk and angry and stupid to not recognize your words for the wonderful gift they are.”
“Colin.”
“What?” He brushed back water dripping down her forehead.
“You absolutely slay me with your words.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “That’s because I’m amazing.”
She mock-scowled. “And modest, too.” He grinned as he kissed her, feeling her answering smile against his lips. But then she gave him a little shove and tilted her head in the direction of the door. “Now, get out of here, I’ve got to finish showering so we can meet Heather.”
