by Parker, Ali
“I owe you an apology,” she said finally, her hazel eyes soft and shining. “I also owe you a huge thank-you.”
My eyebrows lifted in surprise; my heart clenching tight with the most dangerous of emotions. Hope. “Apology accepted and there’s no thank you necessary.”
She chuckled, starting to look and sound more like herself with every passing second. “I haven’t even apologized yet. You can’t accept an apology you haven’t heard, and there’s very much thanks necessary.”
Keeping her eyes on mine, she rolled her shoulders back. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you out. I was so shocked and disappointed and hurt that it never crossed my mind that you might have a real explanation to offer and not just an excuse.”
“That’s understandable. What I did was wrong, and I think if you had asked me then, I probably would have made excuses. I do have an explanation now, though. If you want it.”
Her lips pressed together and a strange sense of serenity seemed to come over her. “I don’t think I need one anymore. I think I understand why you did what you did, and I don’t think it’s because you saw me as a pathetic charity case.”
“Absolutely not,” I confirmed, my tone firm and confident. “I saw someone I cared about who needed help and I couldn’t resist. I’m sorry I went against your wishes and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I’m not sorry for approaching Adam. You needed a chance and I knew he would give you one.”
Inclining her head, she sighed softly. “That’s what I thought. Thank you for going to him, and for everything that you’ve done for me. I don’t know why you decided to help me, but you’re right. I needed it, and I’m grateful for what my life has become thanks to you.”
“You’re welcome, but I meant it when I said you didn’t need to thank me. I did it for you because I wanted to, because from the first moment I saw you, I knew you were special and I couldn’t just walk away from that.”
“You’re pretty special too.” She smiled, lifting her hand like she was about to reach across the table for mine before she withdrew it again. “I came here pretty impulsively, so I don’t really know what to say. I was at the airport in Seattle, waiting in line to board my flight, and suddenly I just had no interest in going back to Florida knowing that you weren’t there.”
“I can’t tell you how happy it’s made me that you’re here.” I thought I’d never see her again, never mind get a second chance with her. I cleared my throat, forcing back all the emotional words that were on the tip of my tongue. “If you flew straight here, you must be starving for some real, good food that isn’t a disappointing airplane meal. Let’s order.”
While we had dinner, Valerie filled me in on the event in Seattle and everything else she had been up to since I’d last seen her. I hung on her every word, mesmerized by everything about her, from the way her eyes sparkled in the soft light to the way she used her hands to talk when she really got into a story.
When we were done, we walked outside and I opened the passenger side door of my car for her. “So, where to? You said you came here impulsively, so I’m assuming you haven’t booked a hotel.”
Her cheeks flushed. “No, I didn’t. I wasn’t sure how this was going to go, and I didn’t want to get a hotel if it went badly. I planned on going right back to the airport and hopping on the first flight to Florida if you weren’t willing to talk to me. I said some terrible things to you.”
“You were angry.” I winced when I thought back to some of the things she’d said, but I was willing to put it behind us if she was. “I could never not want to talk to you, Val. All I’ve wanted to do for the past month was to talk to you.”
“Olive had to wrestle my phone away from me once. I was this close to calling you.” She held her thumb and her index finger less than an inch apart, twisting in her seat to face me. “Could we agree to a clean slate? I don’t want to be angry with you anymore and I don’t want to lose you.”
“I don’t want to lose you either.” It was probably the most honest admission I’d ever made. “Clean slate it is. Nothing would make me happier.”
She smiled. “Good, because I was hoping you might have a guest bedroom I could crash in for the night.”
“You can have your pick of the lot of them.” I turned the engine over, pulling out of the parking spot to take Valerie back to my house. It seemed surreal that she was here, but she was.
If this was the second chance I’d been hoping, praying, and wishing for, I wasn’t fucking it up again. Whatever she wanted I would give her. And this time, I’d listen to fucking Elliot when he offered me advice.
We chatted about nothing all the way back to my condo, staying as close together as we could get without actually touching as we walked inside and took the elevator up. When we got inside, I turned on the lights and invited her in.
“Home sweet home.” I looked around the condo I’d had for years, still finding it hard to believe that I was going to be moving out soon.
At some point, I knew I was going to have to tell her that Boston wasn’t going to be my home base for much longer, not if I had anything to say about it. “Would you like a drink?”
“No.” She closed the distance between us, pressing her body flush against mine and resting her hands gently at the nape of my neck. “I really owe my life to you, Fulton. I’m sorry I was such a jerk. I know we agreed to a clean slate, but I can’t put it behind us without letting you know how much everything you’ve done for me means to me.”
“I’m sorry I was a jerk too.” I wrapped my arms around her, tightening them until our bodies were melded together, and I dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I promise I’ll never go behind your back on anything again. Full disclosure from now on.”
“In the interest of full disclosure then, you should know that I really want to kiss you right now. Not because I’m grateful or appreciative of everything that you’ve done, but because you’re you and I’ve missed you so damn much.”
“I missed you too,” I murmured, lowering my head at the same time that she pushed up on her toes. Our lips met halfway, both of us moaning as soon as they did. I didn’t know about Valerie, but it was the best fucking kiss I’d ever had.
Chapter 38
Valerie
Fulton’s kiss was like coming home, like every wish I’d ever made came true and every dream I’d ever dreamed became real. I melted against him, thankful that his arms were like bands of steel holding me up.
I’d never been kissed like that before, and my knees were literally going weak. Every stroke of his tongue was like magic, like he was putting me back together again after I’d broken us both apart.
There was nothing rushed or urgent about this kiss. It was slow and sweet, loving even. Although I wasn’t about to let myself go down that particular rabbit hole right now.
I knew what I felt for him was deep and intense, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. Being back in his arms was enough, for now, I didn’t want to ruin it by thinking about putting words to my feelings that might only result in one or both of us freaking out.
Pushing all worries about my feelings and what was going to happen tomorrow or the next day when I had to go back to Florida out of my mind, I surrendered to the kiss. I lost myself in the feel of his soft strands between my fingers and his deliciously hard body pressed so close to mine.
Fulton made a satisfied sound in the back of his throat, and I relished it. I relished every second of what was happening between us and committed it to memory. I didn’t know what was going to happen in the future, but I never wanted to forget this.
For the first time in a very, very long time I felt whole. I felt complete and satisfied.
Okay, maybe not totally satisfied. Despite the sweetness of the kiss, there was an ache building between my legs that demanded attention.
Fulton was growing hard against my stomach, making the throbbing of my clit more insistent. My hips rolled against his of their own volition and he broke the kiss to suck in a shar
p breath. His eyes were heated and filled with lust when he looked at me, his throat working.
“We don’t have to do anything tonight if you don’t want to, but will you sleep in my bed? I just want to hold you, to know that I’m not dreaming, and that you’re really here.”
My hand snaked between us, cupping his rock-hard package as the corners of my lips pulled up. “Yeah, it feels like you just want to hold me, big guy. But sure, I’ll sleep with you.”
“Sleep with me, or sleep with me? Because I might need to grab a quick shower if you’re going to take me up on my offer of just holding you.” He flashed me a gorgeous smirk before becoming serious again. “Honestly, anything you want. Name it and it yours.”
“I want you,” I said simply, knowing that I was talking about much more than his body. I wanted that, sure, but I wanted his heart and his soul, too, and I wanted to give him mine. All in good time, of course.
Fulton didn’t question me, but he was looking at me in a way that made me think he understood what I wasn’t saying. In one smooth movement, he slipped his one arm down to my thighs, placing the other a bit higher on my back, and picked me up.
Carrying me bridal style to his bedroom, he never broke eye contact with me. There was so much tender emotion in his eyes that a lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it down, because no way was I crying during sex because it was so fucking beautiful. Even if I really want to.
Fulton laid me down on a bed big enough to house a family of about fifteen, the mattress firm but comfortable beneath my back. I wanted to take a look around his room, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn away from his smoldering blue eyes.
He was in the same dark suit he’d been wearing at his office, and boy could the man wear that freaking suit. It was perfectly tailored, down to the blue pocket square that matched his eyes and the color of his shirt.
My thighs clenched when he started undressing, reminding me of the need building between them. He unbuttoned his jacket first, dropping it on the ground beside his feet. If I were a better person, I’d have gotten up to give it the treatment it deserved, but I didn’t move.
I was captivated by him, held prisoner by his gaze as he kicked off his shoes and took off his shirt next. Whatever. We can hang it all up later.
My mouth watered when his ripped torso came into view, my tongue darting out as if it was desperate to lick every one of his muscled abs. Which I totally was, desperate was an understatement even.
Fulton didn’t stop, but there was another flash of heat in his eyes and a tiny smirk on his lips when he saw the way my gaze raked over him. He flicked open the button on his pants, unzipping them and letting them fall to his feet before stepping out of them.
Keeping his briefs on, he climbed onto the bed with me. The mattress dipped where he put his knees between my legs, big hands reaching for the hem of my shirt. I sat up helpfully, but I was struggling not to stare at the very obvious bulge between his legs.
My shirt joined the growing pile in front of the bed, followed by my bra and finally the gray skirt I’d bought specially for my trip. When I was finally down to nothing but a pair of lacy black panties, which I’d bought with him in mind but doubted he would ever see, Fulton sat back on his heels.
“You’re fucking gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve told you that enough.” He brought his hands to my sides, tracing my curves with the featherlight touch of his fingertips to my skin. “So soft and perfect. I’ve dreamed of you every night since you’ve been gone.”
“Dirty dreams?” I ventured a guess, trying to keep my wits about me when all they wanted to do was flee or scream take me now!
His lips quirked into a devilish smile as he shrugged. “Do you blame me? I don’t. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, baby. So yes, dirty dreams. Clean dreams. All my dreams.”
“You’ve been in mine too,” I admitted, closing my hands over his to wind his fingers between mine.
Once I had a good grip on them, I pulled him forward. He came willingly, our hands locked beside my head while his body rested on mine. He was heavy, but I didn’t mind. In fact, I craved the feel of his body on mine.
“I want to hear all about those dreams of yours soon, but first I want to make some of mine come true.” He chuckled softly, giving his head a fast shake. “That sounded way less corny in my head.”
“I like corny when it’s coming from you.” I smiled, letting go of his hands, cupping his face, then dragging it down for another kiss. Fulton’s lips claimed mine gently at first, but soon our hips were grinding and our kisses were growing hungry and passionate.
We kissed until my lips were tingling and my panties were soaked. Both of our breathing was labored and ragged, our hands exploring every inch of skin that we could find.
When Fulton’s finally slipped inside the front of my underwear, I moaned and my hips bucked. “Yes, please, Fulton. Touch me. Please.”
“Always.” He slid one finger through my soaked folds, groaning as he buried his face in my neck and peppered it with nips and kisses. “I love how wet you get for me, baby. I’m going to make you feel so good.”
“Please.” Jeez, I was beginning to sound like a broken record, but I didn’t care. I especially didn’t care when my latest plea urged him to slide that one finger inside me and bring his thumb to my aching clit.
It pulsed beneath his touch, already so sensitive that I knew I wasn’t going to last long. I reached between us for Fulton’s length, freeing him from the confines of his briefs. He hissed and released a low growl when I stroked his satiny hardness.
There were beads of sweat coating both of our bodies as we worked each other over. Fulton’s fingers were driving me insane, bringing me to the edge of the abyss before slowing and then starting all over again.
Twice he let me hurtle over the edge before he moved away from me, reaching into his nightstand. “I need to get a condom on. I need to be inside you, Val. Please tell me that’s what you want too.”
I was panting, my body crying out for his despite the two orgasms he’d already given me. “Yes, I want that too. So much, Fulton.”
The crinkle of foil could be heard in the quiet room, along with the ragged sounds of our breathing. Fulton’s light on the nightstand was the only one on in the room, but it was enough. I watched him sheath himself, and suddenly it occurred to me that I wanted to feel him without anything between us.
Soon. I’d have to get right on that, because now that I’d thought about it, there was nothing I wanted more. Fulton pushed inside me slowly, his one hand on my hip and the other sliding into mine.
Both of us moaned when he buried himself to the hilt, but I actually screamed when he started moving. It felt so damn good to have him inside me again that I wasn’t even embarrassed by the sounds coming out of me.
Fulton set a slow rhythm that soon had me right back on the edge, but I didn’t want to go over it without him this time. I clung to his shoulders and met every thrust of his powerful hips with one of my own. He hit every nerve ending I had, his pelvis brushing against my clit on every stroke of his cock deep inside me. I wanted him to come with me, but I didn’t know how much longer I was going to be able to hold back an orgasm of epic proportions.
“Christ, baby. I can feel it. I can feel how close you are, come for me. I’m right there with you.” As if my body had been waiting for his command, my climax ripped through me when he asked for it.
It was definitely one for the books, reducing me to a screaming, writhing puddle of pleasure that was made up of exquisite bliss. I didn’t only hear angels singing, I saw their fucking faces and caught a glimpse of heaven too.
Fulton pulsed inside me, his movements becoming jerky as he released a primal growl and followed me over the edge, just like he’d promised he would. We rode out our orgasms and lay there together for the longest time after, neither of us moving to release the other.
When he eventually slipped out of me to take care of the condom, he came back to bed w
ith a warm cloth and cleaned me up without a word. I’d never felt so taken of, so precious as I did in that moment.
After he was done, he climbed into bed and switched off the light before pulling me close when he lay down. “I’m so damn happy you’re here, never leave again.”
“I have to, but I don’t want to leave Boston without you,” I murmured against his chest in the darkness of his room. He had heavy curtains pulled across his windows and none of the lights were on anymore.
It offered that comforting cloak of darkness that encouraged you to say things you wouldn’t admit in the light. “I have to be back at work tomorrow, technically, but I’ve told Adam I’m taking a vacation day. I won’t be able to stay here much longer, but I really don’t want to leave without you.”
I felt him shift beneath me, and then suddenly his face was hovering only inches away from mine. It was too dark to see his expression, but I felt the intensity coming off him.
“I can do you one better, if you’re up for it.”
A slow smile spread on my lips, my heart picking up its pace once again. “I’m up for anything, Fulton. Absolutely anything, as long as it’s with you.”
Chapter 39
Fulton
“This is looking great, baby.” I grinned at Valerie, grabbing her hands to pull her to me before winding my arms around her. “I’m so proud of you. You knocked it out of the park again. I just spoke to the cashier, and she told me you’re setting all kinds of records for the sales in one night.”
“Stop it.” She brought her hands to my chest but didn’t push me away. “Actually, don’t stop. Tell me how awesome it is, because I’m exhausted and my feet are killing me.”
“It’s awesome, you’re awesome, and when we get home, I’ll rub your feet. How does that sound?”
