Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
It's the best Christmas Eve I’ve ever had.
Worth slides his hand over my thigh from where he sits next to me at the head of the table. “What are you thinking about?” he asks.
“How lucky we are to know such great people, and what a lovely evening I’ve had.” I turn my face to his and steal a kiss.
“It’s like you never left,” he says. “And it’s better than before at the same time.”
I nod. “I feel it too.”
“What are we doing tomorrow?” he asks. “We could fly back to Cincinnati if you’d like?”
I shake my head. “No, I want to stay here in New York. Maybe we can go house hunting.”
“You don’t want to stay here?” he asks.
I don’t, but I will if it’s important to him. “It might be nice to have a fresh start. A place that’s not yours, but ours.”
“That makes sense. Though I want a house,” he says. “I’m going to get you pregnant and we’re going to need the space.”
I press my lips tight together to stop myself from smiling. “You planning on enacting that plan tonight?”
“I’m going to do my best.” His eyes grow hooded and he looks at me like he wants to fuck me right here, right now.
I saw my teeth against my bottom lip and tilt my head. “Maybe we should aim for a year from now. I think I want you to myself for a little while.”
“I might be able to live with that idea,” he says.
Under the table, he links his fingers through mine. The heat of his skin sets something off in me—a timer racing toward zero. I’m done with having a houseful of people. It’s time for Worth and me to be alone.
“It’s officially Christmas,” Efa says. “Happy Christmas!” she raises her glass and everyone joins in the toast.
“It’s time for everyone to be going,” Worth says, and I can’t help but laugh. It’s such an un-Worth-like thing to say. He’s usually so focused on everyone else’s happiness, he doesn’t think about what he wants. But right now, the smolder in his eyes says he wants me. I like it. It’s hot.
“You’re right, bud,” Fisher says, pushing out his chair and standing.
“I have dinner with the fam at the Peninsula tomorrow,” Jack says. “I need some sleep to be able to endure it.”
“Say hi to Pat for me,” Fisher says.
I’m not sure who Pat is, or why Jack is so bummed about spending Christmas with his family, but I’m going to be around this group for the rest of my life, so there’s plenty of time to find out.
Everyone starts to leave and heads into the hallway to retrieve coats and boots.
“What about you, Byron?” Leo asks. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“I’m headed to Colorado,” he says “Change is afoot.”
“What does that mean?” Leo asks.
Byron shrugs. “Just that I’m going to be spending a lot more time there from now on. I’m not sure how much I’m going to be in New York over the next couple of years.”
“What?” everyone choruses at once.
“You’ll have to come out and visit,” he says. Everyone starts asking him questions, but he keeps quiet, wrapping his scarf around his neck with a flourish. As he opens the door, a whoosh of cold air comes in and he announces, “Everything will be revealed. Good night and merry Christmas, my friends.”
With that, he disappears into the dark.
After hugs and promises of texts, calls, and visits over the next few days, Worth finally closes the door.
We’re alone.
At last.
I’m shaking, I want Worth so much. Heat radiates from between my thighs and I transfer my weight from foot to foot as I squirm under his stare.
“Come here,” he says.
I exhale a sharp breath.
“You seem a little wound up.”
“I want you,” I say, my voice breathy.
“Say it again.”
“I want you, Worth. Please.”
He closes his eyes in a long blink, like he’s savoring my words. Like he’s been waiting to hear them and now that he has, he can relax.
He cups my face in his hands and places a kiss on my lips. “Good girl.”
My nipples pebble against the lace of my bra and my breathing is labored. Everything he does makes me feel worshipped and desired and cherished. I smooth my hands up his chest and start to undo the buttons on his shirt. He pulls my hand into his and leads me upstairs. When we get to his bedroom, I realize I’ve never seen it before. It’s dark and grand and somehow doesn’t feel like him. There are dark gray velvet drapes at the windows and a brown leather couch at the end of the biggest bed I’ve ever seen. The sheets are a crisp white, with a velvet comforter folded at the bottom.
I glance at Worth, who’s watching me.
“What are you thinking?” he asks.