Page 69 of Crying Shame
Hope lifted in my heart. I came closer to her. “My brother offered to watch Sam so we can go into the city for a few hours and get dinner on our own.”
She crossed her arms. “Like on a date?”
Sam stared at us, and she waved at him. Our son returned to speaking to Aurora. I said, “You could call it that.”
She avoided looking at me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Going on a date would be a good step forward for us. “We’re taking it one day at a time, and I trust Arman with my life. Sam will be safe.”
She tapped her chest. “Arman and Maddie are great. It’s not them. You have an apartment in the city, no?”
My heart thumped as she still wasn’t willing to commit. I held my tongue about that. “Sure. We can tour my apartment if you’re thinking we’ll stay the night.”
"That sounds good." She took my hand, and a spark ignited inside me. "I was thinking we can use these hours as alone time.”
“That’s all you want?” I asked.
She let out a sigh. “Yes. I think we’re best keeping the status quo of friends with amazing benefits.”
My heart was heavy. We went to accept Arman's offer to watch Sam and then headed to the high-rise where my apartment was located. Once we were far enough away that none of my family could hear, I said, “We can be more.”
I held the door to the building open for her.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m using you,” she said.
Not letting the world know how I felt about her sounded wrong to my ears. We passed building security and headed to the elevator. “I don’t care what anyone but you thinks.”
The doors opened, and soon we were alone inside the elevator. She wrapped her arms around me. “Just kiss me.”
Her lips tasted sweeter than dessert. But my entire body felt tense because I wasn’t sure how to fix us. At work, the procedures we used meant everything worked in a certain order, and I solved whatever problems came up.
The elevator stopped, and I walked with her to my home in the city. She stopped inside the apartment and glanced at the white leather couch in the grand room and then back at me.
I closed and locked the door, and as I turned, she was taking her jeans off. My heart thrashed. I wanted her, as she was the most wonderful woman in my life.
I’d have to keep my feelings to myself. She backed up, leaving a trail of clothes in her wake, and I followed, doing the same.
When we made it to the couch, we were naked, and her lips met mine.
My body brushed against her soft skin, and desire ratcheted through me.
She squeezed my ass.
I was hers as I suckled on her nipples. She wanted to go fast.
I was shaking a lot. Pretending we were just friends with benefits was her idea. My dick was hard and ready to take her, but tears filled my eyes. I pulled back and said, “I love you.”
Tears washed down her cheeks too. She wiped mine away and hugged me.
I kissed the top of her head. “I can’t pretend with you, Clarissa. It’s always been you for me.”
She nodded, and then her lips met mine.
We fell backward on the couch, and she buried her fingers in my hair as she opened her legs.
I sighed and grabbed a condom from the pocket of my discarded pants. I wanted her to choose to love me.
She helped roll it on me, and we kissed again.
