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Alright, if my little tease wants to play, I’ll fucking play.
My thumb and index finger lift to her chin, holding it between them as I tilt her face toward me.
“And what if I want to bend you over one of these uncomfortable chairs, slide down those sexy as fuck yoga pants you’re wearing, push your panties to the side, and fuck you with my mouth until you scream my name? What if I want to slip my cock inside of you while you’re still high on the first orgasm? What if I want to fuck you slow and gentle one second, then go fast and hard the next until you’re writhing in pleasure underneath me? What if, Nevaeh?” My voice is low and husky, and my lips somehow move closer to hers with every word.
Nevaeh’s breathing hitches, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth, but I pull down her chin to watch it bounce free again. There’s so much I want to do with her pretty mouth, so much I’m not allowed to.
“What if I want that, too?” My hand immediately drops from her face and down to her neck, my fingers wrapping around her throat gently and carefully, just firm enough to feel her heart racing underneath my fingertips.
“Nevaeh, all you have to do is say the word,” I say, but she gives me a sad smile like she wishes things were that simple when they’re the opposite.
When complicated doesn’t begin to cover the situation we’re in.
“Open your gift. I want you to put it on,” I say instead, releasing her completely.
Mon paradisstares down at the box, undoing the ribbon at the top by pulling both ends apart. Nevaeh lifts the lid, her whole body slumping at the sight of the bracelet I got her. Her fingers wrap around the piece of jewelry to raise it out of the box and study the charms dangling from it.
“There’s a nine for Val, an eight for me, a Formula One car to tie it together, and a camera for, well, obvious reasons,” I say with a small laugh.
She traces each charm, the numbers, then the car, and the camera. She stops at the last charm, running her thumb over it.
“The blue heart is for anxiety. I read that blue can be calming for the mind.” Her gaze slips to me, a storm of emotions in them.
A little bit of panic grabs hold of me.
If she doesn’t like it, I’ll take it back, no big deal. I’ll find her something else. But I want her to like it because I love it. And I was really hoping she would, too.
“This is the most beautiful bracelet I’ve ever owned,” she says and places it in my hand. “Will you help me put it on?”
“Of course,” I say and watch as she extends her arm, holding out her wrist for me.
I place it on her with care, closing the clasp again and letting my fingers linger on her skin for a moment longer. Goosebumps appear in the wake of my touch, and I almost smile at the thought of having such a visible effect on her.
“We can keep adding charms, too,” I say after Nevaeh retracts her hand to admire the way the bracelet looks on her.
“I’d like that,” she replies before lifting her hand to my wrist and rubbing her thumb over my pulse point. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I manage to croak out, my voice raspy and filled with something I’m not sure I want to identify.
I’m still terrified of my feelings. Terrified, but also slowly starting to feel like it’ll be okay because this beautiful woman in front of me makes it seem that way. I’ll be okay.
But what if you get attached and then she leaves?my subconscious, the dickhead, chimes in.
Fuck off,I reply.
“What game did you get?” she asks, forcing me back into reality.
“An Italian card game I want you to try out,” I say and show her the cards Gabriel and I always use to play Scopa. I picked this game up years ago, playing with Chiara and Leonard. “What did you get?” I ask with a smile, and Nevaeh grins at me.
“Plain playing cards so I can show you a German game calledSchwimmen. My grandfather taught me, and now I’ll teach you,” she says, no longer visibly worried about work or anything else.
Nevaeh looks at peace and next to my heaven, how could I feel any differently?
Chapter 35
Nevaeh
Thenexttwodays,Valentina, Gabriel, Adrian, and I spend almost every single moment together. Gabriel is excited to be my next victim for the interview, and Val keeps teasing him, telling him to behave or she’ll punish him afterward. He gave her a wicked look that let me know he’d very much like getting a punishment from her, and I burst into laughter when Adrian let out a hurling noise beside me.
