Chapter Fifteen
OLIVER
The taxi drifts through quiet streets, its engine a low purr against the silence of London at one a.m. Frost glitters on the iron railings of Belgrave Square, and somewhere a church bell chimes the hour, clear and somber in the cold air.
Emily doesn’t speak.
Neither do I.
All our jokes evaporated as we tumbled into the cab.
It was as if we both suddenly realized how quickly we’ll be home, alone with feelings neither of us knows quite what to do with.
We need to talk.
Frankly. Seriously.
But preferablyafterwe do wicked things to each other in my bed.
I can’t wait to touch her. Everywhere. I’ve been at least a little—sometimesa lot—hard since we left the solarium. Since I had my hand up her skirt, feeling how wet she was for me.
Forme. Mine. Fuck, I want her to be mine. She brings savage, caveman levels of possessiveness rising inside of me every time we leave the apartment.
The old guy at the museum with a soft spot for redheads?
Punch him in the face.
The blokes admiring her skill at the ice rink?
Death by thrashing of my poorly controlled limbs.
The usher who turned to stare at her ass as she walked away at the matinee earlier today?
Could have literally ripped his throat out with my teeth.
She is turning me into a savage, randy beast.
And a sappy one as well.
I nearly teared up in her arms on the dancefloor, and I can’t even blame the rum. I only had two glasses.
No, it wasn’t the rum; it was the way she understood. The way her understanding made my heart ache. The way the aching in my heart assured me that this isn’t simply lust or a crush that will fizzle out when the holidays are through.
This is me, falling in love with a speed that’s likely mad and certainly not wise.
But try telling that to my heart, which is already quite certain Emily Darling is the wisest woman he’s ever met.
And has the most fantastic curves.
And the sweetest nipples.
And…I’m hard again.
Just in time to get out in front of my building.
Thank God for the darkness in the cab as I press a twenty into the man’s hand and open the door, drawing my coat across my hips to conceal the situation in my trousers.
Emily takes my hand as we head inside, whispering, “Just so you know. I meant what I said before. But if you’re out of you-know-whats and want to find a twenty-four-hour pharmacy, I can look for one that delivers.”
