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Her heart picked up at the thought because that would be a most excellent Christmas present But whatever his plans, Nick seemed in no hurry He ordered appetizers, teased her about what she ht have on beneath the Mrs Claus outfit, and coaxed the details of her day out of her
They ordered wine, and he touched his glass to hers, his eyes warht…,” he said silkily
Last night had involved the secluded, deserted—and thankfully enclosed—rooftop patio of his five-story walk-up, where he’d loosened her inhibitions with slow, steady hands and an incredibly talented ed him to take her
He’d acquiesced, twice Just the ht,” she said, her voice all Marilyn Monroe whispery, giving her away
His smile was as slow and steady as his hands, and bad-boy wicked He didn’t care about the rain
“You’re wearing your new clothes,” she pointed out “You’ll ruin them”
He shrugged After a lifeti money, he never seemed to put much importance into possessions In fact, he’d applied to work at a nonprofit law office providing restorative justice across the country He wanted to try to save the kids who’d ot the job, he’d be traveling far and wide, and she’d lose him She’d known this
She’d fallen for him anyway
Helplessly
The question was still the saiven up at birth, but Mia had been adopted by a wonderful couple who’d become mom and dad to her Nick hadn’t been as lucky, and didn’t feel the same need for ties that she did He was a lone wolf
She, on the other hand, had been born to be part of a pack
Nick leaned in close and kissed her just beneath her ear “Have you ever had sex in the rain, Mia?”
Her breath caught, and there was a lotin a restaurant “Is sex all you think about?”
“No But I think about it a lot With you” He flicked her earlobe with his tongue, and somehow all the bones in her body liquefied
“Are guys really that ed
“It’s the testosterone A guy’d follow his girl all the way to Siberia if he thought it et him laid Barefoot Uphill in the snow, both ways”
She laughed, and he sh,” he said “You don’t do it enough”
She’d been a serious kid, and not just because she was adopted She loved her family, both her adoptive parents and her birth parents She was lucky enough to have the that in spite of her luck and the wealth of love she’d been showered with, she ell, serious
And still looking for her place to belong
She thought—hoped—that her place to belong ith Nick, and it filled her with a giddiness that was hard to contain He filled her with giddiness
Dinner caet to the point of the expensive restaurant When the check arrived, he scooped it before she could He always did that, even though he was drowning in college debt and, thanks to her four parents, she was not
Outside, there were no cabs to be had There was only a lightThe construction creas gone Not that it mattered No one would have bothered her with Nick at her side He held hih, easy confidence He never went looking for trouble, but there was an edge to him that said if he happened to co its ass
And growing up as he had, she had no doubt he could do so with little to no effort
Theythe crazy, over-the-top lights and Christmas decorations of the city At her door, Nick playfully pushed her up against it “You’re all wet, Mia…”
She took aher pinned, then tipped her head to his The flight confiro in…”
He bent and kissed her cheek, her jaw, her throat, his hands slipping inside her coat “I’ainst her skin,her shiver because she knew exactly what his hands and mouth could do “But out here in the hall?”
She went still and then s to say”
He laughed and straightened, leaving his hands on her hips “No?” His eyes were glea withhi
“No,” she repeated, her heart speeding up a little “Nick—”
He kissed her again, full of intent and purpose, and only when her bones had melted did he pull slowly back “Sorry,” he said “You’re just so damn sweet”
“You can gobble me up inside,” she promised “But I sort of have a Christmas present for you”