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Not that she was surprised Looking back, she was ashamed of her need for him to fill all her empty spaces God knows she wanted to teach Becca to be her own self before belonging to another The thought of her daughter tightened her sto
Pedestrians crowded the sidewalks, pressing into an inored the flashing warnings, ju up aand loud insults fro knockoff designer bags, pashlasses Artists sketched and ticket scalpers shouted a for rease filled the air She ju her heel caught, then turned right where the park opened up like a cool drink of water in the desert
Up the stairs past ’Wichcraft, the fae Torassy center, boasting painted iPhone covers, custoht ribbons and crystals Hot soup was ladled into paper cups, served alongside churros, chili, chicken kebabs, and anything else a New Yorker could possibly crave The ice rink would soon turn to green grass and become host to concerts and other events Tristan stopped, lowering hi, she sat next to hiainst hers Even in the March chill, the burn of his body heat tempted her to move closer The delicious scent of salty ocean and warne? She cursed the designer for creating it and driving her mad with lust She’d never realized the beach could san to relax as he reether she stillconversation, and raunchy hueous silences between the, and the fragility of the passing h the half-bare trees, and occasional chirps blasted froration Branches rustled, and a fat gray squirrel shot out from the brush to cross the pathway A couple linked ar with an intimacy that bespoke bliss Two men in red plaid hats and heavy winter coats sat at a a it penetrate all the closed parts of her body, then slowly released it She remembered how they used to sit by the ether, they’d sit in utter quiet while they studied the bright ainst the boats
God, how she’d missed his that seduced her Gravel lined with silk Sed with flame Grace entwined with raer A shudder wracked her body, but she fought through it "Why? Because I actually handled hi for permission?" she said with a touch of defensiveness She waited for his teht back This was her deal, and he needed to accept it
"No Because you wereYou can handle this deal You did everything I would have You challenged hiave where you could You are ready for CFO I just didn’t see it"
The words settled into her soul and spread war Tristan’s respect was priceless He was a tough task himself She kne
She also realized the past two years of avoiding hi secret to protect, but she’d never allowed him to see how much more she was capable of How much she could handle
How much she wanted
"That’s because I never told you what I could do," she adot frustrated when no one would giveme up today It ainst her thigh, the tips of his fingers resting lightly against her bare calf She shivered His brows snapped in a frown "You’re cold I’ a coat"
"No, I’ off his suit jacket and placing it around her shoulders The snohite shirtthe lean cut of his hips and the hardness of his stoht red tie was like aover a bull Oh, how she wished she could rip open those buttons with her teeth and strip off that das they could do with it
"You okay?"
Did she have ait was a battle she’d lose due to his innate chivalry, she huddled into the jacket, savoring the deliciousness of his lingering body warmth and scent "Fine Thank you"
"Think we can convince our suppliers to cut another five percent off the top?" he asked
She winced "Not going to be easy I’ll h he denies it If he agrees, he’ll convince the others to ith us"
"Good plan"
They sat together on the bench, enjoying each other’s presence Her eyes burned with e this man finally see her for the woman she’d become On his level
"I know you don’t want to talk about this now I knoe’re in theproject I knoe just started a tentative truce But there’s still soht now, I’ to do about it"
His stark words fell between thee He’d always been brutally honest He went after what he wanted, or hen he was truly ready He’d fought their chemistry for over a year before he’d finally succumbed to the intense attraction But when he broke, he’d bound her to him for life
She refused to look at him Her insides shivered with dread With anticipation With want