Chapter 21
NICK
That night, it was different between us. The sex we’d had over the past few nights had been everything from hot and hard to slow and sweet. And it had been intense as hell since our first touch. But the night we had to say goodbye was the first time we truly made love.
Everything was wrong between Cara and me, from our ages to our professions to our feelings about the holidays.
And yet she was completely perfect for me.
I spent the long minutes and short hours memorizing everything about her.
Her honey-sweet lips. Her silky skin against mine.
Her soft groans and louder moans as I pleasured her.
The curve of her back that deepened when she arched with every release.
“So perfect,” I murmured as she straddled me and sank, warm and wet and tight, onto me. She rode me with wild abandon until we both panted and cried out and came together, over and over again.
My heart ached every time I thought about the next day and having to watch her drive away, so I pushed the thoughts out of my mind, and for the first time in at least twenty years, lived in the moment.
Hours later, we lay naked in each other’s arms, spent and satisfied and so, so sad.
“About tomorrow,” she said quietly.
I closed my eyes and pulled her closer, dreading the words but needing to hear them.
“Kat said she’d drive me to the car rental office. I know you planned to do it, but I don’t think I can say goodbye to you in public.” She ended on a sob.
I opened my eyes and kissed her cheek. “I understand. Whatever you need.”
“Thank you for respecting my wishes about everything. I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
That cut me to the quick. Her asshole ex hadn’t respected her wishes or autonomy or privacy.
I never wanted to make her feel the way he had.
So, I would let her go, despite her being wrong about one thing.
This wasn’t ending before the heartbreak.
Not for me. My barely healed heart was shattered all over again. But I’d live with that to protect her.
“I do respect your wishes,” I whispered. “Always. You deserve that and so much more. You’re the prize. Not that last guy. Not any man who’s lucky enough to be with you. You are always the prize.”
“One man is. You are, Nick Roman. You’re a good man. You’ve earned your spot on the nice list.” She smiled with her lips, but not her eyes. “And the naughty one, come to think of it.”
“Glad I made an impression,” I whispered.
“An indelible one.” She blinked back tears, then laid her hand over my heart. “And if you ever leave this line of work…”
That wouldn’t be any time soon. I had contractual obligations as well moral ones. But maybe someday. I laid my hand on top of hers. “You’ll be the first person I call.”