Chapter 23
Addison
As I was still wrapped around Daniel in a naked heap, I noticed we were getting close to my apartment in Brooklyn. I let out a shaky sigh of remorse as I unwrapped my arms from his neck and my legs from his body. He looked at me questioningly with sleep in his eyes. We had worn each other out.
“We’re almost there,” I whispered as I lowered myself to the car floor.
I started looking for my red dress and my underwear.
I still had my strappy heels on, but nothing else.
I found the satiny fabric in my fingers and blindly slipped it on, hoping I knew which side was up.
Daniel watched me with a smile on his face that I could only see when headlights flashed through the car windows.
“These are tinted, right?” I asked, trying to work the clasp of my dress.
He let out a soft laugh as he reached down and pulled up his pants. “Yes, they’re tinted.”
“And is there any chance this is soundproof?” I knocked on the divider between the backseat and the front seat.
“Hmm, I’m not sure,” he said, furrowing his brow.
“Daniel!” I said loudly.
Poor Armand.
I covered my mouth in embarrassment and the neckline of my dress fell, my breasts on full display. I quickly reached for it and pulled it back up, as if he hadn’t just seen everything. Or had his mouth on them.
“Let me help you with that.” Daniel leaned in and grazed his fingertips up my body until they found the clasp to my dress. I closed my eyes and soaked in his soft touch as he carefully hooked the top.
“Thank you,” I said in almost a whisper.
He gave me a quick kiss on the lips and scooped me up, placing me on the seat beside him. I saw my building come into view, and already missed him, even though he was sitting beside me.
“I wish tonight didn’t have to end,” I murmured as I nestled my head on his shoulder.
He was silent for a moment.
“It doesn’t have to…” he said.
I lifted my head up and looked at him.
“I don’t have work tomorrow. You don’t have work tomorrow.” He shrugged.
Armand slowed the car to a stop in front of my building.
Was Daniel suggesting he stay the night?
I suddenly felt acutely aware of how small my studio apartment was.
It was the smallest fraction of his penthouse.
I didn’t know if I had left it in disarray getting ready for tonight.
I was slightly embarrassed, but it would be ridiculous to suggest we go back to his place in Manhattan.
“Would you like to come up?” I asked, biting my lip anxiously.
“I’d love to.” He was already reaching for the door.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me from the car before leaning in to talk to Armand through the window. After a moment, he knocked on the top of the roof and I watched as the town car drove away, leaving us alone on the sidewalk.
I looked up at the modest brick building in front of us and took a deep breath, before grabbing my keys from my purse. I unlocked the olive-green door and held it open as he passed by me. I saw that Elma’s door was closed. Thank God. I led him up the stairs and stopped outside my door.
“It’s not much,” I said, fidgeting with my keys.
“I’m sure it’s perfect,” he said, putting his hand over mine.
He was trying to calm my nerves. I gave him the best smile I could muster and unlocked the door. I stepped inside and switched on the lamp in my living room, a warm glow filling the room. Daniel followed me in. I didn’t want to look at his face as he took in the single room I called home.
After a moment, I felt his arms wrap around me and he laid his chin on my shoulder.
“I love it,” he said, kissing my neck.
“Liar,” I said.
“No, it has real charm. It’s quaint. And cozy. And warm. It’s you. ”
He put his hands on my hips and turned me toward him. The sleep in his eyes from earlier had disappeared and now they were icy blue and alive. He reached up and tucked his thumb under my chin, gently tilting my face up toward his. He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine.
It wasn’t the desperate, passionate kiss I was used to with him where we were completely devouring each other whole.
It was soft. Loving. A side to him I didn’t expect.
My eyes fluttered closed as we stood there in the middle of my apartment, experiencing something new with each other. It wasn’t lust. It was care.
He pulled away and put both his hands against my cheeks.
“Thank you for tonight, Heart,” he whispered.
I didn’t correct him. Tonight, I would happily let him call me that. For forever, even.
I reached up and took his hand, pulling him with me toward my bed in the corner of the room. We had already ravaged each other, but now, I wanted to make love to this man. Slowly and tenderly. And that was exactly what we did before falling asleep wrapped around each other under the cool sheets.
The next morning, light poured in through the sheer white curtains of the room. I felt the sun warm against my eyelids as I peeled them open slowly. I let out a quiet yawn and turned my head to see Daniel fast asleep beside me. His arm was draped over my bare stomach.
I turned to my side and looked at him, feeling his slow and steady breaths against my face.
I reached over and gently ran my fingers down the side of his face, feeling the slight stubble of his five o’clock shadow.
He was the best thing I had ever laid eyes on.
Handsome even when he slept, his mouth partly open.
Last night had been a complete dream. From the fancy French dinner to the Broadway show to completely losing myself to him in the car. And every moment in between. His eyes finding mine. His fingers interlaced in mine. His hands needing to touch me. I had never felt so wanted or taken care of.
And last night in this bed. We were so connected to each other.
Our eyes locked. Our kisses were slow and sensual.
Our bodies becoming one. I didn’t know there could be so many sides to sex, but last night we had explored a new one.
It was vulnerable and real. I refused to believe any other woman had been with the Daniel I had experienced last night. At least I hoped they hadn’t.
As I lay in bed, watching him sleep, the doubts crept in.
Everything I had read about this man painted him out to be a Casanova.
He knew exactly how to get a woman, and clearly knew how to please one.
I should know, as I had completely lost my head multiple times.
I didn’t know it was possible to experience one after another.
The guy wasn’t a saint. That much was clear. I knew that going into this. I shuddered knowing I wasn’t the only one he had ever laid his hands on. It was clear I would have to push my stupid jealousy of his past aside, if we were ever to have a future. If there was one.
“Are you watching me sleep?” he whispered, breaking me out of my thoughts.
He opened one eye and squinted over at me.
“Sorry.” I laughed softly.
“It’s okay. I like it,” he said, pulling me close to him.
I closed my eyes and would have happily fallen back asleep in his arms, but then my stomach growled loudly.
“Oops,” I said, feeling embarrassed.
“Baby is hungry,” he commented, opening his eyes and putting his hands on my stomach.
I had almost forgotten after our night together that I had our baby growing inside of me. It felt crazy to know we would always be tied in some way, whether we ended up together or not. I placed my hands over his and searched his eyes for what he was feeling.
Up until now, we still hadn’t talked about what our lives would look like moving forward.
Even though the baby was barely the size of a plum, according to my pregnancy app, it was still such a huge part of our lives.
A part we hadn’t brought ourselves to discuss much yet.
I wondered if we would brave that conversation now.
“Let’s get brunch,” said Daniel, kissing my forehead.
I guess not now.
“Okay,” I replied.
I peeled the sheets off of me and padded to my closet to get dressed.
I heard Daniel whistle behind me. When I turned, he was sitting up in bed, staring at me with a grin on his face.
I shook my head at him before stepping into my closet.
I slid on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.
“Do you have anything that would fit me?” Daniel called out in amusement.
“Are you serious?” I asked, peeking around the closet door.
“I think a black suit might be a little much for brunch in Brooklyn.”
“True.”
I dug through my dresser drawers and found a pair of oversized sweats and a baggy Yankees shirt. I walked over to the bed, holding them up. He took them from me and rolled out of bed, his strong, naked body on display before me. I swallowed hard as I admired him, his back to me.
He slid on the sweats, which were snug and came up past his ankles. I stifled a giggle as he slid the shirt over his head. That was a much better fit, but still a little snug. He turned and looked at me, holding his hands out.
“Well?” he asked, doing a turn.
“You look ridiculous,” I said.
He laughed out loud as he ran a hand through his unruly bedhead.
“Here, let me get you a hat or something.”
I walked back in my closet and pulled down a baseball cap, loosening the strap to the biggest size. I handed it to him and he tugged it over his head. I had never seen him in anything besides a suit. Despite the ill-fitting clothes, casual looked good on him. Then again, anything would.
“Thanks,” he said, leaning in and giving me a kiss on the cheek.
After we washed up in the bathroom, me brushing my teeth and Daniel gargling some mouthwash, we headed outside to the busy sidewalks of Brooklyn on a Saturday morning.
We decided to walk to brunch, which was something I assumed he didn’t do often, given he had Armand to drive him around.
Poor Armand. I didn’t think I could ever face him again.
We walked hand-in-hand down several blocks, a comfortable silence between us. I noticed him taking in the different buildings and sights. Now and then, I would point out a few of my favorite places, even though, deep down, I knew they would probably never compare to what he was used to.
Eventually, we made it to one of my favorite brunch places.
Buttermilk Channel. Of course, there was a line out the door, but Daniel said he didn’t mind waiting.
In line, I noticed a few people glance in our direction.
I wasn’t sure if it was because they recognized him or if it was the sweatpants.
Either way, I could tell it made Daniel shift uncomfortably.
He pulled his hat lower on his head and kept his back to the crowd.
Was he afraid to be seen with me? I thought back to all the tabloids I had seen.
He was photographed confidently with a woman on his arm.
Even smiling for the cameras sometimes. I chewed on my cheek as I wondered why I wasn’t good enough to be seen with him.
Maybe it was because I wasn’t a supermodel or someone like Kiera.
Between now and us sneaking out of the back door of the theater last night, I was starting to feel like his dirty little secret.