My heart stopped beating for an instant as our eyes held. I felt the stutter deep inside my chest stab me with a jolt of pain before spreading warmth through my chest. As much as I wanted to scream YEEEESSSS from the rooftops, I knew he wasn't being literal in the moment, but simply reinforcing his incredible offer from earlier. Oh, how I love you, James Blakney.
I put one hand over my heart and moved toward him. I came right up underneath his chin very close and cocked my head sideways. The serious expression combined with the hard set of his jaw made him look a little dangerous and a lot beautiful as he waited for me to speak. I put my other hand up to his cheek and held it there, his beard stubble feeling so much softer against my palm than it had against my lips when he kissed me before. "Well, when you put it like that, then I want you to know that I will definitely consider it, Mr. Blakney. Thank you for the generous offer, sir."
He growled sexily, brought those beautiful lips of his to mine, and kissed me. Almost as if he couldn't help himself. James kissed the fuck out of me in the elevator of our building as we rode to the top. He owned my mouth with his tongue wildly at first, but then made slow passes and caresses. I have no idea how long we kissed—and would have happily made out with James for hours—but as I opened my eyes, the elevator door was clanging open and shut obnoxiously.
We had arrived on the eleventh floor far too soon…and the timing truly sucked. Again.
James was the perfect gentleman while I got ready for Lucas to pick me up. He watched my every move though, like he was the hungry lion and I was the prey. There was no mistaking his intentions anymore. James wanted me. Something last night had definitely changed the way he behaved with me. He hadn't told me what it was. Maybe he didn't want to embarrass me by sharing it yet. It would be like James to spare my feelings.
But if I was completely honest with myself, I didn't care. If I wanted him, and he wanted me, then halle-fricking-lujah. I could live with whatever it was and wait to see where things went with us. Last night had been a traumatic situation that morphed into a what-the-hell-was-that-crazy-weirdness-with-his-parents showdown. Parents who believe you are marrying their son. However, I didn't feel pressured or pushed by him. He had my back, whatever the outcome, so I could trust in that. I'd trust him with my life. And hell, if it meant I got to kiss James more, I was so down for that.
I took a deep, steadying breath as James parked in the underground garage of the Blackstone Global building in my best effort to shake off my nerves. A couple days away to think would be good for me right now. I needed some downtime to process everything, and James agreed, because he'd suggested we both do just that. I'd be back on Saturday afternoon to get ready for The Autumn Ball, which we were attending together since he'd invited me a few weeks ago. I never dreamed it would be us in any sense as other than friends, but now it would be. Waiting a couple days might actually help reconcile what James had said about marriage. To me. I should feel like a pawn, but I didn't. "For the last couple of weeks, I've thought about you a lot… Winter, you're the only one I thought of." Truthfully, James was the only man I could imagine in my life forever too. And marrying him? Well, I needed to know it wasn't just a paper deal, because I'd only fall more deeply in love with him. So, I knew I needed some time.
I also knew that when the time came, I wouldn't have to ask. He would be the one to initiate the discussion. Because I believed James when he'd said, in no uncertain terms, I was important to him and that he'd never hurt me. I had nothing else to compare those words against. He had always been there for me, and it was all I'd ever known with him. No reason to suspect anything different.
As he steered me toward the elevator that would take us to the helipad, his hand burned at the base of my spine. His touch felt different now. Like he was staking a claim. I shivered involuntarily as the doors closed us in together.
He promptly backed me into the corner, bracing his arms alongside my shoulders to pen me in. His big body crowded me, and his eyes did a lazy dance of staring before he spoke. "Thank you for today," he said simply in a low voice. He reached out a finger to trace my cheekbone and down to my jaw, his soft touch holding me spellbound.
I wished I wasn't going to Blackstone Island and leaving him behind in Boston.
"Thank you for last night…and today," I replied in a whisper, hoping like hell he'd kiss me in the elevator again. Elevator kisses from James were my new favorite.
James was an incredibly beautiful man. A sculpted jaw shadowed with a few days of beard growth framed a face with the most expressive eyes I'd ever seen. I'd melt if I stared into his eyes for any period of time like I was right now. I took my offered chance and experienced the "melting" right on schedule, no problem whatsoever.
"Last night did have some very nice parts to it." He tipped his mouth down.
"I sure wish you'd let me in on that mysterious secret." I tilted my mouth toward his.
"Aren't all secrets mysterious?"
"Yes, but I still need to know."
"All in good time, sweetheart, and I'd much rather show you anyway."
Please show me.
My heart pounded crazily inside my chest.
"Oh, I plan on it," he said, just before touching his lips to mine. Clearly, I'd spoken my request out loud.
Dwelling on my mortification was a waste with James. He had a way of stripping down inhibitions and forcing them to take a back seat to the main issue. Which right now…was to kiss me.
He owned me with those magic lips of his. Magic lips. Magic tongue. He used both to press his way inside and proceeded to devour my mouth.
I welcomed every lick and swirl of him, offering myself to be devoured without hesitation. I lost any inhibitions the moment he put his mouth on me. I couldn't help it. Years of longing from afar finally had a place to land.
I felt his hand settle on my neck, his thumb moving slowly back and forth at the hollow of my throat, while his tongue pressed deeper inside, hot and hard. He had me trapped in the corner in such a way that I couldn't touch him back, and it was hot as hell. Held firmly and being mouth-fucked by James, it was all I could do to hang on for the ride of the best kiss I'd ever had.
Years of dreaming didn't even come close to doing his kiss—his passionate expertise—justice.
The flavors of whiskey and cinnamon met my tongue, delicious and seductive just like him. I felt him arch his hips inward, and I desperately sought to learn his taste. The feel of his body pressed hard against mine was sublime. My nipples pebbled into aching tips, and there was a luscious tingle where I was wet between my legs. Add one massive erection heating me further through our two layers of clothing, and I was blissfully lost in the kiss and the knowledge he was aroused as much as I was.
It all ended too soon though. When the ding of the elevator signaled we'd arrived at the top, he pulled away. I heard a moan of protest and realized it had come from me. The door opened as the thwack of helicopter rotors filled the silence. Lucas was coming in right on time. The doors swung closed again with a swoosh when we didn't move.
"Look at me," he said.
I met his eyes upon command and saw him smiling at me. It wasn't a smirk, and it wasn't smug. I hadn't seen a smiling James much in the last five years. God, it's even worse knowing his own father was somehow involved as well. If I made him smile like this, then what did that mean for me?
I was afraid to hope.
"I'm looking," I whispered.
"You're so beautiful to me…right now…right here…like this."
I do feel beautiful. I feel beautiful because of the way you look at me. No one had ever looked at me as if I was their...as if I was their world.
"James, I…I want you to know—"
"Shhh, sweetheart, no words needed right now. Okay?" He'd put two fingers over my lips to hush me, but strangely it didn't bother me. If anything, it relieved me knowing he wasn't going to allow me to take this into awkward territory. I trust this man implicitly. It's almost instinctive.