“I want you in my house. Sitting on my sofa. Eating at my table. In my bed.”
She whimpered, the sound low and needy. I slid my hand into her hair, fisting the silky curls.
“I plan on fucking you everywhere in my house. It’s gonna take a while, but we’ll start this weekend.”
Her cheeks flushed.
“I want to wake up after you’re gone and smell you on my sheets. Taste you in the air. Use the mug you touched, knowing your lips pressed on the rim so it feels as if I’m kissing you even when you’re not there.”
“Kiss me now,” she pleaded.
My mouth covered hers, our tongues sliding together. Coffee, sweet, and Liv. She gripped my neck, her nails scratching lightly on the skin. I fisted her hair, keeping her close. I heard the humming in the hall, and regretfully eased back, dropping three fast kisses to her mouth, then one to the tip of her nose before sitting down.
“I have an off-site meeting on Friday afternoon. Pack your bag and come to me as soon as you leave work. The code to the door is 8645. I’ll send you the address.” I paused. “Liv, take an Uber or a cab. I’ll pay for it. Understand?”
She nodded in agreement and stood. She ran her hands over her hair and straightened her shirt. Her eyes were glazed, her lips wet.
“Don’t bother packing too much. I don’t plan on letting you out of the house, and you’re not going to need many clothes,” I added.
She inhaled sharply and spun on her heel, hurrying to her office. I liked watching the sway of her hips as she moved away. I heard Jordan call out a greeting, and before he came into the office, I wiped my mouth, knowing Liv’s gloss was there.
I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction again.
Liv
I stepped out of the Uber and stood looking at Van’s house. He only lived a short distance from me—on the other side of the park Sammy and I went to all the time, but the area was vastly different. Mine was filled with condo towers and busy traffic. His house sat on a relatively quiet street. The houses were Victorian and solid, most of them three stories, built of brick with big windows. The yard was small, but with land at a premium in Toronto, any yard was a bonus. He had a wide porch, with a big swing to one side. Light glowed behind the closed shutters.
I swallowed and took a calming breath, gripping the handle of my knapsack tightly. Why was I so nervous? It was Van.
I swallowed again.
Because it was Van.
The man I had liked privately for so long. Who amazed me. Inspired me. The man who went from coworker and friend, to lover and protector in a short space of time, and the man I was certain I was losing my heart to.
I knew once I fell for him, there would be no turning back, and life would never be the same.
I huffed out a long exhale of air, looking down at the bag in my hand. I hadn’t spent a weekend with a man in a very long time. I followed Van’s instructions, but I did a little shopping this afternoon in between some appointments. I was sure he was going to approve of what I bought.
The front door opened, and Van stepped out onto his porch. His massive shoulders filled his doorway. Dressed in a Henley with the sleeves pushed up his forearms and jeans, he was incredibly sexy. There was a dish towel thrown over his shoulder, and his feet were bare. The porch light caught the glints of silver in his hair. He frowned in worry as he stepped forward.
“Livvy? You okay, baby?”
His term of endearment melted away my nerves.
It was Van, for God’s sake.
“Just admiring your house.”
His wide grin lit his face, and he held out his hand. “There’s more to see inside. Come with me and I’ll show you.”
I hurried forward, suddenly wanting to close the distance between us. He met me at the stairs, his hand still extended. I slipped my palm into his and let him tug me up the steps. He pulled me close, pressing a kiss to my mouth.
“I’ve been waiting, Liv. I was getting worried. When I saw you outside, I thought you changed your mind.”
“Sorry,” I breathed against his lips. “I was sort of lost in my thoughts.”
I felt his smile. “I’ll let you make it up to me.” He dropped a kiss to the end of my nose. “Now let me get you inside so I can kiss you properly.”
“Okay.”
He led me inside, taking my jacket and bag. As soon as the door shut, he swept me into his arms, his mouth covering mine. His kiss was long and passionate. It said “Hello, and I missed you. I’m glad you’re here.” The way his arms held me close made me feel safe and welcome.
I wanted to be greeted that way every day.
By him.
He pulled back, dropping one last kiss to my mouth. “I’ve been waiting all day to do that.”
I touched his lips with my finger. “I hope it was worth it.”
He captured the end of my finger, swirling his tongue on the digit. “Completely.” He wrapped his arms around me, tucking me close. “I’m glad you’re here, Livvy.”
I sighed in contentment, nestling into his solid chest. “Me too.”
He drew back and picked up my bag. He indicated the rooms ahead. “Dinner will be ready soon. I’ll go put this in my bedroom. I have wine open on the counter, so help yourself. Look around and make yourself at home.”
I found the wine and poured myself a glass, sipping the heady red wine appreciatively. I looked around in admiration. The house was so…Van. The creamy-colored walls were set off with gorgeous mahogany woodwork. The hardwood floors were smooth and polished under my feet. The kitchen was sleek and modern. The large living/dining room felt homey with comfortable furniture in navy and gray. The huge mantel had obviously been carefully restored and updated with a gas fireplace. I could imagine being curled up in one of the deep chairs while the fireplace warmed the room and snow fell outside.
Oddly enough, I could picture Sammy coloring on the rug, and Van napping on the sofa as I read, all three of us content to be close on a lazy day. I shook my head to clear those thoughts. I was getting ahead of myself. Still, I glanced back as I walked toward the kitchen, the image firmly planted in my mind.
Van looked up from the oven as I slid onto a barstool at the high counter. “Hey. How was your afternoon?”
I perched my elbow on the counter, leaning my chin on my hand. “Tiring, but good. We handed over the keys to Mrs. Miller, so the job is done.”
He chuckled and slid a plate of antipasto in front of me. “Why do you think I had the wine ready?”
I popped an olive into my mouth, humming at the salty flavor.
“How was she?”
“Fine. She loved almost everything. I think it helped that Bentley, Aiden, and Maddox were there. The three of them are pretty intimidating as a group. Anything she picked at, one of them had an answer for, which shut her up fast. Especially when Maddox started on the fact that we went over budget because of her demands.”
Van smirked and swallowed the cheese he’d been munching. “Maddox’s budget and the one the client sees are two different things. We were well under the real one. Bentley was impressed with how well we did.”
I picked up a piece of Asiago cheese, enjoying the sharp taste. “Yes, he told me. He also promised never to do this again. Once was enough. If I wanted to deal with clients harping at me all day, I would have stayed at my other job.”