The One and Only(19)

And here she was, giving me permission to put it past us. Hell, her eyes were practically begging for it.

“For whatever it’s worth, I forgive you. Not that you did anything that I really need to forgive you for, but—”

“But I appreciate it,” I interrupted, taking her other hand in my free one and bringing it to my lips. I kissed her palm and her knuckles before lowering it down as I whispered, “Thank you.”

She smiled again and I felt myself returning it, the emotions of the past few days melting away. After a few moments, I realized we would be in dangerous territory staying here if she was hoping for a third date, so I pulled away.

“Would you like to go out for dinner? I already ate, but I wouldn’t mind sitting with you.”

“I had dinner at home.”

“Coffee?”

“No, thank you.”

There was an awkward pause and I felt my shoulders tensing up as I searched for alternatives. Anything that would get us out of my apartment.

“Movie? Drinks? Hell, I can try to find a bowling alley if you—”

“Can we just stay here?”

Exactly the scenario I was trying to avoid. She looked too good and smelled fucking amazing and my bed was so, so close...

Mallory licked her lips and tilted her head back, getting a look in her eyes that I hadn’t seen in them before. I held my breath as I waited for her to speak.

“I care about you a lot,” she said slowly, her eyes watching my throat when I swallowed roughly. “I’d like to have our third date here.”

“What exactly are you saying?”

She sucked in a breath before letting it out slowly, taking a moment to gather herself before she looked me in the eye and said, “I want to spend the night.”





11





Mallory





For a moment that felt far longer than it probably was, there was no reaction. Nothing but a blank stare and a sharply inhaled breath.

Finally—finally—his throat bobbed just before he blew out the breath he’d been holding and slowly stated, “If you stay the night here, you won’t be leaving with your virtue intact. I’m not that strong of a man.”

“I don’t know. I think you’re pretty strong,” I said, half as a joke to ease the tension and half seriously as I reached up to touch his bicep. “At least it felt that way when you picked me up.”

I squealed in surprise when he abruptly moved to do it again, clutching at his shoulders as the ground vanished beneath my feet. It was the reaction I was hoping for, but I was startled by how quickly he moved.

“I want you,” he murmured before turning his head to rest his cheek against my chest just above my heart.

My breath caught in my throat as he slowly began to nuzzle me, kissing the skin just above my dress and continuing up as far as he could reach. He shuffled around until he could support my weight with one arm while the other drifted up my back and threaded into my hair, tipping my head back so he could lick my neck.

“Oh my God,” I whispered pleadingly when he began to use his teeth. “Please, please let me stay.”

He tugged softly on my earlobe before whispering, “You’re always welcome in my bed, beautiful. You don’t even have to ask.”

“Then take me there.”

His eyes held mine for a long moment before he jerkily nodded his head and crushed me tighter against his tall frame. I clutched his shoulders and locked my ankles together as he carried me through his apartment with ease, stopping at a closed door.

“You’re sure? You could have anyone, Mallory.”

“Then I choose you. I’d always choose you.”

His expression softened into something tender as his hand blindly reached out to twist open the door. The light in his bedroom was dim, but plenty to see with as he carried me to his bed and eased me on my back.

“Been dreaming of this since your first day,” he whispered against my lips. “Never wanted a woman more than I want you.”

He moved down to my neck and pulled the straps of my dress to the side, kissing all the skin within reach. Between gasps, I choked out, “Likewise.”

“Is that right? Do I make you wet?”

I knew if he touched me much more, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the banter. Making the most of the last of my coherency, I whispered, “You’ll have to find out yourself.”

Brian growled against my neck and I felt my lips twitching to a smirk that faded away the second he pulled back.

“No,” I groaned as he sat up on his knees. “Please don’t—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he interrupted as he jerked the hem of his t-shirt over his head and moved to his belt. “Just getting these out of the way.”