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The Bachelor Contract(76)



“Because your parents basically disowned you. My grandfather didn’t approve. I was starting a new job, you were trying to get a job, and we were only twenty-one.”

“The world was against us,” Nik whispered. “And yet—” She twisted in his arms so they were face-to-face. “I knew they were wrong. I just…” Tears filled her eyes. “Every girl dreams of her wedding day, and those dreams always include family, laughter, cake.” A tear slid down. “We still had fun, you and me, and it was nice of your brothers to show up with some close friends. At the time, I didn’t care. I just wanted you.”

“And now?” He almost didn’t want to ask. “Do you need all of that?”

Nikki cupped his face with both hands and whispered, “I have everything I need.”

I have everything.

I have everything.

I’ve lost everything—only to find it again.

Laughter, it was the first thing he thought of. They used to laugh all the time. They’d rarely argued, and when they did, they almost always ended up having sex afterward—amazing sex—earth-shattering sex.

“Are we really going to watch The Godfather?”

“I figured I could watch and give you a play-by-play. You hated all the blood and gore the first time, so we can skip to the good parts. Last time you gagged.”

She smacked him in the chest. “I did not gag!”

“You gagged.”

“Someone’s argumentative tonight.”

“I’m always argumentative.”

“That’s true.”

They sat in silence, the glare of the TV the only light in the room. He could sit like this, with Nik in his arms, forever.

“Nik, I know this is our last date but—”

“I can’t,” she interrupted. “Let’s just focus on tonight.”

His heart sank.

Because what if she walked away after everything was said and done, after his surprise? Just like he had walked away. It would be her right. And the honorable thing would be to let her go since he promised he would give her the choice.

But this time it wouldn’t be without a fight, one he intended to win.

“Tonight.” He kissed the top of her head just as she slid her hand down his naked chest and followed it with an open-mouth kiss to his shoulder. “That feels good.”

“I want that. To make you feel good.” Her hands reached for the front of his shirt.

“I won’t argue with that,” he whispered against her neck.

“Wow, all I had to do was kiss you?” She pressed another kiss to his shoulder, then nibbled.

His voice lowered. “Well, you know what usually follows after kissing?”

“Ah, you mean cuddling?”

“Nik.”

“Spooning?” she teased. “Battleship!”

“Watch me”—he pulled her fully onto his lap—“sink your ship.”

“Silly man, I’ve already surrendered.” God, he wished that were true, that her walls weren’t still fully erected around her heart—but he would have no idea until he asked the question that had been burning since he started this plan of seduction and favorite dates: Would she choose him? For life? Not just for now, but forever?

“Good.” He kissed her, and her tongue slid against his with light feathery strokes.

He was out of dates.

One plan remained.

Tonight. Tonight he would love her—and hope that tomorrow it would be enough.





Chapter Thirty-Three



Nikki tried to focus on his kiss, on the way his hands moved across her skin. She closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath on her neck as his kisses turned more aggressive, only to soften when he changed angles.

Brant had this magical way of always knowing exactly what type of kisses she needed, how to set her body on fire and make her breathless for him.

And tomorrow meant the dates were done.

Where would they go from here? How would they proceed?

But what if this really was good-bye?

Brant’s lean muscles flexed beneath her touch as his firm lips pressed against her stomach, lower, and lower, until he slid down the remainder of her clothes and mapped her body with the trail of his tongue. Her head twisted frantically as his tongue explored her center, only to retreat and then return again, as if he were trying to memorize every single, private inch of her. His lips pressed and sucked her fevered skin until she was ready to lose her mind. Longing surged through her as she gripped his head and moaned.

“Have to be inside you. Have to feel you.” He rumbled against her thigh before she tugged his head toward hers. Their lips met with a slam, a lick, another aggressive kiss that had her body coming off the bed in an effort to get closer.