Page 41 of All Bets Are Off
With a sigh, I turn over, finding myself alone in the bed.
There is a subtle blue light coming from the adjacent room and the gentle tapping of keys. Is that where Tripp went? Is he working on a computer or something?
I allow myself one more luxuriating wiggle in the sheets before sitting up and stretching my arms over my head. Soreness registers in more than one place. Between my legs, of course, but also my backside from being held so tightly in Tripp’s grip while he took me so roughly at the end. My body feels used in the most delicious way. Passionately, perfectly used.
I’m never going to be the same after last night. There’s something a little scary about that—knowing I must live with the knowledge of Tripp forever. How he feels moving on top of me. Inside me. How his voice deepens when we’re intimate. How he looks down at me with such single-minded obsession, his muscles shifting in the light, his moans breaking in my ear.
Realizing I’ve started breathing harder and my hands have lifted to fondle my nipples, I shake myself resolutely and climb out of bed. My phone is stuffed in my backpack somewhere, so I don’t know the exact time. Based on the sunrise, though, I have approximately thirty minutes until I’m due at Reserve.
Considering I’m already at the resort dock, my commute shouldn’t be so bad.
Leaving the bed naked, I stumble a little, thanks to my legs being made of jelly. I find my backpack and bring it into the ensuite bathroom, where I shower and use a packaged toothbrush I find under the sink. Refreshed as much as possible when all I can think about is bed—and my assertive boyfriend—I dress in the jean shorts, bikini top, and flip-flops I originally planned to wear to Tripp’s yacht party. Then I finger-brush my hair and leave the bathroom, already looping the backpack straps over my shoulders.
I skid to a stop when I find Tripp sitting on the edge of the unmade bed, shirtless in boxers and a pair of glasses, a laptop computer open on his powerful thighs. When I notice the folder holding my Yale application sits beside his left hip, my stomach gives a tiny flip.
He’s frowning at me. “There is absolutely no reason you should be leaving me to go to a job right now, Vida.”
Uh-huh. I had a feeling this was the reason for his sour expression.
“Somebody has to get up and make the world perfect for the billionaires,” I say primly. “It doesn’t happen through magic. It requires a lot of hard work from a lot of people.”
“One of them doesn’t need to be you.”
Last night was so incredible…and weloveeach other. The last thing I want is to leave for work while we’re fighting. I want to float on the euphoria of him all day long. Pouting, I saunter toward him, noting the way his features soften the closer I get.
“I just got used to how handsome you are, baby, now you throw glasses into the mix?”
He sets aside the computer and pulls me down sideways onto his lap, pressing his face to my temple with a disgruntled sound. “You think calling me baby is going to soften the blow of watching my angel leave before I can feed her breakfast?”
“I think it’ll help.”
His husky sigh is endearing. “It does. Say it again.”
“Baby.” I press a kiss to his stubbled cheek. “Baby.”
I squeal when he digs two fingers into my side, tickling me. “Don’t you dare make my dick hard and then leave.”
“I’m not trying to!”
“You don’t have to try,” he says, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear, his expression worshipful. “How do you feel after last night?”
“Amazing. Happy. Changed,” I whisper, leaving a soft kiss on his mouth. “For the better.”
Relief dances across his features. “Sore?”
“A little. Mostly from your kung fu grip on my butt.”
He winces, planting a hand on the sore cheek in question and rubbing gently.
“Call in sick and I’ll massage away the sting. For as long as it takes. I’ll work on your ass all day, if necessary.”
“Nice try,” I giggle, swatting away his hand, and now he’s back to frowning at me, but he’s only succeeding in makinghimself look bed-mussed and sexy. “What are you working on so early in the morning?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
I’m already shaking my head. “I don’t like the sound of th?—”
He cuts me off with a hard kiss, his knuckles stroking down the side of my face.
