Page 47 of American Love Story

He lifted a shoulder then and looked back to Patrice. “I’m not worried about people getting pissed and losing business. I just need to dosomething.”

Patrice dipped his head in agreement with Nesto’s words.

“I think that’s great, Nesto.” I glanced up at Patrice and saw that he was completely focused on me, clearly waiting to hear what I was going to say. “As a matter of fact, I’ll go in on that. Whatever you raise that night, I’ll match the amount for each agency.” I put my hands up, needing to make it clear I didn’twant cookies for this. “I’ll be an anonymous donor. I don’t need to sidle into your event.”

Nesto smiled wide then and sent Patrice a look that was very much in the vein of “I told you so.”

“That’s great, man. Thank you. We’re going to start promoting the event more aggressively since it’s in a couple of weeks.”

He sighed and looked over to Patrice who was still focused on me. “What do you think, P?”

He didn’t hesitate, nodding enthusiastically as he answered Nesto. “I think that’s great, Nes, when local businesses do this type of thing, it really gets communities more engaged. OuNYe’s a new place, but it’s already well-respected, and so are you for that matter. Harold Sheridan is a big fish here. People will pay attention to the fact thatyou’regiving to the Justice Project. I’ll make sure to go in hard on my Twitter account promoting it over the next two weeks.”

He looked over to me and then he did something that had Nesto and me almost dropping our jaws. He walked over and bent down to kiss me. Not just a peck either, he braced himself on the arms of the chair and licked into my mouth like he’d been doing that forever.

My heart actually skipped, and by the time he pulled back, I was lightheaded. “Thanks for offering to help.”

“Of course.” I was breathless, and would’ve gone back for another kiss, but Nesto cleared his throat reminding us he was still there. Patrice and I both turned to find him grinning at us, like we’d just made his entire week.

“Okay, I’m going to go get Jude, since you two seem like you need some privacy,” he teased and made a show of putting a hand over his eyes, as he stood up.

“Thanks for the help, guys. I feel better about this now that I know you have my back.”

I nodded as we got to the door. “Just let me know any other way in which I can help.”

After Nesto left, I leaned against the door, looking at Patrice who was walking up to me with a predatory look in his eyes, seemingly unbothered by the events of the last few minutes.

He did that thing where he braced his arms on top of my head, so that I was ensconced by him. I looked up and my field of vision was all Patrice. When he spoke, it was low and so close to my ear, I felt his breath fluttering my hair. “That was really nice of you to do.”

I swallowed, feeling way too many things, to be able to give a proper answer. “It’s the least that I can do.”

He nodded, his face serious, but his eyes were still soft and completely focused on my mouth. “Still, you didn’t have to and you did.”

“We’ll see how things go with Sheriff Day tomorrow. That will have to do a lot with whether I actually can help put a stop to all this.”

Patrice’s face turned sober then, and for a moment I thought I’d lose him again. I could tell he was looking for the right words. I counted one, two, three breaths before he spoke.

“I know you’ll try.”

I exhaled and tipped my head up to look at him, a little bit scared of Patrice’s vote of confidence. Something had shifted today, but Patrice’s faith in me scared me, because I was still not sure what I did would change a thing. Still I told him the truth. “I will do my best.”

I didn’t say the words that were almost crawling out of my throat.I don’t want to let you down.

He was still leaning into me, and it was overwhelming in the best way possible. I pushed up to kiss him and he responded without hesitation, his tongue stealing into my mouth, hot and hungry. I let that moment take my mind off the things I neededto do. The trial that was starting in two days, the meeting with the sheriff, the things I knew were on my shoulders to fix and I wasn’t sure if I could.

After a moment, Patrice pulled back and brought his hand to my mouth. He brushed my top lip as he looked at me, with an expression of complete befuddlement.

“I thought once I’d let myself go with you,” he dropped his other arm to grip my hip hard on that last word, “that the crazy lust that seems to fill my head whenever you’re around would die down some.” He shook his head as if genuinely confused. “But it hasn’t. I still can barely think from wanting you.”

I almost laughed, because if he only knew.

“I can assure you that you’re not the only one with that problem.” I pushed off from the door and grabbed his hand as I moved back to the couch. “What are we going to do about this, Professor?”

Patrice’s face was serious as we got back on the couch, he sat back as I straddled his hips, my arms around his neck. He grabbed my ass and pressed me to him so that I could feel his hard cock against me. Like always with Patrice, everything else seemed to shrink to nothing if he was around.

I waited for his answer, as we rocked against each other, the need building with every movement, and still Patrice didn’t speak.

Finally, he pressed his face to my neck, and let out a long, weary breath. When he looked up, his eyes looked scared but determined.