Page 149 of Not Safe For Work

“Yes,” I whispered. “Come.”

His whole body tensed so hard, he nearly levitated us both off the bed, and slick semen suddenly lubricated my hand so I could stroke us both even faster, but it was the hot, ragged breath that rushed across my neck that was more than I could take.

I fucked against him fast and hard, my whole body trembling and the whole world spinning around us.

As I came down, I had just enough presence of mind to withdraw my hand from between us before I collapsed on top of him.

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” I pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Wasn’t even that long, but it felt like…way too long.”

He nodded. “Definitely.”

“I won’t be gone that long this time. Just getting all the rest of these clothes off.”

He laughed and released me. “Don’t make me time you.”

“Back to being bratty already.”

“Would you want me any other way?”

“Absolutely not.” I kissed him once more, then stumbled out of bed long enough to peel off the last of my clothes and leave them where they fell on the floor. Naked at last, I joined Rick between the sheets. His queen-size bed could’ve been a twin for all the space we took up. Rick was boneless in my arms, feverish and sweaty, and as I stroked his damp hair, I couldn’t believe I’d ever considered putting anything above him. Financial security was hardly optional, and I needed to take care of my kids, but my pride could go fuck itself. If being the firm’s bitch was the price to pay to be with Rick, to have him like this after sex like that, then Mitchell could lead me around on a leash and paddle my bare ass in front of the whole company for all I cared.

As I stroked Rick’s hair, my heart still raced even though the sex was over and the panic had passed. I wasn’t turned on anymore. I wasn’t freaking out over being an idiot who’d pushed away the best person I’d ever dated. But my heart still hadn’t caught on to that. Every time it crossed my mind that I’d lost this, even for a matter of hours, and that Rick could have easily turned me away this afternoon at the office, panic surged through me as if I’d imagined this outcome. As if I’d imagined everything, and he wasn’t really speaking to me, lying beside me, loving me.

Rick turned onto his side.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

He lazily draped his arm over me. “Fucking amazing.”

“Me too.” I kissed the heel of his hand. “This afternoon scared the hell out of me, but I’m damn sure glad I did it.”

“So am I.” He touched my face. “What if I’d said no?”

I shuddered, tamping down a sick feeling. “Then at least you would know how I felt. And that I was sorry for the things I said.” I gestured back the way we came. “And Mitchell would know that he’s not going to run my personal life.”

“There’s no going back after something like that, though.”

“I know. But there’s been no going back since the day the firm found out about us. Either I stay in a miserable work environment, answering to people who tried to make me prostitute myself for the company, or I leave. Those were the only two options.” I clasped his hand in both of mine and brought it up to my lips. “But in the end, it didn’t matter which I chose if I didn’t have you. I don’t know how I ever thought that was an option.”

He touched my arm, and that soft contact sent a shock through my whole body, jolting me. He withdrew his hand. “You okay? You seem kind of jumpy.”

I nodded, taking his hand and bringing it back, clasping it tight to make sure he was real. “Yeah. I’m good. Just…” I shook my head. “God, I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“You weren’t.” He touched his forehead to mine. “Your company put you in a bad spot, and I probably didn’t put you in a better one.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Maybe not, but I should have given you more time to figure out how to cope with it. I… Pushing you away in the middle of all that really didn’t help matters.”

“It was probably the best thing you could have done, to be honest. Realizing you were gone was what lit the fire under my ass and made me do something about it.” I pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “I am so sorry I ever—”

“I know you are.” He wrapped his arms around me, his muscles still trembling and his hands unsteady. “It’s all forgiven.”

I kissed him gently, drawing it out for a moment just to savor the softness of his lips. Eventually, I drew back enough to whisper, “I’ve never been in love with anyone like I am with you.”

“Neither have I.” He smoothed my hair. “Sometimes I wondered if I’d missed the boat because I was in my forties and still single, but…” He smiled. “You were definitely worth the wait.”