8. Leila

LEILA

The room that Nolan gets for us is gorgeous and full of charm—actually, it feels a little like a honeymoon suite. There's a huge bed covered with a luxuriously thick wool blanket, plush seating in one corner of the room, sturdy wooden furniture, a deep soaking tub in the bathroom, and a balcony that looks out on the mountain views.

I shower and change into clean clothes, then relax on the bed while Nolan gets cleaned up. I'm still super sore from all the miles we've hiked so far, but I also couldn't feel happier than I do right now. I'm in one of the most beautiful places on earth, the man I've pined over for years is here with me, and our future together feels bright and full of potential.

I exhale a contented sigh and stretch out on the bed, enjoying how at ease I am right now. A smile turns up my lips as I gaze out the window, the views of the mountains endlessly awe-inspiring.

Then something else pulls at my attention. A little black object on the floor.

What is that?

I sit up, studying it. Is it a remote? No. It's something else.

I scoot off the bed and walk over. It's sitting a few feet away from Nolan's backpack, suggesting that it fell out when he took his backpack off. As I grab the object from the floor, I suddenly understand what I've been looking at.

It's a handheld recorder.

A funny feeling pings in my chest as I study it. I glance over toward the bathroom, where the shower is still steadily running, and then look down into my hands.

My thumb moves over the buttons, both wanting and not wanting to listen to whatever is on this device. I don't know why Nolan would need to record anything. Was he planning on recording us tonight, when we were in bed together?

Oh, god.

Our previous conversation comes into the forefront of my mind—specifically, the moment when Nolan said, That doesn't mean I'm not a dangerous man. Am I being oblivious and na?ve right now? Is he not the man I thought he was?

I force myself to take a deep breath in and let it out. Then I push the rewind button, let it go for a little while, then hit play.

When the recording plays, it starts mid-sentence. Nolan's voice comes through the little speaker with pristine clarity.

"—a hiking trip. Tour du Mont Blanc. Two weeks from now." Then there's a pause. "She'll be on Flight 724, departing at 9am. Seat 17A."

Another pause follows. My heart races as I wait to listen to whatever's coming next.

When Nolan's voice comes on again, it has a different tone to it. It sounds like he's in a different setting, too.

"I know I shouldn't be looking forward to this trip as much as I am. It's just…" There's a moment of silence, and then a deep sigh. "Fuck. I wish it was for real. I wish this was a trip we planned together. I wish I could sit next to her on the airplane. I want to be able to hold her hand if some bad turbulence makes her nervous. I want her to fall asleep on my shoulder. I want…"

His voice drifts off, and then there's another one of those pauses that tells me a new recording has just started.

"I'm about to leave for the airport. Everything's packed. Got my hiking boots, my tent, all that stuff." A brief pause. "I can't believe I'm about to go halfway across the world with the woman I'm in love with and I can't even fucking talk to her." He sighs. "Oh, well. It is what it is. I've gone this long pretending like it's not slowly killing me. I can go a little longer."

I stop the audio. My heart is beating wildly, but for a different reason now. He loves me. He loves me. Carefully, I set the recorder on the closest bedside table. Then I stand at the window, staring out at the mountains, hearing Nolan's voice echo in my head.

Behind me, the shower water stops. A minute later, the bathroom door pops open. I turn around and watch Nolan walk out, bare-chested, a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

"Forgot to bring a change of clothes in there," he says, grinning at me as he walks toward his backpack.

I step forward, my heart pounding like crazy. When I reach out and take his hand, Nolan stops in his path and gives me a curious smile.

"I found your recorder," I say, the words rushing out of my mouth. "It fell out of your bag. I'm sorry I snooped and listened to it, but I was afraid—I didn't know if—" I shake my head and take a breath. "The point I'm trying to get at is that I heard you say how you feel about me. And I want you to know that I'm in love with you, too."

His eyes turn serious. "You are?"

I nod. For a second, he looks shocked. Then he lets out a deeply happy laugh, and cups my face in his big, warm hands, and kisses me in the sweetest, most passionate way.

I melt against him. And as I lean into his bare chest, as I feel the strength and safety of him, my longing for him surges through me with more intensity than it ever has.

"I want you, Nolan," I murmur against his lips, sliding my hands down to the towel around his waist.

He groans, closing his hand over mine. "I have a whole night planned for us."

"You do?"

"I want to make it perfect for you."

"It's already perfect."

"But I arranged for a private dinner…and the front desk is going to light candles in our room while we're gone…"

I bite back a smile. "That's so sweet. But I don't need all of that. I just need you."

"Leila," he groans. "Leila."

"I'm yours."

His hands move to my hips, squeezing my curves with possessive need. His breath grows heavy as he pulls my clothes off, stripping off every stitch. With nervous fervor, I untuck the towel from his waist and let it drop to the floor.

He backs up against the bed and sits down on the edge, pulling me into his lap. I moan as I settle against his bare cock, feeling his thickness against my aching pussy.

"You're so beautiful, honey," he rasps, running his wide hands up my thighs. "You make me so fucking hard."

I'm already wet, but when Nolan dips his mouth to one of my nipples and licks and sucks it, I feel crazy with lust. I grind against his cock, desperate for him to fuck me.

"Jesus Christ." Nolan reaches between us, wraps a hand around his cock, and guides it to my slit. I feel intense pressure as he pushes up into me, but no pain. Breathing hard, I give myself to him completely.

He pushes deeper into me, and then deeper. I'm so full of him, and it feels so right.

"You're mine now, Leila," he says, his voice low as he grips my hips and starts to move me up and down on his cock. "I'm never letting you go."

I choke out a sob of pleasure as he bounces me harder. I'm taking him balls-deep each time, my pussy stuffed full of cock.

"Come inside me, Nolan," I gasp. "I'm yours."

"Not until you come for me."

"I'm close. Oh, god. I'm close."

A few seconds later, I explode, a mind-blowing orgasm drawing a loud cry from my lips. As my pussy milks Nolan's cock, he pumps hard and deep into me several more times before hissing out a curse and spilling hot cum into me. As my lips fall to meet his, we're both smiling, both out of breath, both deliriously happy.