34. Chapter Thirty-four

I wasn't one to throw the word "perfect" around. That might have been due to circumstance. There hadn't been many things in my life or experience that had even verged on perfection. But tonight…

I was tempted to use it.

Reed was happy, and that was everything to me. The teens Lily had told us about had converged in her pool house. There were six or seven, a mix of boys and girls. I'd sort of forced Reed to go with them, but when I checked a little while later, they had accepted him as one of them.

The next time I went back to peek, they were eating junk and remixing a song together on someone's laptop. Reed didn't even glance up at me.

Miles had to stop me from checking on them a third time. Though, it wasn't exactly checking, more like spying. Reed was a loner. To see him getting along—no, to see everyone gathered around him digging one of the songs he'd made—was a sight that made my heart swell.

I snuck a picture to send to our parents. That was when Miles had put his foot down and barred me from going back.

That was okay. Once I knew he was having fun, I relaxed and enjoyed myself too. Lily introduced us to everyone like we were celebrities. Miles was her beloved daughter's business partner, and I was the genius who'd created the masterpiece everyone had been pecking from all night.

It was over the top, but Miles and I kept looking at each other and grinning.

A man in his thirties wearing a crisp business suit approached as we were piling our plates with canapes.

"I've been checking out your website," he said without preamble.

"Oh, have you?"

Miles slipped my plate from my hand, giving me space to talk.

"I have. It's clean and to the point. Give your web designer props."

I raised my hand. "That would be me. Thank you for the compliment."

"Multi-talented."

"I do a few things well, sure. Were you looking for something specific on my site?"

"Actually, yes. My name is Brad Hamilton. I'm the state senate building events manager. My job has many dimensions. One is arranging catering for meetings. Your charcuterie cups would work perfectly, but according to your website, you're based out of Colorado. Is that right?"

Disappointment lodged in my chest. "That's right. I'm able to travel for some jobs, but it sounds like this is something you'd need on a regular basis."

"You're correct." He glanced at his phone then back at me. "It's too bad. I was really hoping I'd found something good." Whipping out a business card, he handed it to me. "If anything changes, get in touch."

"I will. Thank you." It felt wrong, wrong, wrong turning down an offer like that, but I couldn't see any way around it. As fun as it had been to fly out here for Lily's party, regularly commuting to California wasn't feasible.

Once he left us, I took my plate from Miles and stuffed a piece of cream cheese and salmon toast in my mouth. He cupped my nape, bringing me closer, and kissed the top of my head.

"Sucks, Daze, but let's take it as a learning opportunity. When we get back to Denver, I'll see what kind of contacts I have in local politics. Maybe we can make the same kind of arrangement back home."

I nodded and pressed my hand to his chest. "This is why I love you, Miles. You have a way of flipping things around to show me the bright side I never would have seen without you."

"It's easy with you because I only want the best for you."

"And I want the best for you." I held up a cream cheese and salmon toast, bringing it to his lips. "Which is why you're going to eat this."

He took it from my hand, nibbling on my fingertips for good measure.

Later, after the party ended and we brought a talkative Reed back to our rented penthouse, he retreated to his bedroom, and Miles and I went up to the rooftop, not ready for the night to be over.

We found a cozy lounger, and Miles nestled me in his lap, my back to his front. His arms banded around me, and he tucked his hands beneath the tank I'd changed into.

"Can I put my cock inside you?" he murmured against my ear.

I turned my head, frowning. "Is that foreplay now that you've got me?"

"No." He brushed my hair away from my face and kissed my jaw. "I don't want to fuck you right now. I want to sit here, enjoying the night, with my cock warming inside you."

"I've never…well, okay. I can't think of a reason to say no."

He shifted us around, pulling his boxers off and sliding my panties to the side. Draping my legs on either side of his, he raised me by my cheeks and slowly lowered me into his thick length. I wiggled until I had him all the way in, then he pulled me back against his chest and resumed stroking my belly and tracing circles around my navel.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Strange not to be moving. Full." I bit down on my lip. "I always like when you're inside me."

"I do too. I'll be able to stay here for a while longer this way. Close to you like no other way."

He was right. The night was warm, with a slight breeze. City noises drifted up to us, while our view of the river and lights reflecting off the flowing surface was unencumbered. We talked about the night, about us, and he held me tight as I did the same to him.

"Remember the country club?" he asked.

"Yeah. You were distant. I kept bumping my arm into you to get your attention."

"Hmph. I knew you were doing it on purpose." He cupped my pussy with his big palm. "You've always had my attention. That's why I followed you to the lake that night. It's why I tried to keep my distance and ended up fucking you in view of anyone passing."

"I liked that part," I admitted. "I didn't like how you barely touched me and didn't kiss me."

"We won't do that again." His lips touched the hinge of my jaw. "The not kissing and touching part. I'll fuck you in public any time I please."

I breathed a laugh and squeezed around his cock, which had grown thicker. "Oh? Any time you please?"

He swatted my pussy lips. "I feel what you're doing. I'm not ready to fuck you yet. No squeezing."

I wiggled my butt back and forth in his lap. "I can't help it."

"Try a little harder for me, Daisy. Show me how good you can be."

"Okay." I swallowed, willing myself to calm down. It was difficult with this unabating heaviness low in my belly. If I moved, leaned forward and rocked my clit against him, I'd come in no time. But I didn't want this to end—and I definitely wanted to show him I could be good.

"When we get home, I want you to think about moving in with me," he said.

"You do?"

"It's not too soon, so don't say that."

I smiled against the underside of his jaw. It was too soon by most people's standards, but I was kind of feeling sure about Miles Aldrich. The idea of moving in together wasn't scary. Living with his duck-in-sunglasses wallpaper was.

"I was going to say it's too much of a wreck for me. I'm not sure I can stand living in your brand of renovation."

"Mmm. Then I'll hire someone to finish it and live with you while the work is being done. I only bought it to keep me busy and out of trouble. Now, I have you to occupy my time."

"You don't want to live in my tiny apartment."

He raised his pelvis just enough to remind me where he was. "I would live inside your skin if you'd allow it."

"I'm glad you know there are limits."

"I know you have limits, which I'll respect." Another thrust. "Reluctantly."

I rubbed my cheek against his. "Are you going to keep teasing me, or are you finally going to fuck me? I really hope it's the second."

"Hmmm." He moved his hand from cupping me to rolling my clit under a finger. "How are you swollen and wet when I've barely touched you, beautiful?"

"You. It's you."

"Like that answer. I think I will fuck you right now after all."

In a feat of strength, Miles stood with me attached to him and turned us around so my knees were on the cushions and he was bent over me, bracing his hands on the back of the lounger.

He stopped teasing and started working, powering into me with low grunts and firm hands. Holding my hip, he helped me rock back on him as he drove into me again and again. I was so swollen and tender from holding him inside me for so long, each stroke made me moan and scrabble for something to hold onto—for some kind of relief.

"Do you know how pretty you look in the moonlight, Daisy?" He caressed the curve of my ass and slid his hand up the slope of my spine. "I'm going to get you naked outside in every light—golden hour, sunset, sunrise, midnight—and see which I like best."

Bending over me, he kissed my cheek and lips. "I might have to do it over and over. I have a feeling it'll be difficult to choose just one."

I moaned in response. Really, what could I say? No one had spoken to me that way. My body and mind had not been shaped to receive such reverence. It took time to sink in and hold onto. To know it was mine and true.

Truly mine.

Rolling my hips and spine, I made waves for him to ride. He followed me like he knew what I was going to do before I did it, matching my moves with his own, until we were one undulating form, floating and falling.

His fingers between my thighs tipped the scales for me. I quivered all over, barely able to stay on my knees. His arm banded around my belly, holding me up as he followed me over in several sharp thrusts accompanied by a guttural groan. Heat filled me and touched my back where his mouth had latched.

A laugh burst out of me, quickly sparking out when my inner walls clenched around him and he gave my ass a light tap.

"What's so funny, Cupcake?"

"Not funny. That was ridiculously good. I hope no one was out on their balcony down below. Otherwise, they definitely heard us."

He nuzzled the side of my head. "Does that bother you?"

"Someone hearing us?" I thought it over, but not for long. "No. Well…strangers. I'd die if my brother or yours heard us."

He chuckled and pulled me closer. "Don't worry. We're on the same page there."

Later, after we'd cleaned up and were lying in bed, on the verge of sleep, Miles took my hand in his.

"I like it here."

"I do too," I agreed. "We'll have to come back."

I closed my eyes and let myself sink into him, my favorite day coming to an end.