Chapter 20

I can't quite wrap my head around what she said. It's exactly what I've wanted.I looked around the room and decided I had made enough of an appearance. Being with her was more important. The most important thing in my life just then.

"Say no if I'm pushing too hard," I started. "But would you like to go somewhere to talk?"

She smiled. "I would like that."

I took her glass of champagne and put it on a waiter's passing tray. Together, we made our way to the door. The anticipation bubbling in my belly left me feeling a little shaky. I had been dreaming about this moment for years. I hoped she was going to give me a real chance.

I handed my ticket to the valet and waited. I was so glad I decided to drive myself tonight in my convertible Porsche.

"Want the top down?" I asked her.

She grinned. "Sure."

I wasn't sure if she would be worried about her hair. I loved to drive at night with the top down. It was so freeing. I took off, relishing the cool night air against my skin.

I reached over and put my hand on hers. She turned her hand over and squeezed mine. It was an electric jolt that was full of promise.

"Would you like to go to my place?" It was a bold ask and I expected her to shut me down in a hurry.

To my surprise, she smiled and nodded. "Sure."

I led her up to my penthouse and let her roam around while I fixed us both drinks, trying to calm the racing thoughts in my mind. Isadora's question about why I left hung in the air, and I grappled with how much to reveal. I handed her the drink and stood beside her as she stared out the windows that stretched from floor to ceiling.

"You have a nice place," she commented.

"Thank you."

"How long have you lived here?"

"Not long," I said. "A couple of years. It took a while for me to get to this point."

She nodded. "I imagine."

"I want you to know I have thought about you a million times since I left," I told her. "I've regretted it every single day."

"What happened?" she asked softly.

I debated telling her the whole truth. I knew she would believe me if I told her what her father said and how he threatened me. But it wouldn't change anything. I should have stood up to her father back then and fought for her.

"I was scared," I confessed. "I had so much on my plate, and I didn't think I could provide you with the life you deserved."

"All I wanted was you," she said, her words hitting me like a tidal wave.

In that moment, everything else faded away. I realized just how much she meant to me. The weight of the past lifted from my shoulders, replaced by a sense of clarity and purpose. I reached out to her, cupping her face in my hands, and searched her eyes, seeing nothing but love and understanding reflected back at me.

"Isadora," I whispered. "I've regretted leaving you every day since. And now that you're here, telling me this? I don't want to waste another moment apart from you."

A sense of liberation washed over me, knowing that I was finally being honest with both me and her. She leaned into my hand. I put our drinks on the table and pulled her into my arms. The warmth of her body felt like I was right where I belonged after way too long.

Her fingers curled into my shirt, her head pressing against my chest. I held her close, breathing her in, and couldn't fight the tears that sprang into my eyes. I longed for this moment. The kisses before always felt rushed and stolen. This felt like she was really giving me a chance.

"I've missed you too," she murmured, her voice muffled by the fabric of my shirt.

I closed my eyes, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. For a moment we just stood there, holding on to each other, and it felt like no time at all had passed since I left. It was familiar, comforting, and intoxicating all at once.

She pulled back and looked up at me, and in that moment, I knew what she was asking for.

I lowered my mouth to hers and took her lips in a soft kiss that was filled with the years of longing and regret we both harbored. My hands traveled down to her waist, pulling her closer. She tasted like sweet champagne and pure temptation.

Her fingers traced a path up my arms, finally coming to rest at the back of my neck. She tilted her head back encouragingly, offering me more access. I hungrily accepted, deepening our kiss. A sigh escaped from her lips.

My hands roamed over her body, memorizing every curve underneath my grasp. The taste of her lips, the heat of her skin beneath my hands, the almost audible thrum of our shared desire, everything was intoxicating, drawing me deeper into the kiss. I reveled in the sensation, in the reality of having her in my arms again.

Isadora responded eagerly to my touches, her hands tentatively exploring my back and then gripping my hair as if anchoring herself in the moment. The realization that she wanted this as much as I did fueled my desire.

Breaking from the kiss, I looked down at her, her eyes full of vulnerability and lust. Her chest was heaving against mine. "Dora?" I asked the question without saying the words. I wanted to make sure she wasn't going to slap me away.

She turned around, giving me her back. At first, I assumed she was shutting me out. Then she moved her hair to the side, exposing the zipper that was essentially the key I needed to unlock the secret treasures sheathed by emerald green.

"Can you?" she asked. Her voice was tentative, slightly wavering from the intense emotions that coursed through her.

"Of course," I replied gently, my fingers trembling over the cool metal of the zipper. With a slow deliberate motion, I began the descent, each inch revealing more of her porcelain skin to me.

I pushed the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor with a soft whispery sound. She turned toward me once again, in nothing but her bra and thong, looking at me with trust-filled eyes that did not betray any sign of regret or worry.

"You are exquisite," I breathed, unable to take my eyes off her. The glow from the moonlight that filtered through the open window only added to her ethereal beauty. My hands shook a little as I traced the line of her collarbone, skimmed down the soft expanse of her stomach, and finally rested at her hips. Her womanly curves excited me in a way I had never experienced. Her body was familiar and different at the same time. This was the woman I dreamed about night after night.

She responded with a shiver and a sigh, leaning into my touch. Her eyes held mine captivated and every bit of uncertainty seemed to evaporate in the intensity of our shared gaze.

"Are you sure?" I wanted to be certain that she was ready for this, ready for us.

"Yes," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hand gently caressed my cheek, and I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of her fingertips against my skin.

"Isadora," I murmured her name like a prayer.

Her fingers moved to trace the outline of my lips before she leaned in, capturing my mouth with hers. My hands caressed her skin, savoring the feel of her. What started out as slow and precious quickly transformed. Passion flooded me, overwhelming me with powerful need.

She must have felt the same way. She pushed at my jacket. I shrugged out of it as she went for the buttons on my shirt. She fumbled at first before giving up and ripping my shirt open, sending little buttons flying everywhere.

A laugh rumbled in my chest at her impatience, but the humor quickly faded under the intensity of our shared desire. She ran her hands over my exposed chest, her fingers tracing along the lines and muscles she had previously been very familiar with. The feel of her soft hands against my skin was almost more than I could bear.

She looked up at me, her eyes glowing with a mix of lust and something more profound. Her lips found mine again in a passionate kiss that ignited every nerve in my body. She pulled away slightly, looking at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

"Take your pants off," she ordered.

Her command shocked me, not because it was too forward but because it was what I had been longing to hear. Her boldness ignited a flame within me. With a nod, I unfastened my belt and removed my pants. We both stood in nothing but our underwear. She was a perfect vision of desire and beauty. The air between us was electric, charged with anticipation and yearning.

There was a pause before we attacked each other. A rush of urgency propelled us forward, our bodies crashing together. Our movements were frantic, reckless, a testament to the years of being apart. As her fingers wrapped around the waistband of my boxers, a shudder swept through me and I hastily unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor.

We stood toe to toe, skin against skin. The realization that there were no more barriers between us sent a thrill up my spine. I could feel her heart racing against my chest. It was as fast and erratic as mine.

She placed her hands upon my shoulders for support as I lifted her legs around my waist. She gasped, clinging to me as I carried her through the apartment to my bedroom. Her breasts rubbed against my naked chest, her mouth moving over mine and sucking on my tongue.

I kicked open the bedroom door and carried her to my bed, then following her as I dropped her down on it. I kissed her like a man starving. She pushed down my boxers until I took over and kicked them off. I jerked her thong down, but before I could get it completely removed from her body, my fingers were plunging inside her, anxious to feel her wetness.

She moaned into my mouth, her hands gripping my shoulders tightly. Our lips parted, and I saw the hazy desire clouding her eyes. Returning my attention to her body, I moved my fingers expertly, watching as she writhed beneath me with pleasure.

I discarded her thong carelessly and took the briefest moment to admire her. Seeing her laid out before me, completely bare and beautiful, was a sight that stirred an untamed desire within me. Her breath hitched in anticipation as I hovered over her. I stared down at the woman who had always been mine in my dreams. My heart pounded with a primal need to claim her as my own once more.

I reached into my nightstand and grabbed a condom, quickly rolling it on. We were skipping all the foreplay but it was sheer desperation. I had to be inside her. The heat from her skin seared into mine as I guided my cock to her slick opening.

She gasped as I entered her, her hands clutching at my shoulders. Her eyes met mine, flickering with the shared intensity of our connection. I stilled for a moment, trying to catch my breath. Then, I began to move, slow at first, savoring each sensation as we melded together. The rhythm picked up quickly, our bodies moving in harmony as if they were remembering a familiar dance.

Her moans echoed in my ears, sweetly torturous sounds that fueled the fire within me. Her body was warm and welcoming beneath mine, a perfect fit to my own.

I groaned, feeling her tight walls clench around me, pulling me deeper inside. Her hips bucked against me in response, matching my movements with a fervor that mirrored my own. Each thrust was punctuated by her soft cries.

Her hands gripped my shoulders, her nails digging in. I leaned down, my lips brushing against her neck, tasting her skin as I moved against her. Her breath hitched, her moans growing louder. This was the moment I had been longing for. This was the second chance I feared I would never get.