Chapter Twenty-Four

"Fucking hell, woman," Simon growled, wrapping his arms around Violet and lifting her off her feet. "I knew I was in over my head the day I met you."

"Why? Because I'm a bad girl, and you're a good boy?"

Shaking his head, he laughed. He honestly hadn't anticipated their argument to lead them here, but who was he to deny Violet what she wanted?

He walked her to the bedroom, kicked the door shut behind them, then tossed her on the bed.

"Bad girls definitely need to be spanked," he informed her.

Violet was giggling even as she nodded.

The woman was going to be the death of him. There was no doubt about it. Whether it was today or sixty, seventy years from now. If she continued to surprise him by saying shit like that, he was going to go up in flames.

"Where're you goin'?" he asked, grabbing her ankle when she started to move back. "Uh-uh. We're gonna do this my way."

"And what way is that?"

In one swift move, he flipped her over onto her stomach, smacking her butt through her jeans.

"Stay still," he ordered as he got to work, relieving her of her shoes, socks, and pants. He left her in the G-string because it was hot as fuck, and he could still leave his handprint on her beautiful ass without it getting in the way.

"Simon!" Violet squealed when he swatted her ass several times.

"You asked for this, baby." He smacked her again. "If you want me to stop, you either tell me you love me or tell me to fuck you."

"I won't," she said, wagging her ass at him.

Simon spanked her again, laughing this time. He loved that sassy mouth of hers.

"You sure about that?" he asked, slipping his fingers between her legs to fondle her clit. "God, baby. You're so fuckin' wet."

Violet moaned.

"You want my dick inside you, huh?"

"Yes."

"Ask for it."

"No."

Simon swatted her ass as he pushed two fingers into her pussy.

Violet pulled her knees up onto the bed, spreading her legs wide, inviting him to play with her.

"Damn, that's a pretty pussy." He spanked her again. "That's for teasin' me with that sweet little ass."

When she stopped wiggling, he rimmed her asshole while he fingered her, loving the way she hummed and moaned.

"Say it," he told her. "Tell me you love me or tell me to fuck you, Vi. One or the other, and I'll give you what you need."

"Make me come," she said, her pussy clenching around his fingers.

Simon pulled his fingers free. "That's not the deal."

"It should be," she insisted, making him laugh more.

He spanked her again, although he wasn't sure they qualified at this point. He was too distracted by the sweet, glistening flesh that beckoned him. Dropping to his knees, he spread her pussy lips with his thumbs before using his tongue to torment her clit.

Violet shifted, lifting her ass higher, making it easier to lick her like the starving man he was.

"Simon!" Violet ground her hips, trying to fuck his face.

He paused. "Say it."

"Fuck me, Simon!"

He swatted her ass as he got to his feet. "See how easy that was."

She laughed, but it drifted into a moan when he freed his cock and moved in behind her, tugging her panties aside and impaling her in one swift thrust.

"Yes!" Her hands curled into the blankets. "Fuck me, Simon."

He did. Slow at first. Faster. Back to slow. He alternated his rhythm because he was in no rush to get either of them off. He wanted to spend the rest of his life right here, buried to the hilt inside this woman.

"Yes … yes… faster, Simon. Harder."

"I love how your tight pussy squeezes my dick. It's fuckin' heaven, Violet."

She whimpered. "Please."

He began rocking in deep and slow, holding her hips as he did. "Tell me you want me to stay."

"I do … yes, Simon. I do."

"Mean it."

She peered at him over her shoulder. "I want you to stay."

That was all he needed to hear. He gripped her hips and pounded into her, driving them both to the precipice. He held them there for long, glorious seconds before he reached between her legs and rubbed her clit. It was the equivalent of pressing the button to detonate.

Violet's pussy clamped down, his name tumbling from her lips as she slammed her hips back against him. Simon didn't bother to wait. He couldn't. He was too far gone already. He slammed in one final time and let his cock pulse deep inside her.

When he was certain his legs would hold him up, he pulled out and smacked her ass gently. "Don't move."

"I'm not sure I can," she said, sounding sated and sweet.

Simon went into the bathroom to clean up, then grabbed a washcloth, wetting it with warm water.

He returned to find her still in the same place. Seeing her like that was enough to make his dick thicken again.

"Do you have someplace you need to be?" he asked as he cleaned her gently.

"No."

"Good. Get naked."

He returned to the bathroom to toss the washcloth in the sink, then began stripping as he returned to the bedroom. Violet was sprawled out on the bed, naked, just as he'd requested. Simon joined her, pulling her onto him so he could feel her soft body against him.

"I do want you to stay," Violet whispered, her fingers teasing along his neck. "But not in the apartment."

"Your friend Spencer's a Realtor, right? I'll find some—"

"I want you to move in with me."

Simon stilled, pulling back enough to look her in the eye. He needed to know if this was a spur-of-the-moment thing. What had transpired between them a few moments ago had been intense. Add on the fact he'd told her he loved her. The last thing he wanted was for her to jump into something she wasn't ready for.

"I know it's not fancy or big. I don't have a pool or—"

Simon pressed his finger to her lips. "We've got time. I don't want you to do somethin' you're not ready for."

Violet lifted her head and met his stare. He saw so much in those dark brown depths. A wealth of emotions filled the little void that had formed when she hadn't said the words. He knew she would in time. And he refused to rush her.

"I think I fell in love with you the first time I heard your voice," she said softly.

He smiled. "That day in your store?"

Violet shook her head.

Simon frowned.

"The first time I heard your voice," she repeated.

"Ah." His chest filled with warmth. "The podcast."

Violet tapped her nose with her finger. "Bingo. Did you know I called dibs?"

Simon laughed. "Dibs?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I told Spencer and Elana that if I ever ran into you, I got to keep you for myself."

"Is that right?"

·····

Violet smiled because she could tell that bolstered his ego.

"All my life, I'd expected to end up with a bad boy, but then you showed up in my store."

"I did do that."

"A nice guy with a sexy voice and pretty eyes and an adorable dimple."

"Pretty and adorable?" Simon grunted. "Not exactly the words I was hopin' for, but I'll take it."

"Don't forget nice."

"Right. Nice."

She canted her head, still smiling. "For the past few days, I've dreaded the thought of it ending. I was trying to be stoic."

"By hidin' out at Spencer's house?"

"How'd you know where I was?"

"This is a very small town, Violet. And people like to talk."

"So why didn't you come after me?"

"I figured you needed a minute."

"I did." She took a breath, exhaled. "And I realized somethin'."

"What's that?"

"You might not be the bad boy I expected, but you are a dirty one." She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Turns out that's the best kind."

"Good thing you said that."

She met his gaze again. "Why's that?"

"I'd have to spank you."

"Promise?"

"Anything for you, baby."

She giggled, then sighed as she rested her cheek on his chest and outlined his sexy abs with her finger. This was nice. The two of them. Here. In this house. She was comfortable with him. Like she'd known him a lot longer than seventeen days. The thought of spending even one night away from him made her sad because she liked this.

"So, will you do it?" she asked, lifting her head to look at him. "Will you move in?"

His countenance shifted to serious. "Under one condition."

Violet didn't like the sound of that. "Hmm?"

"If ever you're worried we're movin' too fast, you'll tell me."

"I can do that." She rested her head on his chest once more. "What're Paige and Archer gonna think about you movin' down here?"

"Archer'll go where I go."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"And Paige?"

"I don't know for sure. I can't read her the way I can Archer."

The sound of something pressing against the bedroom door had Violet lifting her head, laughing. "That's Harry. He wants dinner."

"While you do that—wearin' only my shirt—I'll text Archer and Paige to let them know. When you come back, I'm gonna fuck you again."

"Oh, really?" she asked, feeling giddy from the sexy tone of his voice.

"Yep. Then, if you're good, I'll take you to the diner for dinner."

"You sweet talker, you." Violet crawled out of bed, snagging his shirt off the floor. "What happens if I'm not good?"

"I'm sure I can think of somethin'."

"Well, you should start thinkin'." She reached for the doorknob. "Because I intend to be very, very bad when I come back."

"Promise?" he asked, his eyes glittering with amusement.

"Anything for you, baby," she said, using his words because it was fun.

And because it was true.

She slipped out of the room, closing the door so the cats didn't go in there. On her way to the kitchen, she grabbed her phone and pulled up the group text she had going with Spencer and Elana.

—You might be happy to know that the curse is now officially broken.

She set the phone down and hurried to get the cats their food.

Spencer's response was almost immediate.

—You say it like we believed there was ever a curse in the first place.

Violet ignored his comment and responded.

—Simon's moving in.

She hesitated a second before hitting send. Not two seconds later, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Girl. What. The. Fuck?"

She laughed. "Oh, don't act like you didn't know it was comin'."

"Fine." Spencer laughed. "Tell me Archer's movin' in, too."

"With me?" She snorted. "Not a chance, but there is a rumor he'll likely move down here."

"Is it from a reliable source?"

"Absolutely."

"That's good. I mean, not that I care or anything."

"Whatever. You know you're countin' down the minutes until you can climb that guy like a tree."

"Maybe."

Her phone buzzed. "That's Elana on the other line."

"Okay. Let's get together for drinks soon."

"Friday night," she decided.

"Sounds like a plan."

The call disconnected and she answered the other line.

"Are you serious?" Elana asked in greeting.

"I am."

"Good for you. That's … that's awesome."

"Where are you?" Violet asked, hearing something like a PA system in the background.

"At the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"Not an emergency," Elana said quickly, obviously picking up on Violet's panic. "JJ's here until the babies are born."

"Oh, man. That's gotta suck."

"It was her choice. Baz's dad is footin' the bill for a private suite. JJ picked it over lettin' strangers in her house."

Violet understood that, considering all that JJ'd been through recently.

"So is this a done deal? With Simon?"

Her smile grew, and she knew it came across in her words. "It is. I love him."

Elana squealed. "I'm so happy for you. Maybe a little jealous, but definitely happy."

"Spencer wants to get drinks. Friday work for you?"

"Provided JJ's not in labor then, I'll be there."

Someone spoke in the background.

"I'm bein' summoned. I'll holler later."

"Buh-bye."

Violet disconnected and stared at her phone. She was tempted to call her mom and tell her the curse was broken. She decided to wait.

After all, she had a dirty boy naked in her bedroom.

At the moment, nothing seemed more important than that.