Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
When I first slide inside her, Reese’s lips part and her eyes widen.
“Yes,” she breathes. “More.”
It’s music to my ears. I take my time giving her my full length, but soon her legs are wrapped around my waist and she’s moving her hips in time with mine.
Every sensation is so fucking good. I want to slow down and stretch it out for as long as I can—I’ve never felt anything so intense as I do right now. But the urgency is there, like an out of control freight train I have no power to stop.
Reese forces her lips together, trying to stifle her moans as she comes undone beneath me. It’s a beautiful sight, her face twisted with ecstasy as she rides the waves overtaking her.
I’m right behind her, my whole body going taut as I come with a powerful groan.
As I drop down beside her, out of breath, we’re both silent. It was hands down the best sex of my life. I knew it would be good, but I wasn’t expecting that.
I always thought saying the timing wasn’t right was just an excuse not to be with someone you really weren’t that into. But in our case, it’s true. I get where Reese is coming from—she can’t jump into a relationship less than a week after a broken engagement. She needs to spend some time alone.
And Paris. Even if we were together, I don’t see how we’d make that work. Reese isn’t the kind of woman I’d want to be with once a month if she were mine. I’d want her every day.
I put my arms around her and she snuggles into my side, warm and soft and completely satisfied. If only I could capture this moment and relive every detail.
We don’t even mention the idea of going out on her last day here. We spend the whole day in bed, talking, laughing and fucking to the point of exhaustion. In the evening, we order room service, sharing three meals since we’re both so hungry, and then we get right back in bed.
“I wish we had more time,” Reese says softly as we lie together that night, both of us fighting to stay awake at around 2:00 a.m.
“Me too.”
“In another time and place, I’d fall so hard for you.”
I don’t tell her that I’ve fallen hard for her in this time and place, because what will it change? She’s been clear that she doesn’t want anything beyond this trip, and I have to respect that.
Reese falls asleep in my arms and we both sleep soundly until our 6:00 a.m. wakeup call so she can catch her flight on time.
“Checkout’s not until noon,” she tells me as she slides back into the clothes she took off nearly twenty-four hours ago. “You can go back to sleep.”
“I’m taking you to the airport.”
She looks at me over her shoulder, smiling. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t want to miss my last hour with you.”
“Oh, Knox. I’m jealous of the woman who ends up with you.”
I can’t imagine any woman comparing to Reese, but I don’t say that. It won’t help anything. And I want to tear to shreds any guy who touches her, even before it’s happened.
This just isn’t fucking fair.
We ride to the airport in silence, our hands entwined. And once we get there, I pass the skycap a bill, taking Reese into my arms once she’s free of her luggage.
“I adore you,” she says in my ear. “You’ll never know what you’ve done for me. It means everything.”
“You’re amazing, Reese. I don’t know if I can let you go.”
She pulls back, giving me the amused grin I’ve come to like so well.
“What we had was perfect in every way. How many people ever get to say that? But if we tried to keep in touch, it wouldn’t stay perfect.”
“How do you know, though? Maybe it would.”
She reaches up and cups my cheek. “I’m not ready. But you’ll always be in my heart, Knox.” Tears well in her eyes. “I mean that.”
Stretching up, she gives me a final, soft kiss and says, “Be well.”
“You too, Reese.” My voice thickens with emotion. “And don’t ever settle.”
She steps back, clutching her purse tight with one hand and wiping away a tear with another.
“Goodbye, Knox.”
“Goodbye, Reese.”
And damned if I don’t wipe away a tear myself on the Uber ride back to Luca’s.
But it’s over. The woman of my dreams will make a new life for herself in Paris, and I’ll go back to hockey being the most important thing in my life.
I get it now, the guys who want more. Who get married and want kids. Maybe someday I’ll meet another woman who makes me feel this way.
Somehow, though, I doubt it.
Part 2
14 months later
Chapter Seven
Knox
A server in formalwear fills my water glass as I survey the scene.