I pop the cucumber slice in my mouth and chew as I head through the living area, past the grand piano, and out the sliding door to the patio.
We don’t spend any time out here, and it’s such a beautiful place. The weather usually keeps us inside, but, more often than not, it’s because we’re in work mode down in the library.
Recently, some of our free time is spent in bed, and as beautiful as his outdoor balcony is, I much prefer being flat on his mattress with him over me.
The balcony extends down the entire length of the west side of the penthouse, and I find Carrick standing near a grouping of furniture that’s lit with a few candles, the table holding a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Carrick also must have showered because his hair is damp and he’s wearing jeans, same as me, which I much prefer him in over his suits.
“What’s all this?” I ask, sweeping a hand to the candles and wine.
“Little pre-dinner alone time,” he says softly.
I smile because it’s a beautiful and romantic gesture, and Carrick and I have never so much as spent a romantic moment together. Not that our relationship is only about sex. Because while, yes, sex is a great part, there’s that soul-deep connection we’ve forged that doesn’t need wine and candles to cement it further.
Still, I appreciate the effort.
“Want a glass of wine or a dance first?” he asks.
Laughing, I point out, “There’s no music.”
Carrick doesn’t even wave a hand, but I know it’s with magic that the music starts up through the hidden outdoor speakers. Unchained Melody begins its first few notes, and it’s one of the best slow songs to dance to, in my opinion.
There’s no awkwardness as I move into Carrick’s arms. He easily sweeps me around the patio, but after only a few turns, he pulls me in closer and we just sort of sway together.
He smells divine. Like magic would smell, I imagine, but also with hints of bravery, sexiness, and strength of heart. That’s only a small fraction of a list of ways I could describe him.
“Are you going to apologize?” he asks, the words rumbling through his chest where I have my ear pressed.
“What for?” I ask lazily.
“For that stunt you pulled with Boral today,” he rumbles, trying to convey his ire. But I can feel through his body that he’s not really angry with me.
“He could be a great asset,” I defend my actions.
“He could kill you,” he points out.
“Doubt it.” I pull back a little, tipping my head up. “He’s too afraid of you. And admit it… he’s provided us with information we couldn’t get anywhere else. Who knows what else he might bring?”
Carrick concedes that with a grimace. “As much clarity as we got today, there are still a million unknowns.”
I can feel him receding… his brain starting to spin and go back into planning mode. But this is a moment I’m not ready to give up. I don’t know if we’ll ever dance again, so I move my hand from his shoulder to his cheek to gain his attention.
His head dips, eyes landing on mine. “Hey…there may be a million things to wonder about and will be more every day, but want to know some things I don’t wonder about anymore?”
Carrick tips his head in question.
Tugging my other hand free of his, I loop my arms over his shoulders, his hands falling to my waist. It feels like high school dancing, but I want him to focus on what I’m saying.
“I don’t wonder anymore why my heart flutters every time you look at me,” I tell him with brutal honesty. We don’t really talk about feelings, but now we’re on a clock with a new moon looming in seven weeks.
Carrick’s eyes soften, then start to glow.
“I don’t wonder why when you touch me, it feels like I splinter into a million sparks of light.”
There’s a low rumble of something in his chest that sounds like an animal wanting to break free.
“I don’t question in the slightest that if I fall, you’ll be there to catch me,” I murmur.
“Finley.” Just my name, hanging softly in the air and mixing with the music.
“And it’s never crossed my mind to wonder about—”
My words are cut off as Carrick’s mouth descends on mine, and he sweeps me into the most head-spinning, heart-clenching kiss I’ve ever had in my life. Every time he’s kissed me, it’s felt like the best, but this transcends everything I’ve felt before.
In this moment, his kiss reveals all the ways he feels about me without him needing to say a single word.
I’m thinking wine and dancing are overrated, and dinner can wait. I want to lead Carrick back to his bedroom and let our bodies continue this conversation.