“It’s for being you. Open them.” I lead her the rest of the way to the table and wait as she tentatively removes the white tissue on top of the red bag nearest to her.
When she exposes the ultra-soft PJ set, her eyes widen. “A two-piece button front pajama?”
“Yep. You can’t tell me that sleeping in lingerie is comfortable.”
“No. It’s not. Not that I’ve slept in it a lot, but I tried out a couple just to see what they felt like, and the lace was itchy and poked at me in the most annoying places.”
“And this?” I pinch the fabric between my thumb and index finger, rubbing along the silkiness. It feels like butter.
“This will do neither of those things.”
She digs in more enthusiastically this time and pulls out a bathrobe fit for a 5-star resort, padded slippers, and a sleep mask. “This is crazy.”
“Keep going.” Her excitement reassures me that I chose well. I want her to feel sexy and craved, but I also want her to know she’s cherished. I don’t want her to think this is about sex only. I could have gotten that from Heather, and I have no intention of every settling for a quick fuck. When I can have everything with Daisy.
One after another, she pulls out a rom-com movie, a romance novel written by a local author to match the one I saw sitting on her nightstand, and a bag of chocolate and drops them to the table. “You are so sweet.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “I’d think you were cheating on me, but we aren’t even dating.”
“Oh, baby, we’re so dating.” I wink as I rub my palms up and down her back. “We are dating so hard. Just because we have to keep it quiet for the next couple of months doesn’t mean you aren’t mine.”
“You’re too good to be true.”
“No.” All teasing disappears from my body. “I know a good thing when I see it, and I can’t shout it to everyone right now, so I need to show you in a different way. I’m sorry that we can’t tell people we’re together.”
She cups my face. “It’s okay. We can’t. You can’t. I can’t. I understand that. Thank you for spoiling me.”
“You’re welcome. I plan to spoil you like this for the rest of your life.”
She blinks, and her mouth drops open. “Wow.” She snaps her mouth back shut. “I…. I didn’t realize you wanted more than a few months of fun.”
“Sweetheart. This is as real as it gets. I’m not going to scare you by declaring I’m in love with you, but….” I press my lips together. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone else. So just because I’m not labeling the emotion yet, doesn’t mean I’m not thinking it.”
“Okay.” She swallows and licks her lips. “I’m just in shock. I mean, we hooked up at a reception, and I thought that was a one-time thing. Not that I didn’t want it to be more. I just never thought someone older and as hot as you would ever be attracted to me. I’m boring and–”
“Stop,” I growl, fist my hand into her hair, and pull her head back, so she’s looking into my eyes. “Enough of that.”
“Yes, sir.” She clears her throat. “I didn’t think you were interested. Then, we hooked up again, and I thought you were playing around because of the forbidden aspect. Like doing something immoral was an adrenaline rush for you.”
“Babe, I wanted to do dirty and filthy things to you from the second I saw you. That’s not going to change.” I rock into her, showing her exactly what she does to me.
“I think I’m finally getting the message.” That’s better. I nudge her legs apart and hold her tighter. “Okay.” She laughs. “I’m getting the message, loud and clear.”
“Good. Because if I wanted a quick fuck with a student, I could have taken Heather up on her proposition this afternoon after you left my office. The thought is repulsive.”
Her teeth grind together. “What are you talking about?”
I explain what happened after she left, not to brag, but because I want honesty between us.
“I’m going to rip her eyes out.”
“Down, kitten.” I kiss along her jaw until I reach her ear. “I like seeing you jealous.”
“That’s good because I’m feeling murderous right now. I can’t believe she propositioned you.”
“Why?” I suck her earlobe into my mouth. “Am I so old and disgusting that you can’t believe she’d find me hot?”
“You’re clearly a rotten tease.” She strokes her hands along my abs until she reaches the waistband of my shorts. “I’m beginning to think you need to be punished for jerking me around.”
“Stand in line, baby.” I wink. “I’m the one teasing you all night long.”