Second Chances (Dreams Come True #2) (10 page)

Ah, but my sweet love had other ideas. I heard her inhale deeply, then start to move. I couldn’t stand watching her suffering bit by bit. Clutching her hips tightly, I lifted her slightly and in one fluid moment, I forced her down while propelling my hips up. The barrier gave and she was finally impaled on me. I started to move gently, slowly, certain if I could find a rhythm she liked the pleasure would quickly outweigh the pain.

“Wait,” she urged, her eyes squeezed shut, her brow furrowed. “Let me adjust. Let me get used to it.”

So I lay there patiently, fighting the need to press into her again and again. It only took a few seconds before she started to lift her hips, testing ways to move. This was a woman who needed to be in control. Marisa might confound some, but she made perfect sense to me. Slowly, she found a rhythm and her breathing turned ragged. Certain of her enjoyment, I matched her, my hips rising to meet hers.

  Gazing down at me, Marisa beamed. “This is perfect. You, Sebastian Boucher, are perfect.” Then her face contorted.

“You found your spot.” I smiled, lost in the moment. “Ride it out, sunshine.”

“You too.” She whimpered. “Can you?”

I hesitated. Any rationale man would. Forget for a moment that a truly rational man wouldn’t have been tricked into bareback with a virgin. She was tight and wet around me. Of course I could come. The release would be a relief after how hard I worked to hold it in. I should pull out, but I didn’t. Instead, I nodded and let go. I stopped holding back. Seconds later, I exploded in her, my hands on her hips, pulling her closer. It was the most powerful orgasm I’d ever had. No matter what happened after, I’d never regret this moment. My cock was still jerking insider her when she collapsed on top of me.

Wrapping my arms around her, I prepared to roll her to the side and slip out of her so we’d both be more comfortable. Naturally, she had other ideas. “No,” she murmured against my neck. “Stay. Please stay.” Marisa ran her fingers through my hair while I held her. Yeah, it was a bit uncomfortable, but it was her first time and if she wanted me to stay in her as long as possible, I’d never deny her.

Soon Marisa had fallen asleep while I was left to daydream about food rather than actually eat any. Despite the occasional stomach rumble, I studied her in amazement. With one hand, I brushed the hair back from her face, happy to bask in her contented glow. Her lips were small and full. She had lovely cheekbones and gorgeous eyes.
God, I hoped our children took after her
. My stomach clenched as I worried where that thought had come from. Before I could scrutinize too much, she stirred in my arms.

“What time is it? I’m absolutely starving.” Shifting slightly, she peeked around for a clock.

“It’s time to order that Chinese food I promised you.” Smiling came naturally around her, especially when I anticipated a witty response.

Marisa peeked at me with one eye. “If I didn’t know better, Monsieur Boucher, I’d think you were trying to keep me here another night.” She grinned.

“I’d keep you every night.” Then I leaned over and planted a kiss on her nose. “Why don’t you think about that for a minute? I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

I should’ve known by now, not telling her to move was the same as offering a challenge. “Should I not move like this?” Marisa lifted a leg and threatened to climb out of bed. “Or were you thinking more like this?” She rolled over and giggled.

“God, I love you.” The words fell right out of my mouth. I mean, I’d been thinking it. There were times I thought it a lot. Still, it scared the hell out of me to speak them aloud. Stiffening, I muttered, “Be right back.” Then I ducked into the bathroom, ready to have a full-blown panic attack.

Standing in front of the vanity, I refused to even glance in the mirror. This was no time to be confronted with the beast. Instead, I turned on the hot water in the sink and grabbed two brown washcloths. The first I used to clean myself as quickly as possible. She had bled some and it was all over me, along with a mixture of both our juices. Then I grabbed my bathrobe from the back of the door, wet down a washcloth for her, and snagged a fresh hand towel from the rack to dry her. Finally, I took a deep breath and tried to act normal as I returned to her side.

Marisa lay on her back, gazing my direction with a silly grin on her face. She seemed completely lost in thought and I had no desire to interrupt her or try to engage her in conversation at the moment. With one hand, I pulled back the sheet, and then I placed a hand on her inner thigh to encourage her to spread for me. Ever so gently, I cleaned her, carefully separating all the folds, and wiping away my seed, which now leaked out of her.

Satisfied with my efforts, I patted her dry with the towel and left it there a moment knowing the minute she sat up, gravity would set to work. Before I could move away, however, I felt overwhelmed with the need to plant a kiss on her inner thigh. I stood, and turned to walk away, making every effort to avoid meeting her eyes.

“Sebastian, wait,” she whispered as she grabbed my hand. She struggled to sit up and tugged me toward her. I froze. “Look at me,” Marisa urged.

Swallowing hard, I faced her. “What?” Inside, I felt cold, empty and afraid.

“I love you too.” Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.” Her eyes lowered. “I just…I’ve never said it before and I didn’t want you to think I didn’t mean it.”

The blood raced within me. I could feel the heat rising in my face. Tipping her chin so our eyes locked, I finally spoke. “I’ve never said it before either.”

At my words, Marisa pulled me down on top of her and began kissing me, gently all over my face. I scrunched up my nose and laughed.

“Again,” she breathed into my ear.

“You want me to say it again?” My heart felt light as I met her kiss for kiss.

She shook her head. Loosening my robe, Marisa reached in and started stroking my cock. “Again.”

“Already? I thought you were hungry.” In the past, nothing would’ve kept me from my meals after I’d already had sex once. Few women ever merited sex a second time. I wasn’t like Ian, with his rotation, or old Gabriel with his favorites. I had been more of a ‘fuck ‘em and leave ‘em’ kind of guy.

Yet now, my need for her beat out any urge I had to eat. With little effort, I let her direct me onto the bed, and between her legs. I barely noticed we had almost no foreplay when she moved her hips to lure me into her. Hell, I didn’t even care that I was kneeling in the wet spot. All I knew at the moment, was for the first time in my life, I was making love with an amazing woman who reciprocated my feelings. Nothing else mattered.

When we were breathless and sated, we finally ordered Chinese food. We showered together while waiting on the delivery. It was another glorious excuse to run my hands all over her body. Finally, we settled on the floor of the living room with my gas log fireplace running, and music on in the background while we ate.

“I love seeing you in my shirt,” I commented before taking a bite of eggroll.

“Well, it’s part of my stealthy transition into clingy girl mode.” Marisa grabbed a napkin and wiped at her mouth. “It’s a process. By the time it’s complete, you won’t even notice.”

I tilted my head to the side and pretended to be thinking. “Hm. I picked right up on bossy girl mode.”

Marisa shook her head seriously. “Oh, that’s not a phase. I’ve always been bossy. It’s what happens when you become an adult at ten.” She shrugged. “Is this the best Chinese food ever, or does it just taste better after sex?”

My face broke out in a lopsided grin. “The sex certainly helps.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at me.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. “You’re welcome?”

“You don’t know what I’m thanking you for, do you?” She giggled.

“No idea,” I admitted, throwing my hands up into the air.

“You’re so different with me. I’ve seen you with other people around the gallery, and Sylvie. You’re short tempered, authoritative, dismissive…”

It seemed as though she had a grocery list of my finest attributes. My ego couldn’t handle it, so I interrupted and hoped to deflect. “Yes, I’m quite the catch.”

Shaking her head, she sighed. “Oh, but you are. You didn’t let me finish.” Marisa crawled around the coffee table and took my hands in hers. “You are so perfect with me. You’re sensitive, caring, affectionate, loving. You’re everything I ever wanted and never hoped to have.”

“And yet you still won’t marry me,” I joked. Compliments made me uncomfortable. I didn’t know how to react. Then my phone chimed and I looked at it. It was just after midnight. Time for the daily reminder of my impending doom.

Her forehead scrunched up. “What’s this?” She held up my phone and read the notification on my screen.

I pulled it from her grasp. “Nothing to worry about. Nothing that matters.”

Marisa sat back on her heels. “No. It’s something. That’s the same date circled on your desk calendar. What’s it mean?”

Reaching out, I cupped her cheek sadly. “It means nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Didn’t you hear me tell you I love you?” Her eyes began to glisten.

“Please don’t be upset, Marisa. I love you too.” I felt helpless to fix things at the moment. She had me at a disadvantage. Love had changed everything.

“So, love means I care and I worry and I would pretty much do anything for you.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Even marry me?” I challenged. At this point, I just hoped to shut her up.

Her lips pursed together. “Almost anything.” Her head cocked to the side. “What does marriage have to do with this?”

For a moment, I tugged on my lower lip, but she slapped my hand out of the way. I still had no idea how to answer her.

“Answer me, Sebastian. Don’t bother lying because I’ll know.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at me.

“My parents’ will.” I exhaled slowly. “If I don’t marry by my twenty-fifth birthday, I lose everything.” I watched as she tucked her legs up in front of her.

“Wait. So you just need someone to marry? Is that why you’ve been pursuing me?” The first tear fell from her eye and slid down her face. I reached out to wipe it away, but she refused to let me touch her. “Answer me, Sebastian,” she snapped.

Shaking my head, I spluttered. “Of course not! If it was simply about getting married I could’ve married Sylvie!”

Her eyes lowered as she considered what I’d said. “Then why didn’t you? You have two weeks? Why did you wait so long?”

I licked my lips. “Who would want to marry me? Who could ever love me?” Slowly I stood. “You said it yourself. I’m a horrible person.”

Her face contorted as she watched me back up. “Do you really think that?”

“I know that.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Uncle Luc reminded me regularly.” I swallowed hard. “Then you came along, Marisa. I was drawn to you from the moment I saw you.” I bit my cheek as I considered what to say next. “How much truth do you want?”

“All of it.” Her voice sounded hard, the giggling girl from earlier had disappeared.

“Okay. All of it.” I sat on the couch, leaned forward and held my head. “I guess at first, I thought I might strike a deal, get you to marry me that way, but the longer I knew you, the more I knew I didn’t want that.”

“You didn’t want to marry me anymore?” Her face scrunched up as she tried to process my explanation.

“Not that. I didn’t want to marry you unless we were in love.” I started to rock back and forth. “I meant what I said earlier.”

“Which part?” Her hands were clasped in front of her heart. I could almost feel her hurting.

“The part where I told you that you were worth everything. I’d give it all up for you. I am. I’m giving it all up…for you.” I stopped moving then, frozen in place, wondering what she thought.

“You’re giving up all your money for
me
?” Her voice sounded incredulous.

“I have an inheritance, but I lose the mansion, the condo, the gallery, and the remainder of the estate, yes. For you.” If that didn’t speak to the depth of my love, I didn’t know what would.

“I can’t let you lose everything for me.” She wrapped her arms around her knees.

“Then marry me,” I implored.

Marisa threw her hands in the air. “Marry you? I barely know you.” She bit her lip. “Marriage killed my mother. I’m tougher than that, smarter. I can’t marry unless I’m certain.”

Dropping to my knees in front of her, I tilted her chin up with one finger. “It’s okay, Marisa. I’ll wait.”

“You only have two weeks.” Her eyes darted about, as she looked at everything but me.

“It doesn’t matter. You are
everything
.” I meant it. A calm washed over me as I accepted my fate.

“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “I’m nothing.” Then Marisa stood and rushed to the bedroom.

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. This felt all too familiar. Here we were once more. Another ruined meal. Another reason for her to run off. I stood, hoping to stop her in the bedroom, but by the time I even made it to the kitchen, she’d dressed and already had bolted for the stairs.

“What are you, part ninja? Marisa, come talk to me.” I called down to her from the top of the stairs.