I’ve no idea how he manages it, but somehow, within the hour, Blake’s flirted his way through three members of staff to get the suitcase I checked in not so long ago back. I might be jealous of the smiles and winks he gives each woman he speaks to, but the reason he’s doing it in the first place is at the forefront of my mind. He stopped me getting on that plane—he wants me here with him, even though I have nothing. He has a life, a successful business, a home, and a daughter, and I have nothing but the Lois Vuitton suitcase he’s currently dragging behind him as he walks our way.

The smile on his face is infectious and I find my own getting wider the closer he gets to me. I’m so lost to him I don’t notice Aunt Addy and Sinead step away.

“Too late to change your mind now,” he says, stopping right in front of me, his chest almost brushing mine. He stares deep into my eyes as if he’s trying to say that if I’m going to change my mind, I need to do it now. His voice is full of emotion, and the slight Irish twang he has gives way to an accent I’m yet to decipher.

“I won’t,” I whisper, unable to properly voice how serious I am. I never wanted to go back; I just thought it was the best thing to do. Blake was right: I was focusing on material things instead of what’s really important.

“Good,” he says, almost harshly, before I feel his hand come to the back of my head and his fingers thread into my hair. He pulls me forward until my lips are against his and he kisses me right in front of everyone in Belfast International. His hand falls from my head and gently skims its way down my body. Goosebumps erupt in its wake, and my body’s on fire in seconds.

If there was any doubt in my mind that Blake didn’t really want me to stay, it’s definitely just been smashed to pieces. Not only is this happening in front of all these strangers, but his daughter’s stood mere feet away. He wouldn’t be doing this if he wasn’t serious. He’s too good a dad to put her through something like this.

“Let’s get out of here,” he says, the deepness of his voice sending shivers down my spine. That kiss wasn’t enough after the day I’ve had—I need more of Blake. I need him to show me that this is real, that I’m not dreaming.

“Okay,” I agree, sliding my hand inside his.

He gives me a gentle tug and I follow him when he begins walking towards the exit. Looking over my shoulder, I see Aunt Addy and Sinead fall into step a few feet behind us.

* * *

“We’re going to have a sleepover at my house,” Aunt Addy announces once she and Blake have paid their horrendous parking fees.

“Perfect,” Blake says with a smile, and a glint in his eye that’s far too inappropriate for his twelve year old daughter to witness. Aunt Addy doesn’t miss it, because when she catches my eye, she winks at me. “I’ll bring her back tomorrow. You two have fun.”

“Sinead, please let your nan get some sleep,” Blake instructs, before giving my hand a squeeze and pulling me away from them.

“Thank you for showing her where she belongs,” I hear Aunt Addy shout after us, and I can’t prevent a lump appearing in my throat at the thought of leaving her again.

We walk in silence towards Blake’s van. I’m still a little shell-shocked by the last few hours; I’ve gone from the highs of last night with Blake to the shock of finding out my ex-husband’s left me with nothing and having to leave the place I love, only to be convinced to stay by a man who affects me like no one else I’ve ever met.

Blake throws my case into the back of his van before opening the passenger door for me. He keeps eye contact with me the whole time and the naughty glint in them ensures my excitement simmers just under the surface. If he has anything planned that isn’t going straight back to his house to make use of his bed, I’m going to be seriously frustrated. He started something inside that airport and he needs to finish it—and fast.

It’s all going well until he takes an unexpected turn towards the town centre. The journey so far has been in silence, both of us too busy trying to process all of this to speak.

“Where are we going?” I ask, breaking the silence.

Blake reaches over after changing gear and places his hand high on my thigh. “It’s a surprise.”

“A surprise isn’t what I need right now,” I mutter as I look out at the passing buildings.

I hear a groan from beside me. The expression on Blake’s face when I glance over amuses me; he looks like he’s in pain.

“You okay?” I ask, trying to contain a laugh.

“Yeah, I think so,” he answers after clearing his throat.

When he pulls down a back road and stops in a dark and deserted car park, I’m even more confused.

“I know I may be a little desperate, but a quickie in the back wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

“As incredible as it would be to christen my van, that isn’t why we’re here. It’s giving me ideas, though,” he says, before jumping out and running around to open my door for me.

“I’m not having sex with you in your dirty work van,” I announce once he’s shut the door behind me.

“We’ll see.” Blake catches up to me and places his hands across my eyes.

“What the fuck?”

“It’s a surprise.”

I let out a huff to show him how unimpressed I am at being marched through a cold, dingy car park and not rolling around in his bed.

“It’ll be worth it.”

I feel one giant hand leave my face, but the other alone still covers my eyes. I hear some banging and a door opening before I’m pushed forward and told to go up some stairs. The first thing that hits me the second we enter the building is the smell. A strong mix of rubbish and piss, it’s repulsive. I know we’re behind a row of shops but I have no fucking clue as to what the hell’s going on right now.

“Have you got some kind of kinky sex den?”

“This place is dirty,” he says, but the humour I can hear in his voice makes me think it’s not the sexy kind of dirty I was hoping for. Being trussed up, blindfolded and what the hell ever else isn’t something I’ve experienced before, but the thought of doing it with Blake gets me a little more excited than I want to admit.

“Okay,” he announces before pulling his hand away.

As my eyes run around the room, they take in the peeling wallpaper, the ripped carpet, and the kitchen doors that are hanging at all different angles from the units, some missing completely.

“I haven’t read Fifty Shades of Grey yet but I’m pretty sure this isn’t what his sex den looked like,” I comment as I peer around the door frame to find the most disgusting mattress I’ve ever seen propped up against the wall. Fuck knows what’s growing on that thing. My lips curl up in disgust; why the fuck has he brought me here?

“Not impressed?” Blake asks with a laugh.

“Umm…” I’m not sure what to say to that. He’s clearly brought me here for a reason. “This wasn’t what I had in mind for this evening after you stopped me leaving, I’ll be honest.”

“That’s on the agenda, don’t worry. I just wanted to show you this first.”

“Why?”

“It’s for you,” he announces. From the smile on his face, you’d think he’d just handed me the winning lottery ticket, not brought me into a crack whore’s den.

“Umm…” I say again as I try as hard as possible to figure this out.

“Come on, there’s more.”

“Oh goodie,” I say sarcastically. I haven’t seen the bathroom yet; that’s sure to be pleasant.

Instead of dragging me farther into the flat, Blake surprises me by pulling me back down the stairs. Ideas start forming in my head but what I’m thinking can’t possibly be true. It’s just my imagination running away with itself.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs, Blake comes to a stop with his hand on another door’s handle and my heart starts to race. Surely this can only be one thing?

When I see him push down the handle, I shut my eyes as I realise that if this isn’t what I think it is, I’m going to be gutted.

“Addison,” he says, making me look up. I step forward, and once he moves aside I find exactly what I was expecting.

My jaw drops as I look around the space that’s almost a horrendous as upstairs.

“Is this…?” I start to ask, but I realise I’m too scared to say the words out loud in case I’m wrong.

I feel Blake’s heat at my back before he wraps his arms around my waist. He leans forward and kisses my neck. My eyes close and I rest my head back on his shoulder. How do I feel so comfortable with a man I barely know?

“I’ve owned it for a while. I was renting out the flat but the couple were only here a few months before they stopped paying the rent. They were evicted yesterday. Ideally, I wanted to do some work to it so it wasn’t quite so shitty, but you ruined that plan by suddenly announcing you were leaving. What do you think?” he asks, suddenly sounding unsure of himself.

“Are you serious?” I turn in his arms and look up at him, waiting for him to tell me this is all one big joke. He doesn’t; he just smiles back at me.

“It’s all yours, if you want it.”

“Blake…this is amazing…but…”

“No buts, Addison.”

“Yes, buts,” I argue. “I have nothing! No money…I can’t afford rent on this place let alone be able to fill it with everything I’d need to start a business.”

“Shut up,” Blake demands before slamming his lips down on mine. Whatever I was about to say dies as my tongue tangles with his. My body melts into him and I rely on his arms to hold me up.

The world disappears, the smell of piss disintegrates, and the only thing I’m aware of is Blake’s body pressed against mine. I flinch when I feel the wall against my back, but our kiss doesn’t falter as Blake pulls my skirt up around my waist and pushes my cotton knickers to one side. I wasn’t feeling all that sexy when I got dressed this morning, something I’m now regretting.

“Fuck, you’re wet,” Blake mutters when he circles my opening with his fingers.

I groan in response, too focused on the sensation to form any words.

All rational thought escapes me as he plunges his fingers deep inside. My hips buck and my head falls back against the wall with a thud.

Everything’s forgotten when his hands are on me. Thoughts of what I was actually going to do tonight and why, where we are currently stood, my unsure future…all are long gone as I concentrate on my approaching orgasm.

I’m just about to fall over the edge when his fingers are suddenly gone.

“Blake,” I pant.

“Tell me what you want,” he demands as his dark, intense eyes stare into mine.

“You,” I whisper, so quietly I’m not sure he’s able to hear it.

“You’ve got me. Now what do you want me to do?”

“Inside,” I say impatiently.

“What inside?”

“You,” I huff in frustration. “I want you inside me.”

Apparently it’s what he wants to hear, because he rips his fly open and pulls his hard cock out. Even the dull, flickering light coming from the only working bulb is enough to let me see the tip’s glistening.

I watch as he strokes himself a few times. The sight pushes my frustration and desire up a few more notches.

“Blake,” I mutter, my gaze locked on where he’s holding himself.

His eyes run up my body slowly, from my leather knee-high heeled boots, up my bare legs, over my bunched up skirt, finally stopping when he reaches my eyes. He continues looking at me as he steps forward and lifts one of my legs so it’s hitched up around his waist before slowly pushing himself into me.

“Ahhhhh,” I moan as he continues to slowly slide inside me until I’m full. My muscles clamp down on him as I stretch to accommodate his size.

Our eyes are locked as he pulls back out just as slowly. It feels more intimate than our physical connection. It’s like he’s trying to tell me something, promise me something without words. As comforting as it is, I think I’m going to need the actual words to make me believe this is all really happening.

Blake’s increased tempo drags me from my thoughts. His eyes break from mine in favour of attaching his lips to the sensitive skin of my neck as his hips piston in and out of me. Each time, he hits me deep, forcing me closer to my release.

“I couldn’t let you leave,” I hear muttered into my neck. His words make my chest feel tight. “This. This is something.”

I want to respond, tell him I agree, but my orgasm hits me all of a sudden and instead of answering, I’m falling—falling into a Blake-induced bliss.

It’s only mere seconds after I come back to myself that I feel the effects of Blake’s orgasm as it hits him. His entire body locks up before he twitches deep inside me. He mutters my name and it brings tears to my eyes.

I was going to leave him. I was going to leave the place I love and this incredible man to return to a life I hate.

Thank fuck he stopped me, is the last thought I have before Blake’s lips find mine again.

“Um…” I say when Blake eventually un-attaches himself from my body. “How dirty are those windows?” I ask, looking over at the dull grey glass that looks out onto the town centre beyond.

“Pretty minging, why?”

“Dirty enough that people walking past couldn’t just see what we were just doing?”

“Uh…”

The thought hadn’t even entered my head earlier. Now, all rational thought has returned, and my heart is racing at the thought of being seen pinned against the wall as Blake fucked me senseless.

“It’s dead out there this time of night, so even if you could see in, the chances of someone actually walking past are slim.”

I try my best to put my worry to one side. After all, I have a bigger issue to deal with.

“Blake, this is amazing, but I can’t accept it,” I say, going back to what I wanted to say before the session against the wall. “I won’t accept charity; if I’m going to do this, then I need to do it myself.”

“It’s not charity, Addison.” I raise my eyebrow at him. “It’s an investment.”

“Investment in what?”

“You, Addison. I’m investing in you.”