Weeks later, I saw him again. I stood on the deck of a yacht alone with Gavin after what felt like months not seeing him. All the other guests of the party had disembarked.

“How was your trip?” he asked.

My mini European vacation started in Paris. We’d spent the most time in France, but had taken a train through Germany ending up in Prague, Vienna, and rounding out our trip in Zurich. All very beautiful, but Prague was truly stunning.

“Good, yours?”

Reagan shared that Gavin had his own adventure road tripping.

“Good.”

We were down to one or two word answers. Awkward. We didn't even look at each other. I broke first and stared at his face until he turned and met my gaze.

“Look, I’m leaving for New York after this. I don’t want to leave with us hating each other.”

“I don’t hate you, Angel. And congratulations on the job. The one with your father?”

I nodded and wanted to add for him not to call me angel but said nothing. He was like a drug. I’d spent weeks working him out of my system. Hearing that only made me close to relapsing. Thus the next words out of my mouth.

“Good, because I only wish you the best and hope you find someone who makes you happy.”

“I have.”

It was the crushing blow I was afraid of.

“Great. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get out of this dress.”

Why was I the stupidest girl in the world, a glutton for stakes through the heart? I moved away from him as fast as one could on feet that felt like they’d been shoved in glass slippers like Cinderella. Though the clock wasn’t striking midnight, my façade was crumbling like my heart. I ached for a man I never had and wished I hadn’t gone on this stupid boat trip.

I darted into the stateroom I used to get dressed for the shindig. A knock sounded, startling me. Reluctantly, I drifted over, not sure I was strong enough to deal with Gavin so soon.

“Yes?” I said sweetly, holding open the door for balance.

I had one shoe off and the other on and teetered on tiptoes to remain standing. His eyes shifted to my feet, but perused their way back up to mine.

“I thought you might need help getting out of your dress.” He took one step in, ducking his head to get beyond the door and crowding me.

My palms felt damp at his sudden intrusion. He was so damn sexy in a tux.

“Shouldn’t you be somewhere making some girl happy?”

“You’re right, I should.”

He stepped all the way inside and circled an arm around my waist. And then I was lifted in the air from under my ass. He took the door from my hand and closed it. The clever man used one hand to take my other heel off. Then he meandered us over to the bed where he tossed me.

“I hate you,” I cursed.

“You may wish you did, but you don’t.”

He was right.

“I hope your man meat is as big as your ego.”

“It’s bigger, but then you know that.”

Sugar honey ice tea, he had me. I’d been unable to swallow the darn thing for how thick it was.

“Son of a biscuit!”

He snickered. “I don’t think Tade would appreciate you suggesting Reagan is my mother.”

“Grr,” I growled.

His eyes twinkled in the light. “You might as well let me have you, because I’ll make a game of annoying you until you do.”

The thing was, I could see him doing it and we both knew that I would eventually give in. I gave up on the rational side of my brain and into the urge I’d had for months.

“Fine. The rest of you better be as good as your mouth.”

He leaned forward, pressing his hand on either side of me. “Why don’t I show you?”

He claimed my lips and our tongues battled for dominance. In the end, he won that round, pulling back with a smirk. “I hope you don’t like this dress.”

The thin fabric tore like paper right down the middle. Reverently, his gaze raked over me like a man starved.

“You are truly a gift from heaven,” he said.

I hadn’t exactly worn the lacy white bra and boy short set for him. My underwear didn’t fare much better than my dress when he got his hands on them. Then with his gaze hot on me, he took off his jacket and tossed it to the chair in the far corner. As he worked undoing the knot on his tie, I reared forward on my knees to the edge of the bed, working the buttons on his shirt. Our hands met halfway and I dropped mine to his pants and unzipped them. I freed his erection and gripped him with two hands. He hissed, blowing air through his teeth.

Before his pants hit the floor, he pulled out a handful of rainbow packets and tossed them on the bed.

“What’s that?”

I was amused by the colorful condoms.

His smirk was priceless. “A gag gift I forgot to give Tade. It’s a good thing, because I didn’t think we’d get this far. That’s all I have on me. Pick your flavor. Eat ‘em up strawberry, sour pussy lemon, lick ‘em good lime, pop that cherry, or water your mouth watermelon.”

I pointed to the pink one, trying to restrain my laughter and failing.

“Water your melon it is.” He winked, shortening the phrase.

His length strained against his boxer briefs and my mouth did water.

“We’ll play the dick-and-mouth game on round two. But I’ve waited too long to have you. I have to be inside you now.”

He sheathed himself in pink and my giggles ended as well. With a gentle shove, he sent me falling backward. He gathered my legs in each of his arms and pulled me spread eagle to the edge.

“Wait, I want to ride you.”

“Save that for round three.”

His fingers probed my core for mere seconds; I was sure he found me dripping. Then he plunged inside me. Air got trapped in my throat as he filled me like no other. The pressure was intense; I was sure he would break me. Could that happen?

“Are you going to split me in two?”

His muscles strained, but that didn’t stop the ego-filled half curl of his lips.

“Don’t worry, Angel—you’re tight as a virgin but I’ll work my way in.”

“In?” I squealed.

He wasn’t all the way in.

I panted from pleasure edged with pain.

“Relax, it’s just the head.”

I gasped in shock. He was huge and I wasn’t. He pinned me to the bed. His claiming kiss calmed me as he continued to breach me. He inched forward and then back out, rinse and repeat.

“Fuck, baby,” he whispered in my ear, between nips and sucks. “You’re fisting me so, I’m never going to last.”

He sat up, rocking his body slowly in and out of me, forcing more of him inside of me. He slid a hand down over my breast, tweaked the tip to a peak, and moved down to where we were joined. He applied expert pressure to my clit with fingertips no guy before him had mastered, lessening the pain in favor of more pleasure. The other numbnuts used my nub like a game show button, instantly sending me back to square one on the orgasm climbing ladder. But Gavin had me at the top rung in seconds.

How was that possible? I’d never come during sex ever, not counting his talented tongue.

He eased off the pressure as if he somehow knew I was close.

“No fair,” I cried out.

“I’ll get you there. Wait for me.”

He drew me to him with a grip on the back of my head and gave me a long, possessive kiss. He plundered my mouth, leaving me in a thick haze of desire. We would have made out for days, but he ended it by tugging my lower lip between his teeth. After he let go with a smirk, he rolled his lower lip in his mouth as if tasting me.

His body never stopped pumping into me, driving me to the brink. His strokes were long, having gotten himself mostly inside me. He anchored a hand on my shoulder and thrusted in earnest.

The cord that had arched my back snapped and I tumbled over the edge of oblivion.

“That’s it, baby, take it.”

The more he moved, the longer I came. It was endless and I rode the magic wave like a carpet in the sky. Then he was coming, grunting and cursing as I moaned, still spasming around him.

I wasn’t broken. It was such a relief. It had been them, not me. I smiled, relishing the delicious ache between my legs.

Gavin lay on top of me, teasing my lips, coaxing my eyes open.

“No time for sleep, Angel. I have you for a short time and I plan to fuck you until you can’t walk.”

And he made good on that. He did it on every surface in the room and bathroom. My legs were weak and muscles useless by the time we anchored back in Maryland. I hadn’t seen the coast of anything as he’d kept us busy.

The goodbyes were worse.

Gavin held my face and gave me a tender kiss. I nearly cried.

“Be happy, Angel.”

He pressed his forehead to mine.

“I can’t say the same,” I whispered. Then I realized how horrible that sounded. “I mean—”

“I know what you mean.”

I looked up and briefly thought I saw in him what was mirrored in my heart.

Reagan’s voice broke us apart. Not ready to separate, I leaned into him, pressing my chest to his chest.

“Are you two done over there?” Her eyes sparkled. “I know you guys can’t tear yourselves away from each other. I mean, with all the fucking you guys did.”

Gavin’s chest rumbled with laughter.

“Can you take me to the airport?” I asked, leaning up to see his expression.

His head shifted side to side. “If I take you, I’m not letting you go. And we both know this is for the best. You need a life I can’t offer you here.”

“You keep saying that. Come to New York with me.”

Though he never explained, I had the feeling distance from here would open doors for us.

“I can’t leave my dad.”

I wiped at my eyes and pulled back. I couldn’t look at him. I would only beg, like that had worked ever—not.

It would take a plane ride and a night in a hotel alone. I gave myself that: one night of a good cry and a pint of ice cream. I didn’t think I would ever get over him, but I’d resigned myself to a future without him. I’d have the memories of him inside me to dream about.

Now I was here in New York several weeks after graduation. It sucked eggs Reagan wasn’t with me, but she had her own path and I had mine.

I’d gotten two job offers from the career fair. One was with my father’s corporation. I didn’t accept that one only for him. The pay and benefits were slightly higher. Plus, I’d wanted to go to New York and that’s where the job was.

“Hey lady, move your ass.”

I looked from the top of the skyscraper to the man that had cursed me for standing in the middle of the sidewalk. I smiled. I was most definitely in New York. I’d stayed in a hotel the previous night. I’d treated myself with graduation money from my grandparents to one night at the Waldorf. It had been worth every penny.

I moved from the sidewalk into the building. I was ushered by security to the Human Resources department.

It felt like I was on top of the world when I was only on the twelfth floor waiting for the human resource person to see me.

“Ms. Stevens.”

A tall woman made even taller with her heels waved me into a small office. She moved around an L-shaped desk, waving me into a chair seated in front of it. Though the office was small, it was organized with not a single sheet of paper out of place.

“Welcome to Weber International. I’m Misha Burns and I’m a HR manager for this office.”

She had an accent. It sounded German, though it could have been Russian.

From a drawer, she produced a folder she slid across the smooth surface of her desk. I went to pick it up and she spoke.

“Those are the rules and additional paperwork apart from the online forms we need to fill out. If you could have that to us before the end of the day, that would be great.”

I reached to grab it and she slapped down a small box on top of the folder. I moved my hand away in fear she’d produced a ruler to slap my knuckles. The severe way her hair was pulled back in a bun made it impossible for any lines to form on her face, including a smile apparently.

“As stated in your offer letter, we have housing for out-of-state interns because of the rising cost of living here in the city, but unfortunately all of our units are occupied.”

The smile I’d plastered to my face the entire time since I walked in her office cracked. That was a problem. I’d counted on having somewhere to sleep. All the rest of my money had gone to a week’s worth of business attire for this job. I hated to call Mom to ask her for money. Sure, she’d give it to me, but I’d wanted to make it on my own.

“So, you will be temporarily staying in one of our corporate units.”

Relief was like a tidal wave crashing over me. It brightened my mood.

“It’s a lot nicer than our co-ops, so don’t get used to it.” She tapped the box that was the shape and size of a bracelet jewelry box. “The address, card key, and codes are inside.” I reached out, but she pulled the folder back, putting it and the box out of reach.

“When you get there, there will be a welcome packet. Inside you will find keys to one of our corporate cars. Don’t use it.”

Wasn’t HR supposed to be a safe place? I’d felt more welcome from the stranger who’d cursed me on the sidewalk.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I didn’t know when the last time was I called someone “ma’am,” but her stern teacher-like attitude had warranted it.

She shifted the box and opened the folder to face me. She tapped on the page tucked inside the right pocket.

“You’ll meet with your manager, Kelly Reed, on the twenty-sixth floor. Ask for her at the reception desk. She’s expecting you at nine thirty. If you hurry now, you’ll just make it.”

A quick check at my Apple Watch, a present from Mom’s boyfriend, and I had exactly five minutes to get there. When I glanced at Misha, there was a wicked look in the woman’s eyes.

Great, I had an enemy for reasons I didn’t understand.

I collected the folder and the box and graciously said, “Thank you. It was nice meeting you.”

I had to operate on the idea that she was having a shit day and taking it out on me. There was no reason for her to already hate me.

Luckily I made it on time. Kelly was a petite woman, shorter than me.

“Your desk is over there,” she was saying, pointing in an open area of interconnected desks with zero privacy. “I have to duck in a meeting and I hate to ask, but would you mind bringing in a round of coffee?” Her high energy rallied me to her side. “My assistant called out. I promise you won’t have to do this again if I can help it. Kitchen is there.” She spun to point in the opposite direction.

I nodded enthusiastically. She ducked in a room made of glass walls. There was a line of frosting, but I did my best to count the people around the table. In the kitchen, I poured coffee into insulated paper cups and placed them on a tray I’d conveniently found. Good thing the door had a latch—I used my arm to open it.

Thank goodness for the guy who came to help me. I nearly spilled everything when I spotted my father at the head of the table.