how her top lip was a bit smaller than the bottom.
She moaned as our bodies met again. Our pleasure was rising again. Much faster than I’d wanted. I clenched her tighter. She urged me to go faster, her hips swirling in a manner that pushed her hard against my cock. Soon enough, she stiffened underneath me, finding her climax like she always did.
All the while, I watched, wishing I could swallow her cries with my mouth and tongue. I’d tried that the last time we met, and she’d turned her head.
Only a fool got spurned twice.
I followed her soon after; my body turning to steel above hers. She didn’t move and let me rest my chin against her forehead.
“Tomas?” She ended the silence.
“You all right?”
“Mmmm-hmm.” From the corner of my eye, I caught her grin. “You seemed really relaxed.”
“I am.” I was at peace.
Gently, I withdrew from her and turned her over to untie her wrists. We’d done this task so many times it seemed like second nature now for me to untie her wrists and then massage the skin along her arms. First, the palms. Carlie’s hands were quite small, but from experience I knew they were strong. Her wrists were always delicate, but this time I frowned at how much her wrist bones protruded.
“You look thinner,” I said evenly. “Have you been working too much?”
She rolled her eyes. “I run a business—just like you—but I don’t happen to have thousands of employees at my disposal.”
“That’s no excuse. If you need—”
Immediately, she gave me the look: lowered eyebrows, a straight line to her lips, and the dimple I adored vanishing in an instant. “I don’t need anything.”
She never needed anything from me until I became the last resort.
“You need to take better care of yourself,
Coração
,” I said softly.
She melted a bit, taken aback.
“I know. I’ve decided to change a few things while I’m back in the U.S.” She tugged me into her arms. Now that they were free, she ran her hands up and down my chest. Already, my body was responding to her bold touch.
“I plan to be a good girl,” she murmured. “Right after I get on your cock and do what needs to be done.”
—
I didn’t sleep the whole night.
Again and again, we reached for and gave each other what we needed, but as soon as dawn threatened to come, I rolled over in bed and called for room service: I ordered our usual. No matter what, Carlie wasn’t leaving without having breakfast with me.
She continued to slumber, snoring softly like she always did after we had sex all night. She’d always been a hard sleeper.
While she was lying on her side, I watched her naked back as she slept, the phoenix tattoo rising and falling with her deep breaths. Now that I was up close and personal, I could finally read the letters on her back.
FABER EST SUAE QUISQUE FORTUNAE
What did that mean? I’d never seen that quote before.
I crept out of bed and hurried to the shower, taking her purse with me for insurance. By the time I got out, the food would be here and we could eat in bed like we did last time in Amsterdam.
After a nice fifteen-minute shower, I emerged from the bathroom to see her putting her shoes on.
“Going somewhere?” I held up her purse, but she snatched it back.
“Wait a sec.” I reached for her again, but somehow I managed to stop myself. We were in a familiar play, and I knew the ending of this tragedy by heart.
“While you were sleeping I ordered pancakes,” I said sternly. Much more sternly than I’d wanted. “With fresh strawberries.”
A hint of a smile touched her lips. Did she remember how much fun we had making a mess as we fed each other? The way we died with laughter over spilled whipped cream that we eventually used to sample each other’s skin?
“I have important business to handle this morning,” she declared.
There was always business separating us. “Of course.”
“I’m finally looking into that address you gave me.”
“So it’s time to