I buried my head in her neck and let her words wash over me. She held me close and ran her fingers through my hair. Her touch felt so good. After years of denying myself the chance to find love again, Layla’s caresses moved through me, reaching deep into my soul. I had no idea how to even begin to forgive myself, but I figured letting her in was a good place to start.
Lifting my head, I looked into her eyes and said, “Thank you.”
Her smile shone light over me. “Always,” she whispered.
Always.
I needed her skin.
Needed to hold her.
I grabbed her hand and led her to my bedroom.
She let me strip her, and once we were both naked, I took her face in my hands and slowly kissed her. When I ended the kiss, I murmured, “I need you in my arms, baby.”
“I know,” she said, and crawled onto the bed.
I followed her and settled her in my arms. She placed her hand on my chest and traced the skin there. Her body was pressed against mine, our arms and legs entwined, and I wanted nothing more than what she’d already given me.
Tonight, I just needed to hold her.
Chapter Nineteen
Layla
“Annie!” I called up the stairs.
No reply.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath. We were going to be late if she didn’t hurry up.
“I’m coming,” she yelled out, and I blew out a breath.
Thank fuck.
A couple of minutes later, she joined me downstairs and I smiled at her choice of outfit. “You look beautiful,” I said, meaning every word I’d said. Annie was a stunning woman, but with the confidence of a child, she didn’t see it.
A blush spread across her cheeks. “Thank you.”
I smiled and reached for her hand so I could join our arms together to walk out to the car. “Okay, chick, let’s get you to your new job.”
She walked with me, and I felt her body tense. “I’m so nervous,” she admitted.
“I know you are, but Donovan will be there the whole time, and he’ll make sure you’re okay.”
Just thinking about him caused my heart to dance. It’d been three days since he’d cracked and opened up to me. Three days since he’d finally let me all the way in.
“I can’t believe he offered me this job,” Annie cut into my thoughts.
I stopped her and turned so we were facing each other. “He offered you this job because he knows you’re capable of it, Annie. You have so much to offer the world and yet you hide yourself away. I really wish you could see you the way I see you.”
Donovan had asked me about Annie and when he’d suggested she go to work for him in administration, I’d been stunned. I wanted to keep her close to me, so I could keep an eye on her and make sure she was okay, but he suggested she needed to spread her wings a little more and learn to be more independent rather than relying on me so much.
“I love you, Layla. I know I don’t tell you that very much, but you’ve done so much for me. And I know, I annoy you with my lack of confidence, but I’m trying to change.”
Her words almost broke my heart. “That means the world to me, but do it for you, not for me. It’s time for you to make yourself happy, Annie, rather than always trying to make everyone else happy.”
Her psychologist had spoken to her about her need to please everyone at our last session. Annie always insisted on me attending the appointments with her, and I’d actually gotten a lot out of them. I’d gained a better understanding of where her behaviour stemmed from.
“I know,” she whispered. “And I am working on it, I promise.”
I squeezed her hand. “Good.”
We drove to Donovan’s warehouse in silence. I sensed Annie’s nervousness and fought my instinct to try to take it away for her. She had to learn to cope with it herself. God, being a real mother must be so damn hard; fighting that need to make it all better for your child would do my head in.
One of Donovan’s men met us at the door and took us up to him. When we arrived at his office, he was on the phone and had his back to us as he stared out the window. I let my gaze roam over his body. He wore his signature jeans, black t-shirt and heavy boots. As he spoke, he waved his hand in the air and I watched his arm and back muscles flex while he did that.
Oh god.
He’d left my bed at seven this morning after fucking me for an hour, and I needed him again.
He turned and caught me checking him out. Grinning at me, he ended his call and walked to where I was. He reached for me and pulled me close so he could press a kiss to my lips. “Fuck, I need you again,” he growled in my ear.
“God, baby, don’t say that to me when you can’t do anything about it,” I complained, pulling away from him.
He let me go, but I suspected it would have been a different story if Annie hadn’t been in the room. Turning, he gave her a smile. “You all ready?” he asked. I loved the way he was with her; soft and caring. It was like he knew she needed that rather than the harshness the rest of the world showed her.
Nodding, she said softly, “Yes.”
He turned his attention back to me for a moment. “Stay here, okay? I’ve got something to tell you when I come back.” His voice was gravelly, and I figured he didn’t have something to tell me as much as he had something to give me.