“I’ll give you a massage when you finish and you can tell me all about it,” she told him.

“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”

CHAPTER Thirty

When Duke got out of the shower and headed into the bedroom, he had to force himself not to rush.

And there she was. Candles were lit and he had to grin at the sight of her in actual lingerie.

“You like?”

Black against the pale of her skin. Freckles dancing here and there. Creamy white lace framed the cups of the bra and made little ruffle things on the ass.

“I really, really do. Wow.”

“I told you that I could pull out the stops for sex dressing from time to time.”

“You sure did.”

“I also thought the outfit sort of had a maid thing going.”

“My mother has a cleaning lady. I was there around her, and I have to tell you, my thing about you cleaning? It’s got nothing to do with anyone else wiping down counters or scrubbing a floor. It’s a one hundred percent Carmella fixation.”

“I’m not complaining. On your belly. I’ll give you a massage while you talk to me.”

He shucked the sleep pants and shorts.

“I’ve missed you so much.” Carmella stepped close and slid her hands all over his torso. “Missed the way you smell. The way you keep me warm at night. It’s been cold here this week. Missed your voice.”

He cupped her cheeks. “I missed you too, gorgeous. Damn I love you. Love you, love you, love you.”

She threw her arms around him and tipped back. “I love you too.”

He nearly choked. The crap with her mother being so fresh, he really hadn’t expected it this soon, if at all.

“You do?”

“I do. I guess I have a romantic fool’s heart too.”

He kissed her, easing her back to the bed. “There’s nothing foolish about you.”

“Whatever. Regardless, the situation is this. I realized earlier tonight as PJ was here helping me get ready that I believed you loved me. And that I loved you. And when you looked at me tonight when I came into the bar, I was the only woman in the room for you. There was nothing left to do by that point but love you and stop pretending I didn’t.”

“You are the only woman in the world as far as I’m concerned.” He insinuated himself between her thighs. “I don’t really want a massage,” he said, kissing her in between the words.

“You don’t? You should. You looked so tired tonight at the end of dinner. I wanted to put you in a wagon and pull you home.”

“I can see you doing just that and daring anyone to stop you.” He undid her bra and slid it from her body.

“See? Five minutes, tops. Why spend the money on that kind of stuff every day when cotton underpants are way cheaper and more comfortable?”

He tried not to smile but gave up. “I have no complaints about your white cotton panties. All I want is what’s in ’em anyway. But I do like this little number. The panties do something for me.” He ground himself against her pussy.

She shuddered a breath. “That’s worth it right there. Bravo.”

“Just getting started.” He slid the panties aside to get access to her pussy. Already slick and ready for him. “The problem with finally falling in love after years of being single is that I got used to you. In my bed pretty much every night, or me in yours. Your smell on my hands and on my sheets. The way you feel as I slowly push my cock into you. You ripple all around me and it’s so hot it makes me insane. In the morning first thing when you’re relaxed and easy. In the middle of the night because I woke up and couldn’t not be fucking you.”

He slid the pad of his thumb over her clit in circles. She gasped and it tore at his control.

“I got used to your smile when I come into your office or show up at your door. No one told me I needed to eat something besides onion rings, or made sure my DVR is scheduled for all the weird car stuff most people don’t know anything about. Being away from that made me realize a thousandfold how much I have in you. Hot and sticky sweet. Strong.”

Her nipples beaded hard and dark and he stretched up to flick one. Her pussy superheated around his fingers.

“You are everything. Give it to me, gorgeous. Let’s get started with a climax to take the edge off.” He twisted his wrist, sliding two fingers deep. She arched her back and then rolled her hips, riding his hand.

This was so beautiful—she was so beautiful—he’d begun to wonder if he was imagining it. Thought perhaps he’d embellished it in his head while he’d been sad and lonely twelve hundred miles from home.

Not much had been farther from the truth.

This was coming home. Being away from her had only cemented that.

“Take it from me.”

Carmella circled her hips, pressing her clit against his thumb, meeting his fingers. Her skin had gone pink and the valley between her breasts glistened with sweat.

She moaned and came apart around his fingers.

His cock hadn’t been this hard and smeared in precome since he was sixteen. But then he’d had to settle for an awkward hand job that ended about a minute after it started.

Now he was confronted by a gorgeous woman all curves and heart.

She reached down to wriggle free from her panties, tossing them to the side before rolling up to her knees. “On your stomach.”

“Carm, baby. I—”

“Don’t Carm-baby me. Have I ever let you down?” She shot him a saucy grin.