Surrender to You (18 page)

O
NE YEAR LATER

After living in Seoul for the past year, I had to say I'd never had a better city view than this one. For years, I'd taken care of myself, but I rather liked this new arrangement: I lived with Tomas now while he constructed the Goodfellow Gangnam Tower Hotel.

Even I'm not a fool when it comes to enjoying what life has to offer.
Why live alone and have a rooftop sweatbox apartment in Itaewon when I could live in a luxurious ten-bedroom penthouse suite with Tomas in Gangnam? That was pretty much a no-brainer.

So I stayed and stared at the late-night moon when I couldn't sleep. From my bed I had the best view of the Dongho Bridge and the Han River. Amber lights illuminated the girders while navy blue lights cast a glow along the tall posts. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Seoul shined in ways London and Boston didn't. The city pulsed as if it had a life of its own. Over the past year I'd explored the city, from the amazing Bongeunsa Buddhist temple built in 794
A.D
. to the exclusive luxury shopping district in the affluent Gangnam neighborhood.

With time, I could claim this city as my own, too.

An arm slipped around my middle and drew me back to Tomas's hard chest. Warmth enveloped me. “What are you doing up, Gingerbread?” the voice behind me asked.

“I'm daydreaming again. At night.”

“Go back to sleep.”

“I'm busy night dreaming.”

“Most people dream while
sleeping
.” He kissed the back of my neck, reminding me I'd made the best decision to stay.

“Sleeping is for amateurs.”

I turned around to run my hands over his corded arms. I loved touching his skin. I brushed my lips against him. Not a kiss, but a hint of something more.

“Was that a dare?” he murmured. He kissed my lips, lingering long enough to show me how turned on he was.

“I'm daring you to fuck me right here, sir,” I boldly declared.

He chuckled. “As much as I'd like to bend you over near the window and show the world how insolent you've become, I'm thinking you'd prefer the bed. I like you in my bed anyway.”

That got a groan of protest from me. Every now and then I went through an exhibitionist phase, but this was the one country where I had to behave. Tomas was always willing to give in to me, but apparently not tonight.

A year ago, we would've come to the bed as if playing out a scene. Now we lay face-to-face in
our
bed.

“Tomas, please love me,” I whispered.

“Always.”

No more Grace. No more Charity. We were Tomas and Carlie now. But we still satisfied each other's needs. Right beside our king-sized bed was a cedar box with a double-lock latch. From the box, he plucked out the nipple clamps and the bondage hemp rope.

No pockets needed for toys now.

He bound my hands at the wrists and then covered my body with his, our kiss stretching out until I thought my lips would be bruised. From my mouth he drifted downward, worshiping my body with each bite along my neck until his tongue flicked each nipple. A slow sensual stroke that made my toes curl.

Then he applied the clamps. I sucked in a breath. The pain blossomed into both bitter and sweet. With a dark glint to his eyes, he threaded a thin gold chain through my nipple rings, as well as the ring through my clit. He tugged twice on the chain and a shock pulsed from my breasts and shot straight to my pussy.

Damn. So. Good. I bit back the moan crawling up the back of my throat.

“Are you all right?” he asked. “I want to play some more.”

“More please, sir.”

Watching my face all the while, he tightened the clamps a bit more—only to pluck them off again. One by one. Not too slow, not too fast. Before he added them again, he lingered to kiss the stinging flesh. I fell into the beautiful space where only he and I existed. The place where he gave pain and I experienced it.

“My beautiful Carlie.” He untied me, removed the clamps again, and lay between my legs.

The moment he sank into me, I was filled. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and accepted everything he gave me. Every deep stroke filled my soul and my heart. This was where I wanted to be.

His lips met mine. Tongues brushed against tongues and our bodies danced together as if we were constructing the most beautiful symphony.

His hips pumped faster and he grabbed my ass to deepen his stroke. My nipples stung from the clamps, but it was nothing compared to the rising heat inside of me. The pounding pleasure that rose every time he called out my name.

Sweat lined his brow. He was working hard this time. Pounding hard, just how I liked it. This was my reward. The pain and then the pleasure.

My back arched and the tension along my stomach raced to my limbs and back. I screamed and he covered his mouth with mine.

Our bodies fit together perfectly. There was something beautiful about having her with me. We each knew what the other needed. She didn't let me go until I climaxed inside of her.

We lay together for the longest time side by side.

With a yawn, she stretched out onto the crook of my arm. Her curly red hair slid like silk against my skin. Soon she dozed off, but I continued to lie there, content and at peace. Just like her, I often dreamed at night while wide awake. Most of my thoughts were thankful.

My love was with me now, and I'd find her there in the morning, too.

No more alarm clocks for Carlie. Not that they worked for her anyway. She'd started her consulting business thanks to my investment, and soon she'd be opening her office here in Seoul. So far I considered her company a valuable asset. Especially for my hotel in Boston.

I made Kraven the president over the hotel and management. He was overdue for finding his own way.

The hit to my portfolio took some adjustment, but with time I'd see a high profit margin. Dante's Second Floor made me a lot of money. Ending that arrangement to sell the hotel to someone else just because I needed a new toy wasn't looking beyond my needs.

Like Carlie, I was tired of running. I did want to forge my own path, but at this point, I wanted to make something to grow into. Seoul offered that challenge to me. After that, who knew how the wind would blow, but we'd chosen each other this time. We only had to forge a path that included each other.

I pulled her closer and she woke up.

“If you keep doing this, how are you gonna get up tomorrow?” she asked me.

“I think we should sleep in. Then I can make you pancakes again.”

She groaned. “You need a new recipe. Your last batch didn't taste too good.”

“Work with me here, Gingerbread.” So far, Korean cuisine had worked out great for her diet. Of course, having a personal chef helped in that regard.

“Not hard enough, Goodfellow. Let Raoul do the cooking.” She snorted. “Have you cleared your schedule so we can attend Sophie's wedding next month?”

“I asked Wendy to make sure I'd be there. Maybe you should be asking yourself the same question.”

“I don't forget things like that.”

“Will she be upset we got married without your family being there?”

She pursed her lips as if deep in thought. The wedding ring I'd given her three months ago in Thailand sat on her finger. This one was much bigger than the forgotten promise ring. “This won't be the first time I get a lecture from Sophie or Penny, but it doesn't matter. At the moment, it was the
right
thing to do.”

Doing things on a whim was what Carlie did. When she told me yes, I didn't hesitate to have the ceremony. Now that I had her, I wasn't letting her go, but a part of me knew she regretted getting married without her close family.

“Why don't we do something small after Sophie gets married in Phoenix?” I suggested. Sophie, Penny, and Griffin had been there for her during the good times and the bad.

Slowly, she nodded. Sleepiness clung to her. “We could make it a vacation. I know this great Japanese restaurant where we could have dinner.”

“Fuck. No.”

She smirked at me. “Are you saying you're not man enough to eat a fish's sperm sac?”

Instead of answering her, I captured her lips with mine. She giggled against my mouth and I knew I was in trouble, but Carlie was the kind of trouble I planned to keep. For a very long time.