Tempted Heir (The Heirs #7) - Michelle Heard Page 0,18

order dinner?”

“Sure. Anything specific?”

“Calamari, please.”

I nod and pull out my phone while Dash gets her stuff.

Ten minutes later, I grab my jacket and press the button for the elevator so we can head up to my apartment. My eyes drift over Dash, and when she glances up, I smile.

We haven’t slept in the same bed a lot, and I know it’s a big adjustment for her.

When the doors open, I turn off the living room lights in her place and follow Dash inside the elevator.

Reaching my floor, we walk into my penthouse. I take the bag from her. “Will you pour our drinks?”

“Yeah, sure.”

I take her overnight bag to my room, and I’m just about to change out of the suit when my phone rings. Seeing it’s the concierge, I answer, “Yes.”

“There’s a food delivery for you, Sir.”

“I’ll be right down.”

I end the call and leave my room. As I head to the elevator, I say, “The food’s here.”

I step into the elevator, and meeting Dash’s gaze where she’s standing in the kitchen, I wink at her as the doors slide shut.

Going down, I pay for our food, and thanking the delivery guy, I head back up.

Dash is busy taking plates from the cupboard when I place the food on the counter. “Go change while I plate the food,” she offers.

Heading to my bedroom, I strip out of the suit and slip on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before heading back downstairs.

Dash has everything waiting in the living room, and dropping down beside her on the couch, I notice the TV’s on. “What are we watching?”

“Nothing. I’m just putting on some music.”

An instrumental piece plays while we enjoy our food. Once we’re done eating, I take our dishes to the kitchen. Sitting back down next to Dash, I stretch my legs out, resting my feet on the coffee table, and then I lift my arm around her shoulders.

She snuggles into my side, placing her hand on my abs. Letting out a happy sigh, she says, “I can get used to this.”

“Yeah?” I murmur. “Being mine?”

She’s quiet for a moment, then she rubs her cheek against my chest. “I’ve always been yours.”

Not in every way.

There’s still something important I want to discuss with her. “There’s one more thing I want to talk about.”

Dash glances up at me. “What?” When she notices the serious look on my face, she sits upright. “Something bad?”

I nod as I pull her back against me. “It’s about when you dated Josh.”

“Ugh, worst mistake of my life,” she mutters.

Trying to be sensitive about the subject, I ask, “Remember how I pointed out he was changing you?”

She nods. “Damn narcissist.”

I take a deep breath and let it out before I get to the point, “You took one hell of a knock from him, and I’m not referring to when he hit you.” The memory alone is enough to make my blood boil. “I mean emotionally and psychologically. He broke you down every chance he got. I thought you healed from it, but this past week, I picked up on things. You’re not confident when it comes to your own sexuality. I don’t think you doubt that I’ll want you, but rather, you feel there’s no reason for me to want you.”

The music fills the air after my words, as Dash sits frozen next to me. I can feel her mind racing at a mile a minute as she processes what I said.

After a minute, she murmurs, “I’ve been trying to figure out what was niggling at me the entire week.”

I tighten my arm around her. “It doesn’t matter how many times I tell you I want you, you’re not going to believe me until you accept that you deserve it.”

She nods, and when she doesn’t say anything, I place my hand under her chin and lift her face to me. When our eyes lock, I say, “You deserve the world, Dash. You’re beautiful, smart, sexy as fuck, and loyal to a fault. You’re everything I want in a woman.”

A look of wonder washes over her features, and then she moves, straddling me. She brings her hands to my jaw, her gaze drifting over my face. The moment is loaded as she leans in, initiating a kiss for the first time.

I move my hands to her hips as I let her set the pace.

At first, her mouth is tentative, but then her tongue finds mine and her hands slip to my hair. The kiss intensifies until it’s