Eloise is all smiles. And I fucking love it. After finding her a dress for the gala, I insisted she find another one for dinner tonight. Since I didn't give her time to pack, I felt buying her an outfit was the least I could do. Plus, I wanted to. And she looks fucking fantastic.

Her hair was in big, bouncy curls cascading down her exposed shoulders. And the light pink, spaghetti-strap chiffon floor-length V-neck gown outlining her perfectly shaped breasts was hard prying my eyes away from them. And the leg slits, exposing her beautifully shaped legs, had my dick twitching every time a portion of hers snuck out.

It was the perfect dress, and I was in heaven with how it brought out Eloise's gorgeous green eyes and skin tone.

So far, it seems like I'm doing everything right. But it's only been about nine hours since I told Eloise I wanted us to be exclusive. So, if I had done or said something wrong within that time, says a lot—I'm not cut out for relationships.

Since graduating from high school, I enjoyed being single, meeting women, bringing them to bed, and having a good time with them, but seventeen years of having one-night stands were getting old. And during those years, I always felt a void in my heart; I guess for a few reasons, I felt that way.

But today, on the flight from Minneapolis to Chicago, I realized what I was missing and didn't want to lose. And that's having a woman officially be mine and showing the world who that girl was.

And Eloise is the woman I feel proud to show and say is mine. She's also someone I don't want to lose.

Sitting across from the gorgeous woman that got me to open my eyes and the heart I'd closed off years ago in one of the finest French restaurants in New York, and seeing how men around us are gawking at her, makes my heart swell with gratification because she's mine.

All mine...

That's right, assholes. Eloise is mine.

So back off.

While Eloise talked about the Help Our Kids Get Through Life account she had been working on this week, I sat quietly and listened to everything she had to tell me about it. And I couldn't help but stare and flirt with her lips instead of focusing on the beautiful eyes I get lost in every time I look at her.

"Are you even listening to me, Callum?" Eloise asked, her head cocked to the side, concern in her eyes.

I lifted my drink to my lips. "Yes, I'm listening." Kind of... I'm more interested in ogling the bombshell across from me. But my ears are also open, even if it doesn't seem like they are. "You said you're still waiting to hear back from Johnson & Johnson, World Vision, and Crayola. Don't worry; they'll donate to the cause. They always do," I assured, setting down my drink.

She pouted. "It's worrying me. I sure hope they respond soon because I really wanted this project completed by Friday."

"There's no deadline on that one, so no big deal," I shrugged. "But if you haven't heard from them by the time we return to Chicago, send them another email asking that they get back to you promptly, explaining that you'd like to help these kids get the medical care they need before something terrible happens."

Her shoulders dropped, looking defeated. "I did that already."

"Check your spam folder. I've been having issues lately where emails I need go to the spam folder, and emails I don't need are getting past the spam folder and into my inbox."

She pointed at me. "Right. I didn't even think of that," she said, pulling out her phone and turning it on.

I reached across the table and rested my hand on her phone. When she looked at me, I shook my head. "No work tonight. And no working until we get on that airplane or after landing in Chicago."

I just surprised myself.

If Eloise and I were still bickering and bantering, the enemies she enjoyed us being, I wouldn't have told her not to work. Instead, I would have insisted she hounded the companies she needed donations from until they responded, even if she had to work twenty-four hours.

But tonight, I want us to focus on each other without bringing up work.

She deserves my full attention.

And I need this also—to get back in the game of having a girlfriend in my life.

She set her phone down, then twisted her lips as she looked at me. Looking guilty for wanting to discuss work inside an elegant, sophisticated establishment, where candles at the center of tables lit the restaurant's relaxed ambiance, making it more romantic.

Something I'm trying hard to be. Because I know most women are suckers when it comes to a man being romantic with them.

And since I was told Eloise didn't have good luck with men and how terrible the men who used to be in her life treated her, I wanted to show not all men are jackasses.

Even though I was one to her for months.

"I know you're not used to me telling you to take a break. But I want you to, tonight. I didn't bring you here to work. I brought you here to enjoy a night away from reality and have fun." I paused, inhaled, and slowly exhaled the nervous air I breathed into my lungs before adding, "And for us to spend some much-needed alone time together. And so I could spoil you."

Her face softened, and she swallowed slowly. "Okay."

I pulled my hand back toward me when our waiter returned to our table. As he set the first round of our eight-course meal in front of us, I couldn't stifle the laugh that left my lips when I saw how wide Eloise's eyes were as she stared at the hors d'oeuvre the waiter had just brought us.

"Have you never had escargot before?" I asked as the waiter refilled our glasses with white wine—Sauvignon Blanc.

She slowly shook her head, still eyeing the miniature pearls of exquisite delicacy. "I... I'm not... sure if I could eat this," she stuttered, "it doesn't look appealing to me."

I chuckled as I grabbed a snail, the tongs, and a snail fork. Holding them out for her to see. "Watch me. I'll show you how this is done. Trust me, Eloise. You'll like these." I flashed her a grin when my eyes refound hers. "These are a delicacy, you know. It's also an aphrodisiac," I said, wiggling my eyebrows quickly.

"I've heard that before, but I don't understand how that could be. They're like bugs or insects. So how can that be any good?"

I chuckled. "Actually. They're considered a type of animal since they can live on land and in water." She pulled a face, and I chuckled again as I held the snail over my plate. "Just watch me." I dug my fork into the mouth of the shell, extracted the meat, dipped it into the sauce they provided us, and shoved it into my mouth. "See. Not so hard," I said as I chewed.

"I'm not worried about that," she said, wide-eyed. "I'm worried about the taste of them. It looks disgusting. "

I swallowed and grinned. "How will you know if you refuse to try it?"

I reached for another snail, dug my fork into the opening, loosened the meat, brought the shell to my mouth, tilted my head back, and slurped it into my mouth. "Or you can always do it that way, too," I teased, knowing she most likely won't try it that way if I was having trouble getting her to try it with the sauce.

I reached for a snail, then held it out for her to take. "Come on, Eloise. Just try it. Guaranteed, you'll like it."

"Fine," she said, grimacing while taking it from my hand. She picked up the tongs, gripped the snail, then picked up the fork, and as she held it over her plate and dug into the shell to remove the meat, I bellowed a laugh when the snail went flying in the air, landing on a table beside us. Her face turned instantly red, and she pursed her lips. "Oops."

The older couple laughed when I said, "Sorry, we've got a first-timer here."

"All is good," the older gentleman responded. "My wife did the same when she first tried them."

My gaze returned to Eloise. "Try it again. But this time, don't squeeze the shell so tight. All you need to do is use enough pressure to extract the meat."

She tried again, and I watched intensely. This time, she did it right, and when she brought the fork to her mouth, my eyes lowered to the meat, wishing it was me she was about to shovel into her mouth.

Eloise winced, then slowly wrapped her lips around the fork, using her teeth to remove the meat from the fork.

As she chewed, I humorously asked, "Well?"

She nodded from side to side, swallowed, and said, "It's not so bad, I guess." She grabbed another snail and brought it over to her plate, saying. "I'll try it again."

I figured I'd eventually talk her into trying the escargot and like it after getting a taste of them. I remember my first time trying them, and I thought the same as her. I was also apprehensive about trying them, but after getting a taste of the delicacy, I couldn't get enough, just as Eloise was doing now—going back for more.

Three hours later, our dessert arrived—the exquisite Crème brûlée.

As Eloise pressed her fork into the dessert, cracking through the caramel crust to get to the thick creamy vanilla custard, her eyes lit up in delight. "This is one of my favorite desserts," she hummed, moaning when the tasty dessert hit her tongue. "So, so good..."

I was in heaven watching Eloise eat her dessert. How her eyes rolled with satisfaction, her moans from savoring the caramel and vanilla custard, and the sparkle in her eye showing she was in heaven affected me in more ways than one—stimulating my mind, dick, and heart.

My mind, because of the satisfaction and happiness on her face, made me aware I had done something right and that I was not a lost cause as I thought I was.

My dick was affected, and I was sporting a semi-hard-on because of her delightful moans, reminding me of how I make her moan in the bedroom. And how I'll be hearing those breathtaking moans later.

And my heart because I never thought I'd ever be in this position again—making a woman smile or feel happy with me because of something I'd done for her. Including trying to be a romantic to gain the points, I need to keep seeing Eloise's alluring smile.

A smile I can't help but to return.

And the feelings I'm experiencing at the moment feel fucking amazing.

After leaving the restaurant, I surprised Eloise when I took her to the Ghostbusters Headquarters in Lower Manhattan. And I only brought her to the tourist attraction after she mentioned loving the movie Ghostbusters and joked about wondering if she'd run into them during dinner. Saying how she always looked at New York, a place where she'd find the Ghostbusters team roaming the streets, businesses, and homes, working hard to capture the ghosts terrorizing the residents and tourists.

The funny thing about it is she never knew it was here. So when she brought it up, I had to take her, especially since it's open twenty-four hours.

It was nearing midnight, and even though Eloise asked if we could hit a sex club, I asked our driver to drive us to the hotel instead because of our appointment at Harry Winston's in the morning. I wanted to give Eloise what she wanted, but in our room, not in a sex club here in New York.

"What's wrong with going to that sex club we just passed? We don't have to stay long. I just wanted to check it out."

"It's dirty," I responded quickly, "and it's not like the one at home. Besides, that one is a swingers club anyway, and as I told you before, I'm not sharing you."

"What about this one?" Eloise asked, tapping the window as our driver drove past another sex club.

"That one you have to be a member of to get in. Well, all sex clubs you have to be members of. They have to vet them, do background checks, shit like that to make sure they're a person they want roaming their club."

She arched a brow, asking, "Aren't you a member of any of them around here?"

I was. But I canceled them the last time I was here.

"Not anymore."

"How come?" she pressed.

"You."

"Me?" she asked, furrowing her brows.

I pulled Eloise onto my lap, brought her to my mouth, and kissed her slowly. Then enlightened her with something I hoped she'd like to hear, "Yes, because of you." I brushed her hair behind her shoulder, saying, "I canceled all my memberships in the cities I frequently visit—except the Chicago location, obviously, since that's my brother's business. But I figured there was no reason to be a member of these clubs anymore. Not when I have you..."

I alerted the driver to just drive until I figured out what we were doing. I wanted to return to the hotel, and Eloise wasn't having it. And I guess I don't blame her. It's her first time in New York.

So, when we travel here for the gala, I'll have to bring her here a couple of days earlier to show her around.

"But what if I wanted to visit a sex club with you if you were to bring me along on one of your trips?"

I kissed her lips. "We can go to the Chicago one together. The ones here are much different from the one you're familiar with. They're also not as clean and safe as the one my brother had made his out to be." I read the disappointment in her eyes and asked, "Why would you want to go to a sex club here, anyway? We can have the type of fun you're looking for in our hotel room."

She shrugged. "I don't know. Curiosity, I guess."

"We can go to the club when we get back to Chicago. I promise."

"Fine," she groaned.

I didn't like seeing or hearing her disappointed, so I tightened my arms around her, saying, "Let me ask you this. Is there something particular you want to try regarding us having sex? Or something you'd like to watch that you're inquisitive about knowing or learning more about?"

"Well, there is, but you already voiced your opinion about that interest of mine. As for whatever else there is regarding that type of sexual lifestyle, I don't know, because this is all so new to me. I'm curious to know what I've missed and have been deprived of since becoming sexually active."

At least she's honest.

And I absolutely love how curious she is and how she enjoys exploring other avenues with sex. But us having a threesome is definitely off-limits.

"Yeah. There will be none of that. However, we can do that if you'd like to experiment with that differently."

Confusion washed over her face, and her brows knitted together when she asked, "How can we do that?"

"Dildo's, vibrators, clit stimulators. Things like that," I listed with a shrug. "Basically, the same as what I've done with you with the but plug and anal vibrator, but more intense."

She looked away, saying, "It's not the same." Her globes returned to mine, adding, "I need hands, mouths, and tongues exploring, worshiping, and pleasuring me. A vibrator or dildo isn't the same, Callum. I'm just curious about what it would be like and how it would feel when two people try to care for me. Pleasuring me in different areas at the same time. Like double and triple the sensations, if that's what a woman gets from threesomes."

I looked away from Eloise and out the window, pinching my bottom lip as I thought about her curiosity and interest in having a threesome.

And I couldn't stop thinking about who I'd trust to add to the bedroom if Eloise was that serious about wanting a threesome. Not that I want to do it because it would be fun for me. But because it's something she wants. And since I said I wanted to do everything possible to make sure she's happy and satisfied, I'll do it if that will bring a smile to her face.

But I'll still put up a stink and fight her on it until I'm blue in the face. Because I refuse to allow another man to see her beautiful naked body and her breasts and taste her delicious pussy.

I also don't want another man's dick inside her pussy, either.

Fuck that.

"Callum. It's no big deal. Obviously, I've never had one and never had a chance to be in one. I'm just curious about them. That's all. I know you said they're not all out what people make them out to be, but when I was at the club back home and watched others having them, I know what it did to my body and how it made me feel."

I sighed while returning my eyes to her. "I understand. But there are things you need to know about threesomes—important things."

"Like what?"

I repositioned her on my lap, having her straddle me, then raised my pointer finger to her face, and as the street lights shined into the backseat of the car, I traced her face, admiring her beauty.

"Threesomes are fantasies, and as I've said, are for people willing to share. And for people who don't care about feelings. When a couple is in a committed relationship, and one is looking to add a third person to their sexual playtime can be dangerous. And what I mean by that is that a threesome can damage and complicate a relationship instead of improving it. Feelings can also develop with that third party involved. And I'm sorry, Eloise. I want to give you fucking everything you want. But there's no way I'd put myself out in the open to have my heart broken."

"Makes sense," she quietly said.

I pulled her closer to me. "You've got to understand where I'm coming from. You know what I've been up to these last seventeen years, but now that I found someone worthy of keeping close to me and with who I don't mind controlling my heart, I can't and will not share her. And I won't chance the girl I care a lot about developing feelings for the third person she wishes to add to our playtime."

"I understand."

"Like I said, I can do things to you, making it seem like you're getting that threesome feel. And if that's something you'd like to try, I'll tell our driver to bring us to the store." I leaned to her mouth, kissed her lips, then sucked her bottom lip into mine and warned, "But when we return to our hotel room, I have to let you know now that you'll be disciplined for this."

"Why?"

"Because of the anxiety you just caused me to feel. Anytime you bring up a threesome, I panic. I get nervous. I get tense. I sweat and tremble. I get extremely irritable. And I have a hard time concentrating. And by you, causing me to feel that way is grounds for punishment."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "If anyone needs to be punished, it's you."

I cocked my head to the side and smirked as I asked, "Why's that?"

"Because you need to learn how to control your emotions."

"Put it this way. I respect you, Eloise. And I'm being honest when I say this, but in the threesomes I was in, I didn't respect those women. All they wanted was a dick and to be pleasured. You're not like them. And I would never allow you to become one of them."

Her left brow arched high. "So, are you saying our night in Florida, you didn't have respect for me? You wanted to disrespect me because I was willing to have a one-night stand with you?"

Shit, I don't want her thinking that way because that's not what happened.

"I had a lot of respect for you. You telling me you were working hard to meet a deadline was enough to respect you right there. You contemplating about having sex with me, I respected. You not wanting to take a drink from me because you didn't know me was enough to respect you. But where I totally respected you was when we fucked. I could have done so much to you that night, but I didn't because I respected you. I thought you were too much of a good girl who I just so happened to talk into having sex with me and not meet your boss's deadline. If anything, I disrespected your boss." I grinned. "Me. I disrespected myself."

"Tell the driver to go to the store. I'm curious to see how you'll make having a threesome happen with silicone toys."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!! 🤞🤞