Given (Give &Take) Read Online Free PDF

mind.”
    “Mmm,” he groaned in my ear, “the
first
afternoon. I agree, that was a good one, but…”
    He pressed himself against me again, holding me so tight, I could barely breathe. “But?” I whispered.
    “No matter how much I agree that afternoon was pretty spectacular, the one that stands out in my mind is a certain time we walked in on our friends and then I took you against the door of our bedroom.”
    Oh God, that memory made me dizzy with lust. “Howmuch longer is this cruise?” I heard the desperation in my voice. “And how far is our hotel?”
    Merrick chuckled, a deep, guttural sound in my ear that made my spine tingle. “Who says you need to wait?” His hand slipped inside my jacket between the wide-set buttons. His fingers slid down inside my pants, underneath my lace-trimmed underwear.
    “Merrick,” I whispered, unable to tell him to stop, but mortified at what we were doing in public.
    “Shh… enjoy the view while I enjoy you.” He nodded toward the bank. “Look, there’s Le Grand Palais.” He nuzzled his nose into my neck and breathed me in as his deft fingers alternated between working inside me and rubbing my cleft in small, tantalizing circles. “I remember the first time I saw you touching yourself like this. I thought I would die of wanting you that night.”
    I rocked slightly against his hand, not enough to make anyone take notice of what we were doing. “I wanted you, too. Why do you think I was touching myself?” I smiled, then inhaled sharply as he pressed a second finger inside me.
    “We’re coming up on La Statue de la Liberté. We’ll be reaching the pier soon.” He lightly bit my neck and rubbed me faster, harder, rolling his fingers up and down while they circled.
    I thought I might die of embarrassment, because there was no way to stifle my breathless gasps of pleasure.I grasped his hand through my pants and held on as he brought me to the edge and then past with thrusts of his fingers inside me. I squeezed his forefinger tight, feeling myself throb and pulse around him while he held me up against the railing.
    “That’s it,” he whispered, kissing my temple. “The perfect evening.”
    He slipped his hand free and spun me to face him. Gathering my hair back from my face, he held my head in his hands and kissed me. His warm, wonderful lips conveyed more than any words ever could.
    The sound of the boat horn startled us apart. “Back at the pier,” I said, brushing another kiss on his mouth.
    “Just in time.” He winked and gave me a sultry grin.
    “You’ll get yours later,” I said, wondering where I could stop and surprise him on our way back to the hotel.

Seven
Merrick
    T he streets were alive with lights and music, a fall festival with street vendors and carnival rides. I watched the way the flashes of color caught Rachael’s eyes. A pack of little kids ran toward us, chasing and laughing, dodging us at the last moment, but catching Rachael’s bag with a sticky red candy apple.
    “Be careful!” I shouted after them.
    “It’s okay,” Rachael said, digging a tissue from her bag and wiping the mess off the best she could.
    “One of them is going to end up hurt,” I said, watching the retreating kids.
    “Paternal instinct kicking in?” Rachael quirked a smile.
    I stuffed my hands in my pockets. “Better late than never, I suppose.” Her eyes fell and her hands fumbled with the tissue, crumpling it before tucking it back inside her bag. It struck me that maybe she’d mentioned my paternal instinct as a way to open the conversation about our future. Would we have kids someday? Rachael was only in her twenties; surely she’d want to have kids.
    Maddie and MJ would get married and have kids. Jesus,I could be a grandfather before I was a father again. Or at the same time. This wasn’t supposed to happen in a man’s early thirties.
    I was just getting used to the idea of being a father to MJ. I was trying my best to deal with Nadia. I wasn’t