Standing there for a few seconds, she stared at Warner, not waking him. Even asleep he exuded power. She admired his beauty, his being, and how he'd kept his promise in coming for her. Careful not to let her shoes make a noise against the marble floor, she tiptoed closer. Leaning over him, she tucked her hair behind her ears and planted her lips on his. "Big Daddy," she whispered.

Warner's mouth curved into a smile and his hazel eyes opened. "My Red." He pulled her onto his lap.

"What happened to staying in Cannes this week?" She ran her hands along the vertical white b.u.t.tons on his shirt.

"I missed you," he replied without hesitation, ma.s.saging her hand with his.

"Really?" She bit her inside cheek, stifling a grin as she wrapped her fingers around his.

"Smile. Your cheek-biting thing is getting old." He laughed. Rubbing his hand along her jawline, he kissed her. "I packed my things up and boarded the jet. We taxied halfway down the runway and experienced a mechanical issue. So I flew commercial to London only hours after I dropped you off. I thought about calling you from the Heathrow airport but wanted to surprise you. I couldn't get a flight to New York. I had to lay over in London first. No direct flights. Everything was booked up."

"I'll bet." She kissed his hands, listening, happy that he sat here. Taddy felt as if her heart might explode. The beats of her heart boomed faster than a Waris Sugar tempo.

"I discovered then that I didn't have my charger with me. I'd left it at Hotel du France. So my phone died. Once in London, I took a flight to Toronto and here I am, home in New York-with you."

"You flew twenty-four hours...to see me?"

"I did." Warner's facial stubble told her he spoke the truth.

"A day in the air is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done." Stunned, she didn't know what to say.

"Nah. The sweetest thing is dreaming about you after trying to get Brigitte at Secrete de St. Barth spa to track down Mademoiselle Red, who on December thirtieth received a vajazzling appointment." He gave her a sidelong glance, tapping his hand on the card she held in her hand.

"That explains this ticket." She stood, surprised and more certain than ever that Warner Truman was hers to have.

He nodded.

"Come with me, please..."

"A shower would be really good about now." He stood taller than she'd remembered. More exquisite than she'd imagined.

She took his hand in hers and led him into her bedroom.

He showered.

Taddy leaned against the bed. Warner came from the bathroom, his wet hair tousled into a thick spike. The sincerity in his eyes made her feel warm inside. His intentions shone clear. It was obvious to her now-he was hers.

His hands rested on his hips. "Afraid I wouldn't come to New York to see you?"

"Terrified," she admitted. "Though you do live here too, ya know."

Stepping forward, he tilted her chin, studying her face. "I love you, Taddy." He placed his lips over hers, allowing nothing between them. Sinking his tongue into her mouth, he claimed her as she'd always dreamt.

Face tingling, palms itching, heart jumping, she confessed, "I love you too." A happy cry broke from her lips.

He undressed her. "I want this to work."

She closed her eyes and lifted her hands in the air, turning around as he removed her blouse and skirt. She realized no one had ever said they'd loved her-at least not out loud. Not her parents, friends or her employees. She'd verbalized love to them all but never heard it in return. Love sounded better than music. It felt better than words. Warner was love.

He kissed her again, placing her in the center of the bed. "This isn't going to be easy with our schedules, but we'll manage."

"Thank you, Mr. Pragmatic." She mocked his reservations.

"I've blocked out the whole week to be here in New York with you." His adorable eyebrows rose in expectation of a thank-you.

"You have?" She couldn't imagine. "You'll be able to come to my Candy Land Ball. I'll have to get you a costume in the morning."

He lifted her back farther onto the pillows. "I can't wait to meet your friends. But I'm not wearing a costume."

"It's a requirement. No costume, no admission," she teased.

"Hmm." Cupping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s in his hands, he circled each nipple with his tongue. "My mouth missed your girls." He hummed to himself. His tongue lashed clockwise then counterclockwise over her b.u.mpy flesh then flicked back and forth over the tips of her nipples.

His fingers found what he wanted between her legs. "You're wet already."

"My floodgates burst the second you told me you loved me."

"Woo-hoo," he shouted. "I L-O-V-E you and I love it when you're soaked." His hands embraced her as he patted and tapped her thin crevice into frenzy. Warner's tongue traced around the areola and then bit down.

"Warner!"

He sucked on her nipples and patted the hard nub of her c.l.i.toris. Warner dropped his head. Lifting her legs, he buried his face between them. "Yeah, baby?" Her thighs spread wide. All of a sudden, he pressed down on her slit and-exhaled, filling her with air.

"Oooh." Her eyes closed as she dug her nails into her palms. His lips came down over her folds. "Warner." She heard him inhale through his mouth. "Fuuuck." There was a deep suction over her v.u.l.v.a, one she'd never felt. An urge to kick her legs from the o.r.g.a.s.m trembled through her as she came.

He held her legs down and repeated his v.a.g.i.n.a-c.l.i.toris-centric kiss over and over again.

Grabbing onto the pillow's edges, she pulled herself up in ecstasy. "I can't take any more. You're driving me crazy."

"Get used to it." He yanked her by the ankles closer to him and buried his face over her c.l.i.t, rotating his fingers inside her. "Tonight, I want you to come again and again for me."

Her fingers knotted at his scalp, body trembling, she moaned, "Warner, not again-not this soon-I've never..."

Warner fingered her with his entire hand, almost fisting her.

Body shuddering, she couldn't hold out any longer. "Big Daddy." f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k. She held on to his shoulders while her core shook. Shuddering in ecstasy, she creamed.

He buried his face between her legs, lapping her up and muttered, "You on the Pill?"

"I've taken birth control for years, not sure why though. It's not like-"

"Shush." He kissed her feet and toes. "I tested a few months ago. I'm clean. And you?"

"My physical was last month. I'm negative too."

"Tonight I won't come on your tongue. I'll come inside you." He held her legs and arched above her.

"What?"

"Gonna fill you good, baby girl." His d.i.c.k rested at her folds, asking permission to come in and unite.

"I've never-" She pressed her palms against his torso. Taddy wanted to talk about this.

"Then we'll use condoms. I'll do whatever makes you comfortable." He reached down to his slacks on the floor and pulled out a foil packet.

"No condom means we're exclusive." She sat up, looking at him, not sure if he understood what it meant for her. This was New York City for crying out loud.

"I want monogamy, Taddy," he confirmed huskily. "We're right together. I've never felt more certain about anything in my entire life." Warner rolled the condom over his erection and pressed down on the tip.

She fell back on the pillows. I love him. I love him. I love him. "I feel the same way about you. You're the person I've always dreamt of."

He smiled and held her legs over his shoulders as he slid in. "My love for you is going to grow more and more over time."

Panting, she reached under her and pulled his c.o.c.k-out.

Confusion etched lines across his face.

She ripped the condom off and lay back down. "I want you." On her back, she tucked her hips, allowing his raw d.i.c.k to rest against her slit.

"Taddy..." Warner didn't pull away. He didn't push himself in farther either.

She felt his d.i.c.k where she'd left it. It was her call. He seemed to be fighting the urge to ram her. Taddy could tell. "Quite a gentleman you are, Warner Truman." Her body moved closer as she shimmied.

Warner stayed arched on his knees, holding her legs up. "I always knew you'd be the aggressive one." He swung her ankles out to the right, leaned over her and kissed her. "You sure you want to go bare?"

Legs pressed to the left, she gazed at her lover. His arms were flexed, holding her tight. He was ready. Warner cared. "More than anything, Big Daddy," she replied as he swung her legs back over his shoulders.

His eyes closed as he descended inside all the way. So full. She wasn't able to control the tremors building inside. Every follicle on her skin felt alive, and her body spasmed.

Her Big Daddy smiled and opened his eyes again.

She belonged to him.

"Red." He leaned over and pumped into her. "No crying tonight, promise?"

"Swear." She smiled, getting into it, hoisting herself by his shoulders and kissing him. Taddy thought for a brief second about Irma and elected to put off telling him about her family until morning.

"So beautiful." Warner lay next to her. "This is better. I can kiss you and talk to you." He lifted her left leg over his right shoulder and slid his s.e.x in. "I forgot you don't like to talk during s.e.x."

"I do now. You can say whatever you want to me," Taddy admitted. "Last time I shoved my t.i.ts in your mouth. This time I'll suck on my own." She tugged slightly at her right nipple.

Warner pumped under her, his face close to a howl. Extending her tongue, she licked her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "I've never..."

"My centerfold pictures don't do me justice." She licked at her other nipple.

"Such a tease." He pounded her at rapid speed, stimulating her for a second time.

"You're tearing me apart." Taddy held on to his shoulders and kept her eyes focused on him, like he wanted.

"Go with it, honey, go with it." He slowly pulled out then back in again.

"I am." Her body burned again. "I'm coming again." Not easing up, he drove in deeper.

"Me too-I'm coming-aaah." His neck muscles knotted, and his eyes dilated. "Love coming the same time as you."

She ma.s.saged his chest while he filled her with his hot seed.

He kissed her as he drained his s.c.r.o.t.u.m inside her. A pillow caught him as he fell back and stretched out. Warner was asleep in a few minutes. The lights from Park Avenue danced over his muscles as his body's heat kept her warm.

Taddy lay on his chest, feeling loved. She'd waited her whole life to have him. He was hers. Hot tears poured from her eyes. This was what Kiki referred to as crying because one was happy.

In the morning, she woke to him staring at her. But that joy of having him with her only lasted for a brief second. She just remembered as much as she felt her stomach twist, she'd be seeing Irma soon.

"What is it?"

"I have to visit my mother in a little bit."

"I thought you two didn't speak."

"We don't."

"When's the last time you saw her?" Warner's forehead creased.

"Ages ago."

"Man." Warner face sank.

"I haven't heard a peep in years."

Speechless, Warner's mouth hung open. He licked his lips and blinked. "I'm going with you."

"No. I'm tempted to cancel. But I'll go. I can't imagine what she wants. Maybe an epiphany came over her and she desires redemption." Taddy wasn't sure if she'd take her parents back in her life. Her mind played various scenarios in her head, one being illness. Another, salvation. Then, the true ident.i.ty of her real birth father. Nothing stood out as to why Irma would initiate this meeting otherwise. "Let's meet up afterward. This is a lot to dump on a guy I just met."

"I'm not some guy. I'm your Big Daddy. I can handle it." Warner remained supportive.

"Thank you. To be honest, I'd feel better if you came too." Taddy admitted her needs for the first time to a man. To her surprise, she didn't feel as weak as she thought she would. She actually felt stronger.

"What time are you meeting her?"

"Ten." Two hours until show time.

"Where does she live?"

"Central Park West."

Warner nuzzled her nose and kissed her. "Let me make you breakfast and then we'll head over. You need to eat. I'm afraid you'll pa.s.s out if you don't."

"You can cook?"