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The first day back in New York, Poppy and I spent at my apartment. The plan was to rest up a bit and then see where things would go. To be fair, I did promise her sex, and we were currently in the living room, getting there.

She settled down on the armrest of the couch while I backed her into it. "What are we about to do?" she chuckled softly.

"What do you think we're about to do?" I asked, slipping my hands under her shirt and holding onto her waist, my thumbs stroking her skin.

She leaned into me, putting her arms around me and bringing her lips to mine, only to pull away before we really kissed.

I held her gaze. "I don't like it when you tease," I said.

"Oh, like you don't do that to me," she bit back sarcastically.

"But you like it," I grinned, leaning back in.

"That, I do."

I kissed her and she kissed back immediately, tugging at my shirt, urging me to take it off. I was about to when my phone rang on the coffee table. We both groaned as I pulled away and looked over, realizing it was Jenny who was calling.

"Answer, go ahead," Poppy nodded in understanding.

I grabbed the phone and sat down while grabbing Poppy's hand and pulling her into my lap as I spun her around so she faced me and straddled me.

"Hey," Jenny's voice came through.

"Hey," I replied, tilting my head back to look at my girlfriend. She was running her fingers through my hair, moving it around in different directions.

"Are you back home yet? I know you only landed earlier this morning, but it's almost lunch hour."

"Yeah, I'm home," I answered.

"The restaurant is really busy, so um..." she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Do you mind watching Blake? It's okay if you're too tired from traveling, I'll ask someone else."

"What happened to his babysitter?"

"She's at school, Josh." Oh, right. When I paused in thought, she said, "You know what? Forget it. Never mind. Bye."

"I'll watch him," I said quickly and Poppy's lips quirked up into a smile. "Drop him off."

"Okay. I'll call you when I'm downstairs."

"All right."

She hung up without another word.

"Blake?" Poppy asked knowingly. I nodded in response. She sighed, resting her hands on my shoulders. "I guess we'll never get to have sex again."

I rolled my eyes, laughing softly. "Wait till tonight," I replied.

She watched me in amusement before leaning down to kiss me.

In another ten minutes, Jenny texted me to let me know she was here, so I told Poppy I'd be right back with Blake before going downstairs through the elevator. Jenny was seated on a couch in the lobby, Blake in her arms with his baby bag beside her. I stood in front of her, nodding once wordlessly in greeting. She did the same thing and held Blake out. "He just ate, so he won't be hungry for a couple more hours, don't worry about that. But you have to do something for him."

"What?" I asked wearily.

"Give him a bath," she said.

I frowned in confusion. "What? Why? Didn't you?"

"No, we've been running late all day. Is Poppy with you by any chance?"

"Maybe." My eyes narrowed on her.

She bit back a smile. "Ask her for help."

I picked up the bag, holding it on my shoulder before adjusting Blake on my hip.

He was still looking around the place until I poked his butt cheek. He squealed, grabbing my shirt and giggling, looking at me, stuttering, "Hi!"

"Hey," I laughed, "say bye to your Mom."

He faced Jenny and waved absentmindedly before pulling his thumb into his mouth.

"Don't do that," I said, taking it out as I started walking to the elevator. "We don't know where your hands have been, Blake." He stared in confusion as I spoke to him. "And your Mom didn't even give you a bath. Would you like one? A bubble bath?"

He only blinked before his nose scrunched up in confusion.

"Bubbles?" I asked, my voice going ten times higher in pitch as the elevator started moving up to the penthouse.

He laughed, spitting out, "Yay!"

I fixed his curls a bit before kissing his forehead and then getting out on my floor.

Poppy appeared from the kitchen, still wearing my loose button-up shirt and old shorts that she put on when we first got here from the airport this morning and then showered together. But that was all we did. Shower. "Hi, Blake!" she squealed in excitement. She took him from me while I placed his bag on the couch. "We're going to have so much fun driving your uncle insane today," she laughed, glancing at me.

The rest of the day Poppy and I spent watching Blake and when it was past dinner time and we had already eaten, she stood up from the barstool while Blake slept on the couch. She rounded the counter and stopped beside me while I grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it. "I should get home," she whispered.

"Why? Just stay here."

"We have work tomorrow, Josh," she chuckled. "I have to unpack and take clothes out for tomorrow. I have to go home."

I paused, staring at her. "Then let me come with you."

She lifted her brows.

"I'm about to leave to drop Blake off anyway. I'll just grab some clothes for work tomorrow and we'll leave together from your place."

She smiled softly, "Someone could see us getting there together."

"So? It's not like I haven't taken you to work before. We can always just say we met for breakfast to discuss work now that we're partners. In every sense of the word."

She held my gaze and deliberated before nodding. "Okay. Let's go."

"Let's go."

Her suitcase was also here, so I grabbed it while she scooped up Blake after I went to my room and grabbed a pair of pants and a button-up for work tomorrow.

"Don't you want to change?" I asked. She was still in my clothes.

"No," she grinned.

I stole a kiss on her lips before we went downstairs. On the drive to her building, we took a detour to The Locket and handed a sleeping Blake to Colton since Jenny was working, and right now, he wasn't.

From there, we went to her apartment where first, I helped her unpack, and then she took out her clothes for tomorrow. Then she handed me a spare toothbrush in the bathroom and we brushed our teeth together and then both of us collapsed on her bed, sighing at the same time.

She scooted closer to me, tugging at my t-shirt. "I thought you said you didn't sleep wearing t-shirts."

"Normally, no."

"You did throughout the trip."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'd be very comfortable if you took it off right now," she grinned.

I sat up while laughing and pulled it over my head, leaving it on her desk chair before lying back down. I freed the first button of the shirt and she raised her brows at me, amused. "Make it even," I told her. "Get half-naked."

So, she took the shorts off. "There," she laughed.

I reached over under the covers, slipping a finger under the waistband of her underwear. "Still not even, Ms. Valentine."

"Pretty even," she giggled, throwing her leg over mine. I brushed the hair out of her eyes, tucking a loose strand away. "Tomorrow," she whispered, "all you'll get are stolen kisses and stolen moments. How do you feel about that?"

"Rather annoyed," I admitted. "So maybe I should get enough stolen moments right now." I leaned forward, my lips brushing against hers. "Enough stolen kisses," I whispered.

"Maybe," she mumbled.

"Maybe," I replied before pulling her into me and kissing her. A soft hum of approval escaped her as I deepened the kiss, sliding my hand down her thigh, feeling chills erupt under my touch. I briefly nipped at her bottom lip before we both parted to breathe.

"This is a bad idea," she laughed softly, "you'll have me begging again."

"Will I?"

She paused, staring at me as she caught her breath. "No teasing."

"Done."

"No edging."

"Done."

"You give me everything I want. Without making me beg."

"But you look so pretty when you plead for me."

"Josh."

I smiled, "Done."

She kissed me again while I used one hand to work on the buttons of the shirt. Once it came undone, she shrugged it off, moving on top of me. After taking it off, she began moving back to her side of the bed but I grabbed her hips, holding them down. She stared at me.

"I know you said you don't like being on top," I mumbled.

"Yes, I don't." She rolled off, lying on her back.

I shifted on top of her, huffing before grabbing the waistband of her underwear, sliding the pair off her legs smoothly, tossing them on the floor. She reached over into the bottom drawer of her nightstand, which is just highly inconvenient, before handing it to me.

I slid out of my pants and briefs before rolling the condom on and then pausing. "Let me change your mind," I whispered as I kissed her neck.

She hesitated, hardly for a second. "Okay."

I grinned, lying on my back before pulling her on top of me. Coming down, she kissed me as I held onto her hips firmly, lowering her onto me.

She let out shaky breaths, breaking the kiss. "I never know how to do it right," she admitted, sighing, her cheeks growing pink.

I grabbed both her hands, locking our fingers together and tugging her forward. "I'll teach you."

She nodded.

"Lift yourself."

She did and I had to clench my jaw to avoid groaning.

"Lower yourself," I demanded.

She gasped softly, moving her hips to my commands. She began moving back up but I pinned her down.

"Give me a second, please," I breathed out.

She stared at me for a beat before completely ignoring what I second and beginning to move on her own accord.

I held her down harder. "Poppy," I ground out.

"You like to tease me. I want to try."

Fuck.

She pulled my hands down. "You can't touch me until I say so," she grinned, leaning in and briefly kissing my jaw. "You can't move, you let me be in control tonight."

I threw my head back. "I'm suddenly regretting handing you the reins."

She chuckled. "And what was the last one? Oh, yeah. You have to tell me when you're close."

"And when I break your rules?"

"If," she corrected.

"No way," I shook my head, closing my eyes and she moved her hips in a slow circle. "When," I repeated.

She gave me a wicked smile and I fell even more in love with her. "Then I'll punish you," she teased.

"Worth it," I nodded.

She giggled, glancing at my hands that already broke her rules and held her waist.

"I won't do anything else. But I need to touch you, Poppy," I rasped out. "Fuck, you're killing me."

"Tell me what you like."

"Every fucking thing you do," I answered.

She moved faster, holding herself on her knees whenever I got close to breaking a rule or finishing.

"Poppy," I released a breath. "Hurry, please. I can't take it."

"Yes, you can."

Fuck those rules.

I tightened my hold on her and rolled us over, making her laugh after she gasped in surprise. "No, I fucking can't." I drove my hips back and forth faster and harder.

She matched my rhythm at every thrust and it wasn't too long before we both were right at the edge. "Josh, I'm—"

I leaned down, silencing her with a kiss as I felt every inch of my body light on fire from the inside. We both were ablaze until we came down from our high once I interrupted our kiss. As we caught our breath, I moved away from her, making her sigh softly.

She was still catching her breath, so I went to the bathroom first, taking my sweatpants and cleaning up before pulling them back on. I took a warm towel for her this time as well but she was so close to falling asleep, I didn't want to disturb her. I hesitated, but it felt right, so I cleaned her up too before getting back in bed and pulling the covers over her.

She moved closer to me sleepily and placed a soft kiss on my neck before dozing off. And I was right there with her minutes later.

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