Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Panting and sweaty with his heart pounding hard against my back, I close my eyes, then laugh when he mutters, “I think you killed me.”
“Ditto.” I let out a mewl of disappointment when he slowly sides out of me, then rolls to his back.
“Come here.” He drags me toward him, and I rest my head on his chest. I could sleep for a few more hours, but with the sun coming up, I know we have to get up soon so we can get to the office. “Are you up for taking a shower with me?”
“No, but I need to.” I lift my head to look at him. “You made a mess out of me.”
“I did.” He grins proudly.
“I need coffee.”
“All right.” He sits up and looms over me. “I’ll grab you a cup after I deal with the condom.”
“Thanks.” My eyes slide closed as he kisses me, then open when he gets out of bed. I watch him walk into the bathroom, and a minute later, he walks out with the sound of the shower running behind him. And the soft look he sends me before leaving the room still naked has my heart doing funny things inside my chest.
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to ruin breakfast,” I tell him an hour later as he stands behind me at the stove and takes advantage of the fact that I decided to wear my hair up today, leaving my neck bare.
“You can’t ruin scrambled eggs, cupcake.”
“I’m pretty sure you can.” I flip off the burner, and he reaches around me to open a cupboard and get out two plates, and I scoop eggs onto each one as he grabs the toast from the toaster.
“I’m going to be in and out of the office today with meetings, and my last one is scheduled for six, so I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight, if you’re good with that.” He takes a seat at the island across from me, and I finish chewing the bite of eggs I just took.
“That sounds good, but don’t feel like we have to do that. I’m okay with just picking something up like we did last night. Honestly, yesterday, when we left the office, I was tired for you, and I didn’t have a hundred or more people vying for my time and attention.”
“It’s always like that when I’m out of town. By Friday, things will be back to normal,” he says, but I doubt that’s true. This week and next, every second in his calendar is filled with a meeting, a phone call, or something else. “Also, have you talked to Christy? She said she’s tried to call you, but you haven’t answered.”
“Oh, yeah. I was planning on calling her today,” I lie, picking up my coffee, and he nods, finishing off what’s left on his plate before picking it up.
When he takes it to the dishwasher, I do the same with my own and then smile up at him as he presses me back into the counter.
“Since I’m going to be late tonight, I’ll give you a key so you can come home, and then I’ll catch a cab and meet you at the restaurant. I’ll see if I can get us a reservation for seven.”
“Shouldn’t I set up the reservation?”
“No.” He touches his lips to mine. “You just have to show up. I have something I want to talk to you about.”
“What’s that?”
“We’ll discuss it at dinner.” He mutters a curse under his breath when his phone starts to ring, and honestly I curse right along with him when he tells me he has to take the call, which means I can’t badger him for an answer to my question.
Chapter 33
I’m an Idiot
With a smile on my face after watching a video of Mike's daughter screaming her head off as she rode a roller coaster for the first time, I leave the office and walk across the street to the coffee shop. Grabbing a cup of coffee for myself and one for Jace, I order him a sandwich, then head back across the street. Since we got here this morning, he’s been going nonstop, so like it or not, I’m going to force him to take a break and eat something, even if I have to hold him down while he does it.
When I get back upstairs, I push the button for his door, and it slides open. As usual, he’s standing behind his desk, probably not even seeing the amazing view out his window as he talks on the phone.
“I haven’t had the heart to explain things to her,” he says as I step toward his desk, but his next statement has me freezing in place. “No, I’m ending things tonight. The whole thing is taking up too much of my time, and at the end of the day, I know it’s not going anywhere.” He pauses and rips his hand through his hair while I get lightheaded. “You’re right. The idea of this turning into something real has been exciting, but I think we both know it’s never going to work out.” He chuckles. “She’ll be okay. I’ll let her down easy and explain it’s not her; it’s me.”