Claimed (For Her 3)

He looks up as if just now noticing the waitress was still standing there. “Can you put in what I already ordered please. My wife is hungry,” he says, dismissing her before going back to the menu.

“Maybe I should just order you both. We can take the extra home with us.” He looks up at me and reaches across the table, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Can’t wait to have you in our bed with no worries of little ones climbing in. Miss you sleeping naked on top of me.” I agree with him but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Our girls are everything to us.

At the word “home” my stomach warms because that sounds nice—and not because of the women checking out my husband, but because lying in bed with to-go boxes and being alone for the night sounds wonderful. But I know Jordan wanted to take me out on a date night.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom. Order for me,” I tell him. Jordan stands before I can, pulling my chair out for me. He grabs me, taking me into a hard, long kiss. I get lost in him for a moment. “Jordan.” I half gasp his name when he finally releases my mouth and I remember that we are in the middle of a busy restaurant.

“Just making sure everyone knows you belong to me before I let you leave my side.” I roll my eyes at him but I can’t stop my smile. I walk to the bathroom and see the waitress that’s been eyeing Jordon watching us. I give her a smug smile. Look all you want but that man is more than mine. I don’t even have to worry about you.

I slip in the bathroom and check my lipstick before washing my hands. I look in my purse for my phone, making sure Pops hasn’t called before slipping out of the bathroom. When I open the door I see a very pissed-off Jordan standing there. The same waitress from before staring at him with a panicked face.

“No, what you’re going to do is step back from me.” Jordan’s eyes come to me. “Then you’re going to say sorry to this woman I’m with who is clearly my wife or I’ll be talking to your manager.”

The woman looks over at me and stutters out a “sorry” before rushing away.

“I’m so sorry, little bird. I had no idea she’d follow me back here then hit on me.” He grabs me, pulling me into his body. His hands cup my face before his mouth lands on mine in a deep but soft kiss.

“Why were you even back here?” I ask. The men’s restroom is on the other side. A sheepish look hits his face.

“Just checking on you,” he finally says. I can’t help but laugh. I was gone maybe three minutes. “You wanna go home? Order takeout and eat in bed?”

“There’s nothing more in the world I want to do than that,” I tell him before taking his mouth in a kiss this time.

* * * * *

First Meeting

Jordan

“Hey, do you mind taking this up to the top floor for me? I’m on my way to lunch, and you know how Paige is with food,” Ryan says, holding out a folder.

I look over his shoulder and see Paige hitting the button for the elevator, then impatiently hitting it three more times in a row.

“Yeah. She’s hangry as hell,” I say, taking it from him and shaking my head.

She’s got that man all kinds of twisted. I’ve never seen him so far gone before. But he looks happy as hell, so I guess I can’t be mad. Deep down, though, I’m really just salty.

I’ve never had anything even close to the look Ryan has on his face. It eats me up even more when I watch him walk over to Paige and put a possessive hand on her hip. I have to look away, because it makes me so envious and angry. I’m a goddamn virgin, for crying out loud. Not that anyone would know that. I don’t talk about my personal life much at work. I don’t really talk about much of anything. I keep to myself, and I like it that way.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Shaking my head, I stand up, deciding to take the folder upstairs now and grab lunch after. No sense in putting it off. I hop on the elevator and scan my card so I can go straight up without stopping.

On the way, I think about what I’m going to eat and then about seeing Pop this weekend. I need to make sure he’s got his posts in for the garden. He’ll be ready to put his tomato plants out any day now.

When the elevator doors open, I take a step, then stop dead in my tracks.