His Temporary Assistant

“I just need some balm from home. It’ll be fine.”

I reached out to touch the slightly puckered corner of her lip. “You touched yourself to take the burn from me.”

“You didn’t know what you were asking for. Actually, I wasn’t sure either.” Her laughter was unsteady. “New territory for me too.”

“That was the most amazing night of my life. Actually, the whole damn day was stellar.”

She smiled faintly. “So, you went out and bought a car that costs 100 grand to celebrate amazing sex?”

I didn’t tell her I hadn’t bought it yet. I was probably going to take it back and select a more cat carrier-friendly SUV. Something that felt more me. Or at least a bridge from old uptight Preston to the new edgier model.

There was no reason to go completely hogwild with this whole ‘living my life exactly as I wished’ thing. I’d already quit my job and gotten a new—albeit very small—tattoo and was having otherworldly sex with a witch.

Not like I’d gone in with half-measures thus far.

“It’s time to get rid of the grandpa car. I want something more fun to drive when I get away from my damn desk. Which I intend to do a lot more often.” I reached over to scratch between Smoky’s ears. “How do you feel about hiking?”

“I don’t.”

Her swift denial made me laugh. “How come?”

“I prefer walking on nice trails that don’t require me to bring a tank of oxygen rather than training for the next Olympics.”

“Pretty sure there’s not an Olympic hiking event.”

“You know, it’s possible to meander too. Not everything has to be a race. You don’t always have to be testing yourself.”

She did have a point. Changing my mindset would not be a simple process.

“Okay, how do you feel about wandering by the lake?”

She grinned. “Very positively.”

I leaned over the cat to kiss her, mindful of her sore lip. “Kayaking can be slow too,” I said between gentle, playful kisses. Those were surprisingly enjoyable too.

She caught her tongue between her teeth. “I do like some fast things.”

“Do you now?”

“My dad has a power boat. We used to spend a lot of time on the lake. My mom gets seasick, but she always tried to make do.”

“Seems like she d

oes that a lot.”

I blew out a breath. “I never saw it. I don’t know how I didn’t. I just figured they were comfortable together. Instead, it seems like they both settled. Her more than him, since he’s having all his cake and pie too.”

“Do you know she doesn’t?”

I did a doubletake. “You think my mom is cheating too?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Do you think she knows about his affair?”

“I didn’t,” I said at length.

“But now you do?”

“My brother clued me in that he’d confronted our father sometime ago. Dad claims she knows. That they have a happy life.”