27
Barrett
The concierge buzzed, alerting me that Lourde had just arrived.
I found myself pacing the entire length of the apartment, anticipating this very moment.
“I'm here, Barrett,” she said, wearing exactly the same outfit I'd seen her in an hour earlier.
“Thank you for coming.” I scratched the crown of my head. “Come in, please.” Awkward as fuck, I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Stepping back, I swallowed and turned, leading her into the living room. “What can I get you?”
Moving toward the kitchen, I fetched two glasses of water. “Wine? Coffee?”
“It's after midnight, Barrett. I shouldn’t be here. I should be asleep.”
Okay, I deserved that. I walked toward her, and she took a step back.
“But you're not. You're here.”
“Yes, well, I wanted to thank you.”
“For what?” She took the glass of water I handed her and gestured toward the sofa. She walked over, taking a seat at the edge of the couch.
“You spoke to my dad about me wanting to work.”
“He told you that?”
“Yes, after dinner tonight. He sat down with Mom and me.”
“And?” I took a seat beside her.
“And I told him I want to work. He actually thinks it might be a good idea.”
“That's amazing, Lourde. Did your mother flip?”
“She had already walked out by that point.”
I laughed. “I bet.”
She pushed a lock of hair away from her face, sliding it behind her ear. “So yeah, thanks, I guess.”
“Pleasure, Lourde.” I held her gaze before she pulled away.
“What will you do?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“We could use some help around ZF constructions now we’ve secured a new hotel. I know the boss, he’s an asshole, but I could put in a good word for you.” I tossed her a wink and a smile.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Barrett.” She peered up from underneath her lashes.
Leaning forward, I tilted my head closer to hers.
Enough chit-chat.
I called her here for a reason. I sucked in a breath, my lungs pinching inward.
I took the water glass from her hand and put it on the coffee table, my thumb grazing her fingers. She dragged her teeth across her bottom lip at the connection.
“I think you should consider it. Not just because you’re intelligent but because I don’t think I can be apart from you.”
“Wait, what?” A blush spread up her neck to her cheeks.
“I don’t know if I can give you what you want, Lourde. Heck knows I don't deserve you, but with everything I am and everything I have, I’m willing to try.”
She sat there, frozen. “Say something, please.”
“In a world where it is without you, Barrett, or this, I choose whatever this is a million times over.” Her lips tipped into a smile.
I pulled her onto my lap, her head an inch away from mine.
“And I’d rather die than have to watch you with another man again.”
She laughed, placing her hands around my neck. “Sorry you had to sit through that.”
“Fuck, so am I.”
“And Connor?” she asked, her focus drifting down to my mouth.
“We’ll figure it out with Connor,” I said.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t give a fuck about anyone else but you. They can all perish under a cinder of smoke and ash.”
“That might be just the most disturbing yet romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“And you love it, dollface.”