Tucker returned to his seat and grinned at me. “I knew you loved me.”
I took a deep drink of my beer, trying to get all the bacteria off my mouth. “I love you less now.”
I was on my back in the center of the bed, Cleo’s naked body hugged my body, her leg tucked between my knees. Her hair was over my shoulder and my chest, like a deep brown curtain. Her palm moved gently across my hard stomach, her quiet breathing the most beautiful noise I’d ever heard.
I was tired but unable to sleep. Normally, Cleo’s presence put me in a daze right away, but now her presence was the very reason I was awake. I was so happy, and I didn’t want to say goodbye to that feeling. When I woke up the next morning, my alarm would jolt us both awake, and then we would both hurry to start our days. I woke up early to hit the gym, and Cleo got up at that same time even though it was hours earlier than she normally woke, just so she could be the first person at the desk and no one would realize she came down the elevator instead of through the front door.
We’d have a lot more time together if we didn’t have to lie.
Our lives would be so different if everyone knew.
I never tried to change her mind about it, because that would basically result in me asking her to give up her job, and that was something I refused to do. She would never ask me that. How could I ever expect her to do the same? Just for my own happiness?
She propped herself up on her elbow so she could look at me, her curtain of hair falling over one shoulder. Her hand rubbed my chest as she looked into my gaze, her eyes never so beautiful as they were in my bedroom, when she looked at me like that.
My arm tightened around the small of her back, her warm tits against my pec.
She didn’t have anything to say. She just wanted to look at me—like she couldn’t sleep either.
“My company is hosting a dinner next weekend. Come with me.”
“What kind of dinner?” she asked quietly.
“It’s a charity thing. We raise money for patients with chronic illnesses who need funds for their treatments, because their insurance won’t cover it or they just can’t afford it.”
She did that thing with her eyes. It was the reaction she gave when I did something thoughtful or sweet. “And I’m guessing this was your idea?”
“We do it every year.”
“That’s a yes.” She rubbed my chest again. “And I’d love to come with you.”
My hand glided up her back, feeling the perfect curvature of her spine. “I was hoping you’d come with me as my date.” I didn’t want to bring her as my assistant, like she was just there to serve me. This was my business, and I didn’t work with anyone who lived in the building.
Now, she looked guilty. “But I’m sure there will be pictures…”
That meant I couldn’t put my arm around her waist, introduce her to my colleagues as more than just my assistant. It was extremely disappointing.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s not forever…”
My hand stopped moving against her skin. Instead of getting upset about it, I let it go. I would never get my way, so it was pointless to fight. Once she found me a new place, I’d leave, and then everything would feel right. “I know.”
She leaned in and kissed me, a gentle embrace full of remorse. “I’ll make it up to you.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded.
“How?”
She moved her lips to my chest and started to kiss me, her lips blanketing my skin with her warmth and affection. She slowly moved down, over my stomach, and down farther. “Like this…”
I texted Valerie. I’m going to be out of town this weekend, just so you know. I didn’t want her to drop off Derek without warning then ask me a million questions about why I wasn’t home.
Why?
Fucking obnoxious. Work.
Meaning?
She still asked me every little detail about my life—as if she had the right to know. It means I’ll be out of town for work. I couldn’t stop myself from being a smartass.
I deserve to know where the father of my child will be. Will you be out of the country? In California?
I didn’t want to lie, but I had no other choice. Maine. I couldn’t think of anything better. I needed to be close, a drive away, and I couldn’t think of any other feasible place. If I said I was in the Hamptons, that wouldn’t make any sense.
She left it alone.
After work on Friday, I drove us to the beach house, getting past the gate and closing it behind, giving us complete privacy.
I carried our bags into the house while she opened the back door, letting the ocean air enter the house. The waves weren’t visible, but they were audible, crashing against the shore a hundred feet away.