“Whole-body massage?”
“Sounds promising.”
He slid closer, planting a quick smooch on my lips.
“Whatever the lady wants.”
I grinned. “Strip, then.”
He stood up, doing a ridiculous twirl (with a delicious ass wiggle) before turning to face me.
“Start with the shirt.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He started unbuttoning his shirt with exquisite slowness, torturing me. I watched, enraptured, sighing. I’d never get enough of him. Ever.
“I mean... just look at these muscles. Now, pants off, Caldwell.”
“I aim to please.”
Once he was completely naked, he jumped in the tub, splashing water everywhere.
“Hey,” I protested. “I didn’t say you could get in.”
“Tough luck, beautiful. Because I’m done watching you. I want to touch you. Kiss you.”
He kissed me so deep that I hummed against his mouth.
“We’ll get through this together, I promise.”
Chapter Thirty
Josie
For the next few weeks, I tried to gather my faculties, to make an action plan. I didn’t tell my parents the real reason I’d been fired, just that it hadn’t worked out. They had been so understanding that I felt even more guilty about everything.
I was so grumpy that I could barely stand myself. I wasn’t being fair to Hunter, who was so damn patient and sweet, it just added to my guilt.
When he wasn’t trying to cheer me up (whole-body massage being his favorite technique), he was offering to get me another job. But that made me feel useless for some reason. That wasn’t how I wanted to build my career. A few of my colleagues had come into the firm because a higher-up had twisted my boss’s arm, and they were always treated like second-class citizens. Even when they were competent, and even after years of proving themselves, others still whispered behind their back. I didn’t want that following my entire career.
“You sure you don’t want to come with me?” Hunter asked. He was going to Boston for three days, and had insisted I go with him and relax, since I didn’t have any plans, but I didn’t want to. All I was doing was relaxing. I wanted to be productive.
“No, I’m good. Besides, you’ll be busy all day.”
“Yes, but I’d be yours in the evening.”
“I’m grouchy all the time, Hunter. I’d just bring you down too.”
“You’re sure? Grouchy or not, I’d love to have you there.”
“I’m sure.”
He pressed his lips together but didn’t say anything. Damn. Lately I was saying no to everything my man was suggesting. I’d pull myself together by the time he came back.
It was only the day he returned that I remembered why he’d gone to Boston at all: to negotiate a huge deal for his company. It was an important meeting, and I’d just completely forgotten. No wonder he’d wanted me to go with him, help him relax in the evenings.
I was a terrible wife. How could I have forgotten? He’d mentioned it only about a million times over the last two weeks, and even in the Bahamas. But I’d been too lost in my head to put two and two together.