Turn Over

“God, no.” I wasn’t about to let Mark scout anything. “I’ll take care of it. Tell them I’ll be there to meet in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Have Kelly set up my hotel and set up the meetings. I need an hour in between each appointment. I don’t want them running into each other.”

“Yes, sir. We can handle that. Will you be driving or do you need a flight?”

I calculated how long it would take for me to drive to San Antonio. Sydney peeked around the corner of the door, my sheets wrapped around her chest.

“I’ll drive. Call me when it’s done.”

I tossed the phone on the couch.

“Is that how you get so much accomplished?” She walked into the living room.

“As a matter fact, it is.”

She pulled the corners of the sheet around her shoulders, and I realized how much I wanted to pull it down. But I had a full day’s worth of work to do. I couldn’t jump back in bed no matter how much I wanted to.

She settled onto the couch.

“What do you have planned today?” I asked.

“I’m waiting to hear from my editor about the story. I’m sure I’ll have follow up to do.”

“Right.” It wasn’t as if just because I had granted one interview for her she would no longer have to follow the story. “The story is never over is it?”

The smile faded from her face. “We agreed last night we wouldn’t—”

“Sydney, I understand. It’s your job.”

One side of the sheet fell from her shoulder. I sat next to her. “I have an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“I have to leave this afternoon for San Antonio. Come with me.”

“Go with you to San Antonio?”

I nodded. “It will be fun. Road trip.”

“You don’t really strike me as the spontaneous type.” It looked as if she was analyzing my face, trying to read my next move.

“There you go again with your interpretive journalism. I’m the definition of spontaneity. Thought I proved that this morning.” I winked.

“And how would you suggest I take off from work with no warning?”

“I’m sure you just delivered a Pulitzer award-winning article. That should give you some negotiating power.”

“The newsroom doesn’t work like that. Would you give that poor guy you were talking to the day off for doing something great?”

“I’m not giving him the day off for anything. He’s new.”

“Exactly. I’m new too. I don’t get to take off on vacation whenever I feel like it.”

I pulled her into my lap, let

ting the rest of the sheet fall away. I brushed my lips against her collarbone. “Then, I only see one option for you.”