I Never Let You Go (I Never 3)

I rotate her so that she is now facing me. I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and wipe a falling tear. “I just speak from the heart. And my heart belongs to you, Lauren Lawson.” I hope one day to be able to say a new last name with her name. No, not just any last name, but…mine.

“Wow, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to get laid out here, Mr. Reynolds.” I press a kiss to her temple. She settles back in my arms.

“Well, it seems to me that the best relationships—the ones that last—are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day, you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with.”

“Did you seriously just quote X-Files, trying to claim it as your own?”

I shrug. “I never said it was my own.” I shove her jokingly with my elbow. “However, I am impressed that you remembered that.”

She laughs. “How could I not remember that when you forced me to watch every episode. The big bad quarterback had such a hidden nerdy side.”

“Forced?” I place my hand over my heart. “Oh no, if I remember correctly your face would light up when I would say we were going to watch X-Files.”

“That was only because it gave me an excuse to be in your arms.”

“I feel so used. So then what was your excuse for watching it without me?” I look down at her, and she blushes. She opens her mouth and closes it a few times, not thinking fast enough for a fake response. “Uh-huh. Don’t worry, babe, I’ll keep it our dirty little secret.”

“Oooh, I like the thought about being your dirty little secret.” She laughs.

“Baby.” I tip her chin to look up to me. “You will never be my dirty little secret. I plan to shout from the rooftops any chance I can, announcing how much I love you.”

I’m currently leaning over Natasha’s desk, reviewing my calendar, when the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It’s as if I can sense her before I even see her. I look up to see Lauren walking—well, more like skipping to me. I’ve noticed a little pep in her step the past few days.

I step around to the front of the desk as she approaches and swoop her into my arms.

“Hey, baby, what are you –”

She cuts me off by fusing her mouth to mine. I feel the tension in my shirt as she grips it, pulling me closer to her. I run my hands through her hair, holding her in place. It may have only been a few hours since I tasted her before we both left for work. While I’m not complaining, I wonder what she is doing here.

I pull back, and my thumb brushes the soft skin on her cheek. Her smile reaches those beautiful brown eyes.

A throat clearing next to us forces us both to turn our heads. I should step away from Lauren, keep it professional, but I don’t want to let her out of my arms. Plus, it’s my office, and I can do what I want.

“Lauren, this is Natasha, my assistant. Natasha, this is Lauren, my—”

Lauren steps out of my grasp, and I lightly graze her fingers, intertwining them with mine. I just need to touch her in some way. She extends a hand to Natasha.

“Girlfriend,” Lauren interrupts. “We met before, well, just not officially.” She steps back, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her fingers dig into my skin, and I can’t hide the smirk on my face. Not only did I not miss the way she emphasized the word girlfriend, but the way she is holding me is as if she’s staking her claim—the same way I used to hold her back in high school or college. As if I were marking my territory for the world to see that Lauren Lawson was mine.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lauren.” Natasha’s eyes bounce back and forth between Lauren and me.

“Natasha, can you make sure I’m not disturbed for a while?” I don’t wait around for her to answer before pulling Lauren into my office and shutting the door.

Once the door is closed, I pull Lauren toward my desk. I sit on the edge, hiking up a pant leg to sit comfortably. With my legs spread, Lauren settles between them.

“You know, that was rather sexy out there.”

Lauren plays innocent, but I can see right through the act. “What are you talking about?”

I trail kisses along her neck. “You know that part where you were totally marking your territory.” I nip her skin in between words, causing Lauren to gasp. I love that after all this time, I still affect her this way.

“Why, Mr. Reynolds, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was simply just introducing myself to your secretary.”

“Uh-huh. Right.” I smile against her lips. Lauren all but pissed on me like a dog marking his territory, and I have to say seeing that side of her has never been sexier.

She presses a palm to my chest, pushing me away before I can kiss her. Her eyes darken, and it is the sexiest thing I have ever seen. “But she better get it in her head that you. Are. Mine.”

Having her here with me, I don’t want to talk about my assistant. I grab her ass and pull her closer to me; I’m sure she can feel my cock hardening at her proximity. Well, office sex would be a first for us.