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She blushes. “I don’t know about that, but I did just tell my father that my audit of the company structure was going to take longer than expected. I clawed myself out of the workaholic hole. From now on, I won’t be working straight through the weekend anymore.”
I arch a brow. “So, if a guy relocated to the city for a while, he’d get to see you at least once a week?”
She beams, sending another rush of warmth through my chest. “At least. Probably more than once. I’m determined to leave the office by six-thirty at the latest. I’m going to try some of that work-life balance people talk about.”
“You continue to be wise beyond your years.”
“And you continue to be really sexy,” she says, making me laugh. “No, seriously. I can’t stop thinking about being naked with you, even when we’re having serious discussions. Is that normal?”
I lean in until my lips are inches from hers. “Who cares about normal?”
“You’re really going to move here for a while?” she whispers. “For me?”
“Well, my son lives here now, too. And maybe, someday soon, my grandchild, but…”
She pulls back. “Ugh.”
I arch a brow. “Grampa talk kill the mood?”
“A little, but it’s for the best.” She glances around the park, her gaze skimming over the various singletons and couples roaming past. “We shouldn’t be making out in public. At least not in Central Park. I grew up not too far from here. Half the old ladies walking their dogs know my dad and all of them like to gossip. If we want to control the message, we should be careful.”
I shift a few inches away from her on the bench. “You’re right. And we shouldn’t come out to Adrian until he has some clarity on his current situation. Call me crazy, but I don’t think he’d be open-minded about his ex dating his father right now.”
Sydney winces. “You’re not crazy. Not at all. I’d prefer to put off that conversation with my dad, too.”
“Until we see if this is worth a big family blow up?”
“There won’t be a blow up,” she says with more confidence than I’m expecting. But maybe Silas has changed since I knew him, softened, become less overbearing with age. “But Dad and I are still finding our footing in our working relationship. I think it’s best if we give that time to settle before I introduce another big change.”
I exhale. “I’d certainly be a big change.”
She nudges my foot with hers. “You would be, but not because my dad knows you. Or not just because of that. I’ve never had a serious adult boyfriend in New York before; let alone a man I can’t get enough of.” A hint of uncertainty flashes in her gaze. “Should I have kept that last part to myself? Played it cool?”
“Never,” I assure her, threading my fingers discreetly through hers. “I love knowing you want me even half as much as I want you.”
She bites her lip and suddenly the day isn’t a complete disaster. I failed with Adrian, but what else is new? I can always try again. Hopefully, my son heard how much I love him and want to support him, as well as my words of caution, and he’ll remember them when the time is right.
But in the meantime, I get to spend more time with this amazing woman. “Come home with me?” I ask. “Let me feed you something fantastic for lunch and tie you to my headboard?”
She smiles and her voice is pure auditory foreplay as she whispers, “Tie me up first and feed me after, and you’ve got a deal. I don’t want to wait for the fun part.”
“Yes ma’am,” I murmur. “I promise, I’ll never make you wait.”
She gives my hand a squeeze before rising to her feet. “I’ll grab a cab and meet you there in fifteen or twenty?”
“I’ll take the subway and see you there,” I say, my gaze raking up and down her frame as she backs away, devouring every inch of her with my eyes.
Soon, I’ll have my hands on her, my mouth…
Despite my worry for Adrian, I can’t help feeling like the luckiest man in New York. The feeling lasts until I reach my apartment building twenty minutes later to find a woman in a dramatic palm-print dress and a giant straw hat pacing in front of the door.
It’s Angela, my ex, and she’s clearly heard the news.
twenty-five
SYDNEY
There’s an open manhole on Fifth Avenue and a street festival blocking the alternate route my driver tries on the way to Gideon’s place. It takes nearly twenty minutes to get to Twenty-First Street, where I finally decide to get out and walk.
