I lick my dry lips when Alex asks, “Raincheck?”
With my mouth still dry, I nod.
“Alright.” He smiles in a way that makes me regret every single decision I made. “Now tell me what these payments are, and I’ll listen instead of assuming.” He nudges his head to the document we were discussing before our deep and meaningful.
Although I feel guilty I’m allowing my libido to override the seriousness of my visit, it doesn’t stop me from saying, “In a minute.”
Alex’s brows meet when I tilt my head to align our lips. I can feel his confusion, comprehend his unease, but more than anything concrete, I can sense his desire. He needs this as much as me.
“It’s time to put ourselves first,” I murmur over Alex’s mouth a mere second before delving my tongue between his lips.
Our kiss starts slow at first, but the instant I fist his shirt to bring him closer to me, it gains intensity. His fingers brush through my hair as his tongue strokes the roof of my mouth. I groan at the delicious flavors activating every sensory button in my body. He tastes like pure heaven. Manly and rich, but with a slight tang of the grounded beans we’ve shared numerous times tonight.
He kisses me for several minutes; the pace, timing, and affection of our exchange wholly controlled by him. I would fight him for my share, but the intimacy of our kiss has my need to reign supreme on the backburner. It’s nice to be cherished. . . for a change.
When Alex’s mouth moves from my lips to my neck, the reins are loosened even more. I’m certain he can feel my heart hammering in my chest, but for once, I don’t care. Its frantic, out-of-control pace is his fault, so why shouldn’t he relish his triumph? You can be certain I will when I swivel in his lap and his thickened cock brushes my heated core.
He breaks away from my neck long enough to whisper in my ear, “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
“Who said I was? It’s about time your sparkling clean office got a little dirty, Mister Fancy Pants.”
Alex’s teeth grazing my earlobe makes quick work of the smile he feels raising my cheeks. “Are you laughing at me, Rae?” His warm breath hits every one of my hot buttons, inspiring even more recklessness. “I don’t think my ego can sustain the sting.”
My smile widens. From what I feel bracing on my thigh, his ego had no problems accepting my smile, but just in case, I’ll lessen its burn. “I’m not laughing. I’m smiling. Those are two entirely different things.”
Alex pulls back and locks his eyes with mine. His matching grin shows he remembers the night he said those exact words to me. While using his thumbs to clear the evidence of our kiss from my mouth, his gorgeous blue irises float between mine. My god, they’ll be the death of me. They show his trust, devotion, and love, and they’re solely focused on me.
My heart does an elongated beat when he murmurs, “God, I fucking missed you, Rae. I don’t think I’ve inhaled an entire breath in over a year.”
His words make it hard for me to breathe, so I can imagine how deprived his lungs have been the past year. I’ve grown a lot the past twelve months; I’ve grown and matured, cried and hated, but more than anything, I’ve learned—a lot. The main thing being: love doesn’t happen without tragedy.
For months, I thought our relationship was the catastrophe needed for modern day Romeos and Juliets to achieve their Happily Ever Afters. I was wrong. It’s the tragedies we’ve already been through that have brought us together. Luca’s death. Dane’s injury. Even Alex’s investigation into Isaac. All of these events occurred for this. For us. The universe has severely fucked up ways of bringing people together, but maybe Isaac is right, perhaps there is beauty behind every tragedy.
I guess there is only one way to find out.
“Rae. . .” Alex groans as if he’s in pain when I clamber off his lap to secure my cell phone from my briefcase. I’m not surprised to discover several unanswered calls and text messages from Isaac. He is as pedantic about staying in contact with his staff as he is about their safety.
Spinning around to face Alex, I raise my finger in the air, requesting a minute. Although his brows furl, he dips his chin, agreeing with my request. Good—because that was the final step I needed to make the decision I am making.
After dialing a known number, I push my phone to my ear. Isaac answers two rings later. “Any news?”
I scan the hundreds of documents spread across Alex’s desk, some askew from the passion of our kiss. “We’re doing well; made some very important headway.” I breathe out to eradicate the nerves playing havoc with my stomach. “We still have a ways to go, but the instant we have anything, I’ll make contact.”
“Okay. Good.” He sounds disappointed, as if he was hoping Alex was the answer to everything. He is; he just doesn’t know it yet.
“Once we’ve got everything settled, we need to talk.”
Isaac inhales a sharp breath but remains quiet. I’m not surprised. He knows me well enough to know what I’m about to say next. “I’ve changed my mind. I can’t give him up.”
Thirty-Seven
Alex
I stare at Regan, certain I’m misreading the signals she’s putting out. She didn’t just do what I thought she did, did she? She didn’t pick me over Isaac, did she? Surely not. Our kiss was intense, the most sensual and devoted we’ve had, but still.This. I must be dreaming.
Months of wishes are granted when Regan’s gaze floats up from the floor. I know that look. It’s the one she gave me when she had her fists up and ready to attack any woman who dared to get within an inch of me. My girl is preparing to fight, but for once, instead of fighting to keep me away, she’s fighting to keep me.
It’s about fucking time!
