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“What’s for dinner?” he asks after a heavy make-out session.
“I don’t know. What are you cooking for me?” I ask.
He blinks in surprise.
“I forgot to cook dinner,” I admit. “I was so focused on waiting for you to come home after work and being in the perfect position when you did.”
He busts up laughing, but then instantly sobers. “I guess I have a real reason to punish you now.”
I giggle.
His face splits into a smile as I bite my lip looking at him like I really wanna be punished.
“We have a lot of leftovers,” he says, “I’m sure we can find something.”
“Definitely.”
“Or, why don’t we go out?”
I smile. “Okay.”
He snuggles in and we lie there, both of us still sort of damp, lying on soggy towels, but I couldn’t care less. I’m lying here after some amazing shower sex and a fantasy come to life with Austin Carmichael after sleeping in his arms all night last night. And then he dried me off, caring for me in a super-sweet and bossy-hot way, and carried me to his bed. Okay, so he dropped me on it like a goofball, but now we’re going out to dinner.
I like that he’s got his serious side, a playful side, and that he’s kind of kinky, too.
I hear the sound of a phone ringing. It’s not mine.
He groans and gets out of bed. “That’s me. One sec.” He wanders out of the room naked. God, he has a tight, sexy butt.
40
Austin
I know by the long number string on my phone that it’s Meryl’s call I missed. I sent her an email this morning from the office. It’s Friday night here, Saturday morning there, and I want to get this done so I can get back to Jada.
It’d just stopped ringing by the time I got to it, so I head back to the bedroom with my phone and throw on a pair of jeans.
I’m not looking forward to this call, but it’s a necessity and for the greater good.
Jada comes out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a towel, and smiling while eye-fucking me as her eyes travel up and down my body.
“Turns out I need to make an international work call. I won’t be long.”
“You want leftovers? We have-”
“We’ll go out. Know any good pizza places around here?”
“Definitely.”
“Give me ten or fifteen and we’ll go.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go dry my hair.”
“Kiss me,” I demand.
She gets on her tiptoes and drops a kiss on my lips. I grab the back of her head and deepen it.
She sighs and melts into me.
This girl is into me in a big way and I can’t help but dig it.
As she leaves, my mood drops. Am I fucking up here by letting this go on with her? Or should I just let things happen organically and see where they go?
It’s the weekend and I have no plans other than this phone call I have to take care of. Should I spend the weekend with her and see how it goes? Decide if I want to pull back or pursue something bigger with her? Or should I pull back now and make sure this stays casual? My head’s a little fucked up over everything going on and it’s not helping, having to call Meryl back. I came home planning to play it cool with Jada, thinking I should make sure things didn’t get too carried away after last night, but how could I play it cool coming in to a fantasy on a silver platter?
I sit in the chair by the bed and put my feet up, aiming my eyes at the view while phoning Meryl back.
“Hello?”
“Meryl, it’s Austin Carmichael,” I say, all-business.
“Hi Austin,” she says softly, not a shred of business.
And now there’s weighty silence.
I blow out a breath. “Listen, I’m sorry I was a dick at Aiden’s wedding.”
“I’m sorry Nate was like he was, too. I’m sorry if… if I upset you by coming.”
“Carly invited you, you had every right to be there.”
She doesn’t reply.
“So…” I finally say, “I have a job opportunity to discuss with you.”
“A job?”
“I know you quit because of circumstances, and I just heard that you lost your father. First, please accept my condolences. I had no idea.”
“Thank you,” she replies softly.
“How are you?” I ask.
“I’m… it’s been hard, but I’m okay,” she says, and there’s strength in her voice.
“And you’re happy? With him?”
“Strangely, yes. It was unexpected,” she says. “It really was. It’s not at all why I ran out. When I left, Nathaniel wasn’t even on my mind, I just… I saw things going in a direction that would make it difficult for me and I bailed. I was a coward, and I’m sorry about that, but you don’t understand the expectations on me with my family and I was in real danger of … I…”
