As I tie my apron around my waist, I move to his side. “What would count as a good reason?”
“Orgasms.” He waggles his eyebrows at me.
My blush answers for me, and Gianni’s head falls back as he laughs loudly. “Oh Bella.”
I hush him and move to the fridge to check on the food that’s already prepared. Partly because, well, I need to, and partly to hide my grin.
Two hours later and the restaurant is filled with baseball players, team staff, and their partners. The guys have tomorrow off so they can enjoy tonight, which means wine and beer are being poured and there’s a lot of laughter and celebrating happening. We decided to serve the food buffet style, despite Gianni’s protests, so everyone has plates and are helping themselves as they wish. Gianni booted me out of the kitchen when everyone started arriving, assuring me he would handle anything food-related.
“If this is just to celebrate making the playoffs, what will they do if they win?”
I turn to find Paul beside me, two glasses of wine in hand. He passes one to me and raises his to clink with mine.
“Good question,” I reply after taking a sip. I’m exhausted, but at the same time, feel so energized. “Thank you for helping make this happen, by the way.”
Paul shrugs. “I did nothing except make sure the bills were paid. You and Gianni had this under control. Besides, haven’t you figured out we’ll agree to just about anything that helps convince you to join as partner?” He winks just as Kai comes over. Even though I just saw him two hours ago, my heart fills with so much love just looking at him.
“Hey Paul, this is so great. Thank you.” Kai shakes his hand before turning to me and snaking his arm around my waist. “But can I steal my girl for a bit?”
God, do I love hearing him call me that. Not having to keep our feelings a secret from each other or the world is quite possiblymy favourite part of what has changed for us over the past month.
“Of course.” Paul leans in and kisses my cheek. “See you later, Isabelle.”
He walks away and Kai circles to stand in front of me, taking my hands and draping them over his shoulders. “Hey, you know I love you, right?”
I nod as he smiles down at me.
“Good. And that’s never going to change. Never has, never will. Can I show you something?”
“Okay,” I say, confused by where he’s going with all this. I let him lead me into the back, to the small office Paul works out of when he’s here handling the business side of things. “Kai, what’s going on?”
He doesn’t answer right away, instead closing the door, muffling the sound of the party outside. I start to lean back against the desk, but when Kai begins unbuttoning his shirt, I push up to stand. “Babe, I love you, but we can’t do this right now,” I say, laughing as I move toward him.
But he backs off, shaking his head slowly with a knowing smirk. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Iz.”
I stop and stare at him, confused as he opens his shirt fully. Then I see it. Right beneath the line of numbers on his pec is a second row of numbers. Freshly tattooed and covered in a clear bandage.
“Kai,” I murmur, stepping closer and lightly touching the skin underneath the tattoo. “Did you just do this? Wait. That date.”
“Just left the tattoo shop half an hour ago. And yes, that’s the date you came to my game and told me you were staying. Forever to be known as the date my deepest wish came true, and my life with you could truly begin.”
“Oh,” I whisper, my lips trembling. I lean in and press a featherlight kiss right over the two rows of numbers. Twodates that define our relationship in such different but no less powerful ways.
“I love you, Iz. You’re my past, present, and future.”
“I love you, too. Now and forever.”
He sweeps me up into a kiss that I wish could go on for eternity. A kiss that makes me reconsider my thinking that we couldn’t have a quickie here in Paul’s office.
This time, Kai’s the responsible one, setting me back down on my feet. “We should get back to the party.” As if on cue, his stomach rumbles and he grins. “I haven’t had any pasta yet.”
I laugh and start buttoning up his shirt. “Well, that’s unacceptable. Let’s get out there and make sure the guys haven’t eaten all the carbonara.”
“Eh, I have an in with the chef. If they did eat it all, I bet I can get her to make me some more.”
He slings his arm over my shoulders and kisses the top of my head as we move to the door.
“You have an in, do you?” I tease as we head back to the party.
