In this moment, Paige felt like she would burst open with the love she felt for him. And she couldn’t let him take this step alone. “I love you, too,” she whispered.
Andrew pulled her closer, wrapping her in his warm embrace. “Music to my ears.”
They stayed like that for a while, holding each other. Then Paige slid off his lap and grasped his hands, tugging him to stand. “I hope you know you can’t go to work today, not after that.”
He arched a brow. “Oh?” Then he yanked her to him. “Where am I going then?”
Paige pulled him into a deep kiss, moaning when his tongue met hers. She unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it off his broad shoulders. Breaking the kiss, she leaned back. “I think we need to go back upstairs—or wherever.”
Andrew nipped her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. When he pulled back, he met her gaze. “I think the kitchen counter is perfect.”
Paige’s body hummed with anticipation. “I like the way you think.”
They both took off toward the kitchen and started their day with more lovemaking. And Paige had never been happier.
* * *
“Connor?” Andrew shifted his phone to his right ear and slid into his driver’s seat. “Hold on.” After he started his car, the Bluetooth connected. “Okay, what’s up?”
“Calling to give you an update about Mom,” his brother said.
Connor gave him the details about his mother’s follow-up appointment. The ankle wasn’t healing properly, and the doctors warned they might need to do another surgery in a few months.
“When will we know for sure?” Andrew asked, merging onto the expressway.
“Maybe next week,” Connor replied. “Mom is climbing the walls. She wants to go out with her friends and do more than sit down all day.”
Andrew wasn’t surprised his mother was having a hard time with the recovery. Prior to the injury, she was looking forward to retirement, excited about traveling, hanging out with her friends, and tackling home improvement projects. Now, she’d have to push everything back.
“Did the docs say she would be cleared to go to Vegas at Christmas?” Andrew hoped she’d get the okay. She’d been looking forward to the trip.
“Even if they don’t have to do the second surgery, she may have to sit this one out.”
Damn. “How is she emotionally?”
“She’s Mom. Putting on a brave face and bossing everyone around. Are you still good to come back in a couple of weeks?”
Andrew sighed. “I’m working on it.” He had several irons in the fire at work and wasn’t sure he could take another full week off so soon, especially with Jax’s retirement right around the corner.
After a company-wide meeting in Atlanta yesterday, he’d learned that Jax had tapped him to take on several of his agency clients. Which was an honor, but it meant that he’d have to spend more time in Atlanta training with his mentor.
“You don’t sound too confident,” his brother said.
“There’s a lot going on.”
“With Paige?” Connor asked.
Paige was the least of his problems right now. As her agent, he’d ensured she had no repercussions from any shoots she’d missed. He’d also negotiated her newest contract and facilitated the book option for the project she wanted to produce. As her lover, they were closer than ever. They’d continued to see each other—in private—and he’d fallen more in love with each passing day. And the more he fell, though, the more he wondered if it could be real.
Andrew blew his horn at a car who’d tried to cut him off. “She’s good.”
“That’s it?” Connor asked. “I’m your big brother. I can hear it in your voice.”
Pulling off I-10, he turned toward Malibu. He hadn’t seen Paige in a few days, and he was anxious to get to her.
“Bruh,” Connor called. “You still there?”
“I’m here.”
