I gather my purse and coat and head for campus. I’m going to surprise Mark by being there when he gets out of class. I have a speech prepared, of course.
What I wasn’t expecting to see was Mark walking out of the English building, casually chatting with a redhead. I try not to stare as I stand and wait for them to reach me. She looks really familiar. Overly familiar. Where do I know her from?
“Syd, hey,” Mark beams when he sees me.
Normally, I wouldn’t reach for him and loop my arms around his waist, but today I rise to my toes so that I can kiss him on the cheek. Before I left the house, I said I was going all in. I meant it.
His arm sneaks around me as if we fall into this embrace each time we see each other, and he lets out a small, deep, and too-sexy chuckle when I lower back to my feet. He holds my gaze for a moment before looking back to the woman in front of us.
“This is Beth. She’s a marketing genius, and she was the guest speaker in our class. Beth, this is Sydney Quinn, the woman I was telling you about.”
“Oh, wow, yes, nice to meet you.” Beth offers me her hand and I shake it. “Mark was just telling me about your talent in graphic design. I’d mentioned in class how our team is always looking for new, fresh ideas, and he demanded that I meet you and see some of your work.”
Of course he did. Mark has turned into my biggest supporter.
“Oh, he’s too kind. I really only have what I’ve done for school.”
“That’s not true. You have all the work you do to help your brother with his books,” Mark says to me and then turns back to Beth. “Sydney’s brother writes romance novels, and Sydney loves to make videos and other graphics for his releases or anything promo related. In fact, I think she’s done it for some of his friends too.”
“Those are just for fun.”
“The ones we do for fun are usually our best work. I’d love to grab lunch one day and take a look.” Beth pulls out a card and hands it to me. Beth Mitchell, TACM Marketing.
That’s how I know her. She was inForbesmagazine last month.
“Oh, wow, I’ve heard of your company. It’s growing like wildfire. And the campaign you did for Channel 13 was amazing. Using the different ratios on the still images was mind blowing.”
“You noticed that?”
“How could you not?”
Beth studies me for a moment and then steps back. “Please, call that number and set up a meeting soon. I think you might just be what I’m looking for.”
“I will. It was wonderful to meet you,” I say, waving the card as she leaves.
“You too.” She flicks her hands in the air, and I spin around to Mark.
“Oh my god! Did that just happen? Did you get me recruited for a job before I even graduated?”
“No.”
“I think you did.”
“Syd, the only thing I did was introduce you to someone. You did the rest. Now, don’t forget to call her.”
“Duh. I will as soon as we get home and I have my planner. Let’s go.” I grab his hand and jerk him toward the parking lot. “This is amazing.”
“Speaking of amazing, how about that greeting you gave me back there?”
I smile. “It was pretty great, huh?”
“It was. Is that all you have to say about it?”
“Mmm. Maybe,” I flirt before I go on, but Mark beats me to it.
“Well,” he says, stopping at his car. He spins me around, gently pushes me against the driver’s door, and steps toward me. I can smell his cologne and feel his warm, minty breath. Oh god, and now he’s smiling at me. That grin is my weakness. It always has been. Casually, as if he knows how much his touch teases me, he cups the side of my face, his thumb flicking my bottom lip. “I loved it.”
He leans forward, and I close my eyes as his next words are a whisper in my ear. “Next time, kiss me. On the lips. Hard. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
