Page 81 of Miss Typed

“I thought I’d check in and tell you about tomorrow’s plans. You know, go through your itinerary. Do you have a few minutes?”

She was all business, and I couldn’t blame her. We’d spent our first weekend apart, and I’d only been communicating via email—other than to tell her not to come over. “Yes. Of course. We can discuss Abu Dhabi.”

She rattled off the itinerary consisting of five meetings, lunch, an office outing, and dinner.

I could only sit there, lost in the lilt of her voice.

“Aiden, you still there?”

“Yeah. Sorry. It broke up at the end.”

“I asked if everything sounded okay, or if you have any revisions?”

“Everything sounds fine. Anything else?”

“No, it’s been relatively quiet today. I’ve been scanning more emails, and found a few interesting things I’ll send you later.”

“Good.”

“Anything else you need me to do?”

“Come over.”

“What?”

I winced at both my delivery and the desperation lacing my voice. “Nothing. I’ll see you bright and early for the trip tomorrow, Chloe.” I hung up the phone before I could say more.

The knock on my door came after five o’clock that evening while I sat on the couch with my prothesis on for the first time all week. Knowing she’d heard me on the phone earlier, I’d hoped she might come by. “It’s open.”

Chloe’s beautiful face peered in. “Hi. It’s me.” She paused, probably to give me a chance to cover up or else tell her it wasn’t safe to come in.

I was both grateful and embarrassed she had to do this for me. “You can come in.”

Her smile was wary as she entered my apartment with one hand on her purse, the other holding a big plastic bag. She was stunning in her baby blue dress and tan flats.

“Did you bring cheeseburgers?”

She closed the door before stepping inside. “Not this time. How are you feeling?”

“Much better.”

“I like the scruff. It’s sexy on you.”

“Yeah?” I hadn’t shaved in days.

“Gives me some ideas.”

She walked over, setting the bag on the coffee table and then taking a seat in the chair that faced me.

“What kind of ideas?”

“The kind we could’ve explored this weekend if you hadn’t been so stubborn.”

It was useless to pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about. I had been stubborn. And stupid. Right now, all I craved was to touch her. “I’m sorry. This is new ground for me. I don’t want people to see me like this.”

“I figured, which is why I left you alone.”

“What’s in the bag?”