Page 12 of Cherish Me

Even as he speaks, the screen lights up again, and the phone vibrates. Damien grins, then reaches for it. “Hey, Abby. One minute, and she’s all yours.” He taps the button to mute the call, then slides closer, his hand returning to my thigh. I gasp as his fingers slide between my legs, then bite my lower lip as he fills me even as he bends close to kiss me, long and deep.

When he breaks the kiss, he withdraws his fingers. And I, of course, whimper.

“So you know what you’re missing,” he murmurs. “Just in case you want to scold your partner.”

“Yeah,” I say, my mouth too damn dry to say much more.

He starts to slide out of the booth again. I grab his tie and hold him in place. “Just so you know,” I say, “the moment you get back I want you to finish what you started.” I slide a few inches closer and lower my voice. “I want you to make me come. Right here in this full bar, where everyone can see us, and they might suspect, but no one will know for sure. And then—if I think you did your job well—maybe I’ll give you your present.”

“A woman who knows what she wants. I like it.”

“I love you.”

“Oh, baby. I know. That’s what makes me whole.” He brushes a soft kiss over my lips. “Men’s room. Back soon.”

I watch him turn the corner to the hall that led into the bar. I noticed the dark doors of the restrooms as we’d come in, but he’s disappeared from my view now. I sigh, then turn my attention to my partner. “What’s going on? Is it bad?”

“I hope not.” She sounds stressed. Which of course makes me stressed.

“Deep breath, Abby. Just lay it out for me.”

Ten minutes later I’m frowning. I was right. It was a problem with the software updates. But we’ve worked it through, and Abby’s got a plan for moving forward.

The work issue isn’t why I’m frowning. Instead, I’m wondering about Damien.

I glance at my new watch. “So you feel okay about this?” I ask Abby, hoping I don’t sound distracted.

“Yes. Again, I’m so sorry to bother you. I know this is your vacation.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’re busy. I probably shouldn’t have gone right now.”

“Oh, please. You deserve it, and honestly, I’m your partner now, remember? Not your employee. If I can’t solve problems by myself…”

“Abby. Stop it. You’re still learning.”

“I know. I know. We’ve got this. Like I said, I’m going to let you get back to your evening. Oh, I almost forgot. Sylvia said to tell you that she had some more thoughts about the management software we’re designing for the Resort at Cortez. She also wanted to know how Damien took the news.”

I wince, expecting the other shoe to drop. So I’m not surprised when Abby asks, “What news is she talking about?”

I hesitate, wishing that Sylvia had remembered that this news was not a public announcement. But at the same time, I’m about to tell Damien anyway. I might as well share the good news with another one of my friends. “All right, but you have to promise not to say anything until I text you that it’s okay. I’m planning to tell Damien tonight, but if for some reason I get delayed, I don’t want him finding out from someone else.”

“Finding out what?”

“That I—” I drop the phone, at first startled and then terrified by the rat-a-tat-tat of automatic weapon fire. I leap to my feet, intending to bolt toward Damien. And now I can see it—I have a full view of the men’s restroom. The door open.

And a man in head-to-toe black spraying the inside with bullets.

“No!” I scream. Or at least I try to. The words don’t leave my throat. Instead, a hand claps hard over my mouth and forces me back down into the booth. The world is spinning. Everything going to gray. And right then, all I know is that someone is beside me, their hand on my leg, their voice in my ear.

Damien, I think. Oh, dear God, Damien.

“Don’t move,” says the voice at my ear. “For God’s sake, Nikki. Don’t even breathe.”

Chapter Seven

If Damien weren’t so damn proud of Nikki, he would have to be frustrated with Abby for interrupting the evening. But considering how many times they’d been interrupted because of a crisis at his work, he really couldn’t complain.

On the contrary, he was incredibly proud of his wife. She’d moved to Los Angeles determined to make it in the world of software development, and she’d done so faster than she had ever anticipated.