Page 55 of Yours to Keep

“I like to stay on brand and productivity is your brand, right?” I turned my head to shoot him a smile. “Innovation. Efficiency. Progress. I think we ticked all those boxes.”

His eyes were dark and lazy, his mouth curving into a dangerously soft grin. “It’s good to know your sense of humor is intact. Here I was, wondering if things were going to be awkward now. I hate awkward.”

“So do I, but I wasn’t trying to be funny.” I winked and rolled my head back on the pillows, my bones still feeling lighter than air. I also couldn’t stop smiling, which was a touch inconvenient, but not entirely unexpected. “So, what happens now? Are you going to not so subtly tell me that you have to be up early in the morning so it’s best if I just leave now?”

Strangely, I didn’t really want to leave, but I knew how this worked. We’d relieved the tension that had been building between us for so long and now it was likely he was going to turn into the typical man post one-night stand.

“You could leave,” he said, sounding like he was thinking out loud. “If you want to, that is. I won’t chain you to the bed. Mostly because the chains are in my other overnight bag, but you do realize we never actually ate at the liberation party?”

My heart rate spiked. Wait, does this mean he wants me to stay? I mean, I know the chains thing was a joke, but…

“Oh my God.” I groaned and pressed my palms to my face. “You’re right. We danced, we drank, we made out in a closet, and through it all, we never got around to dinner.”

“A tragic oversight.”

“I’m starving.”

He shifted closer, propping himself up on one elbow. “Room service?”

I peeked at him through my fingers. “Is that an actual question or are you just narrating what you’re about to do anyway?”

“It’s an actual question,” he said solemnly. “I, however, am strongly in favor.”

I dropped my hands and smiled, turning to face him again. “Yes. Please. Before I pass out.”

He gave me a playful little salute and sat up in bed, reaching for the menu on the nightstand and flipping it open. “Okay. Don’t judge me.”

“I will absolutely judge you.” At least that way, I’ll have something else to do with my brain than think about how much I like playful, post-coital Sullivan. “Do you want to tell me what I’m judging you for?”

“How much food we’re about to order.” He scanned the page. “Burger. Fries. A Caesar salad so we can pretend to be healthy, but absolutely not be”

“Add the truffle mac and cheese,” I said immediately.

He glanced at me. “Already there.”

“How about some chocolate cake?”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “You want more cake?”

“I don’t understand the question.”

He laughed again and it made something warm bloom in my chest. “Anything else?”

“Those little fancy sliders.”

“Of course. This is already too much food. Just so you know, I’m judging you right back, but how do you feel about bacon on the side?”

“We’re healing,” I said. “Emotionally. Bacon is a must.”

“That’s sound medical advice.” He picked up the phone and placed the call, rattling off the order like he did this all the time, which he probably did. After adding a bottle of champagne to the order at the last minute, he hung up and looked at me like he’d just realized something.

“What?” I asked.

“We should probably get dressed before they get here.”

“Ugh. Reality blows.”

Laughing as he rolled off the bed, he stood and stretched his arms out above his head, utterly unbothered by his nakedness. I very deliberately tried not to stare but failed immediately. The man was unfairly hot, but he was especially sexy with all those well-defined muscles on display.