Page 83 of Have To Be Mine

He hung up and immediately started typing, pulling up what looked like a seating chart. I watched his eyes scan the screen. God, he was sexy like this. Competent and completely in control.

I set down my drink and walked over to him. He didn’t notice at first, too absorbed in whatever he was working on. I came around behind his chair and started playing with his hair, running my fingers through the dark strands.

“Hey,” he said without looking away from the screen.

“Hey, yourself.”

I moved around to stand in front of him, blocking his view of the laptop. He looked up at me, one eyebrow raised in question. I answered by climbing into his lap and straddling him. My arms went around his neck. His hands immediately went to my hips, then slid lower to squeeze my ass.

“I’m working,” he said, but there was no heat in it.

“I know. I’m watching you work. It’s very impressive.”

He smirked. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I ran my fingers through his hair again. “I’m proud of you.”

Something flickered across his face. Surprise. Or pleasure. “You are?”

“I am. You’re handling all of this like a pro. You’re not just putting out fires anymore. You’re preventing them.”

He leaned back in the chair, looking up at me with those stunning eyes. “You whipped me into shape with your no-nonsense ways.”

“Did I?”

“Absolutely. I was getting scared you were going to start making me do push-ups and planks.”

I giggled despite myself. The sound felt foreign coming out of my mouth. When was the last time I’d giggled? “That sounds fun. Why haven’t I thought to do that already?”

“Please don’t. I’m barely surviving as it is.”

I kissed him. He tasted like coffee. When I pulled back, I knew I had properly distracted him.

“Come swim with me,” I said.

“I can’t. I’m waiting on a call from Callum. I’m setting some boundaries early. I don’t want Mr. Hollywood strolling in here and thinking he’s taking over my show. I want to make sure I understand exactly why he’s coming.”

“I love when you talk dirty,” I said.

He laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest into mine. “Boundaries and intentions are dirty talk now?”

“Oh yeah. Want to feel just how exciting I find that kind of talk?”

I kissed him again. The heat between us was building fast, and I was about two seconds from suggesting we forget about Callum’s call entirely when Dash’s phone started buzzing on the table beside us.

He groaned against my mouth. “Worst timing ever.”

“Answer it,” I said, climbing off his lap reluctantly. “Set your boundaries.”

“It’s not him, but I do have to take this,” he said.

I moved to the edge of the patio, giving him space but staying close enough to hear his side of the conversation. He hung up and tossed the phone back on the table. He held out his arm, indicating he wanted me back in his lap.

I was happy to oblige. We sat there for a moment, just holding each other. It was almost too perfect.

“I’ve been waiting for you to bring something up,” I said quietly. “But since you haven’t, I will.”

He pulled back to look at me. “What?”