Page 58 of Meant to be Mine

“If I were you, I’d just do it. Use the time you’ve got and figure out the rest later. Things might change. You’ll never know if you don’t at least try. Don’t overthink it. You’re both mature enough to handle a fling.”

“Yeah, I don’t know about that,” I said.

We walked to the front of the store and he paused. “I like her,” he said. “In case you were wondering.”

“I know. Thanks. And thanks for the help with this setup. It’s going to be another killer event.”

“No problem. See you later.”

I walked back inside and spotted her at the coffee bar getting another hit of caffeine. When she saw me, she smiled and held up a second cup. She’d gotten one for me.

I wanted her and I honestly didn’t think I’d ever be satisfied until I did.

20

KENSEY

The store was quiet in a way it never was during business hours. Everyone had gone home. The lights had been dimmed to their overnight setting. The chandeliers were dark, which made the whole space feel like a different place entirely. Softer. Private. Intimate.

I was not thinking about that.

I was thinking about vendors. That’s why we were still here at eight thirty long after everyone had gone home.

“Okay,” I said, pulling the laptop closer across the table in Drew’s office. “The flower vendor confirmed the umbrella installation timeline. They can have everything set up by six a.m. the morning of the event.”

“Good.” Drew was leaning back in his chair on the other side of the table. His shirt had been unbuttoned three down. Sleeves rolled up. Shirt untucked. We were one step away from sitting around in our underwear. We were both tired and it wasn’t hot in the building, but being on the second floor after a long, hot day, we were ready to loosen our collars.

“What about the scatter seating? Did you hear back from the rental company?” he asked with a yawn.

“Still waiting.” I typed a note to follow up first thing in the morning. “They said end of day but it is last minute.”

“Chase them at eight a.m.”

“Already on the list.”

I rolled my neck to the side. I felt like a bodybuilder. The guys that had no neck and all muscles. My shoulders felt like they were up to my ears. I did it the other direction and winced. I pressed my fingers against the base of my skull and rubbed. I wasn’t used to sitting and staring at a screen for ten hours. Teaching meant I was up and moving. I was looking up at a projector screen sometimes but not like this.

“You okay?” Drew asked.

“Fine. Just tight.”

He set his phone down. “Come here,” he said.

“I’m fine.”

“Kensey.”

I pushed back my chair and walked around to where he was sitting. He spread his legs and pointed at the floor in front of him. This was completely normal. He’d done this before. He rubbed my shoulders. I rubbed his.

I pushed the table back and sat down on the floor, legs stretched out in front of me. I forced myself to ignore the fact I was sitting between his legs.

His hands settled on my shoulders. I closed my eyes.

He worked slowly at first, his strong hands rubbing at my shoulders before adding pressure from his thumbs. I groaned and dropped my head forward. The tension released in slow degrees. My shoulders dropped a little at a time. I exhaled through my nose.

“God,” I murmured.

“That bad?”