Page 58 of Until Joy

I melted into his warmth, inhaling the scent of sweat and something totally Graham. For a long moment, all we did was breathe, our hearts gradually slowing from their frantic pace. I could feel the shift between us. It was subtle, but significant. It was almost like we’d gone further, like we’d crossed some kind of invisible line, that if it were up to me, we’d never uncross.

“You know,” he murmured, pressing a lazy kiss to my temple, “you should stay the whole day. We’ll stay naked, maybe eat, and then I’ll give you so many orgasms, you’ll forget your own name.”

Dammit.

I shook my head, biting my lip. “I have work later.”

Graham groaned dramatically. “Nope. I forbid it. You’re officially under Graham Wallace house arrest.”

“Are you thinking about tying me to the bed?”

His hazel eyes darkened. “Don’t tempt me.”

My stomach tightened in response, but I just grinned and kissed him slow, savoring the way he tasted.

“I’ll come back after my shift,” I whispered against his lips.

“You better,” he murmured.

I smiled. “I promise.”

Chapter 16

“Are you mooning over Graham again?” Kayan demanded to know.

The girls had been giving me grief all through dinner, trying to get me to spill my guts about what was going on between me and Graham, but it was still too new, I just couldn’t.

“No,” I lied. “I’m thinking about the puppy that July operated on yesterday. He was in a lot of pain, and I hated leaving him.”

I looked down at the table so Kayan couldn’t look me in the eye.

“Hmmm,” Kayan looked at me suspiciously. “It’s possible, but not probable. I know a man-daze when I see one.”

“Leave her alone,” Glenda interrupted. “She has a soft heart. I’ve seen her with the animals. She loves all of them.”

I raised my water glass in Glenda’s direction, and I scrunched my nose at Kayan. “See, Glenda understands me.”

July, June and Kayan looked at one another and cackled. Damn, I hoped Glenda didn’t feel they were laughing at her. When I looked at Glenda, I could see her preening.

She leaned over and patted my hand. “I knew we understood one another,” she whispered.

I smiled at her and nodded.

This was the first time we had invited Glenda to one of our dinners. She was nice, and I could tell she was trying to fit in. But despite Kayan telling her we were heading to a club after dinner, she was still dressed like she was heading to a board meeting or something.

“Why don’t you drive with me over to the club, instead of with Kayan?” Glenda suggested.

“Isn’t your navigation system working?” I asked.

“It’s working,” she laughed lightly. “Us driving together will give us a little bit more time to get to know one another even better. It’ll be hard to hear one another at the club.”

I laughed. “You’re right about that. I’ll let Kayan know I’m riding with you.”

Truth be told, I would have preferred to be riding with Kayan, but we were all working to make Glenda feel like one of the girls, and this was how it was done.

We all waited by the valet kiosk for our cars. Glenda’s was the last to arrive.

“What took you so long?” Glenda demanded to know.