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I smile at her before giving her a small kiss on the cheek and leaving her to get back to her work. Granted, she wasn’t doing much of that when I walked in, but I know how well she works, so it doesn’t bother me much.
As I walk past the rest of the staff, I level them with a glare that tells them to get back to work and watch with amusement as they scurry to their respective places.
When I reach my floor, Selena is already standing at the elevators with a frown on her face. “You’re late.”
“Worried about me, doll face?”
She mutters under her breath before giving me a smile. “Always.”
If only I could’ve heard the shit she mumbled before saying that, it’s only fair to assume it wasn’t along the lines of me being the best boss she’s ever had. She follows me into my office, shutting the door softly behind her, and crosses her arms over her chest. The glare she sends me is one that I’d expect to see on one of my grandparents, and it only makes me smile wide at her.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says, catching me off guard.
“Excuse me?”
She huffs out a sarcastic laugh and shakes her head, clearly not amused. “Don’t play coy with me. The girl?”
“Selena. I respect you, but you are out of line right now.”
She straightens her shoulders, schooling any emotion she had on her face moments ago, and gives me a curt nod before saying, “My apologies, sir. I’ll leave you to get settled in. Let me know if you need anything.”
When she closes the door, I hate the way my stomach churns at the tone I used on her. Selena gets in my business more than anyone. I’ve just never been so protective over it like I am when it comes to Ava. That only makes me angrier at myself, and I almost walk out of my office to apologize to Selena, but she needs to understand how much I respect my girlfriend. Even if she is a fake one.
* * *
Ava called earlier and asked Selena to let me know that we would be eating lunch in the company cafeteria today. She didn’t feel like going out into the cold, I guess, which was fine by me. It’s safer for her if we stay inside anyway, since Alex seems to be everywhere now.
“Hey, baby,” I say when I reach the table she’s sitting at, then lean down and give her a soft kiss. The conversations around us die down and I feel everyone’s beady eyes poking a hole through my back.
Ava shoots a withering stare behind me, before turning her attention back to me with tenderness in her gaze. “Hi.” Her voice is low, barely a whisper, but luckily I’m close enough to catch her half-assed response.
“I think you can do better than that.”
My wink makes her blush and I love that I provoke these emotions from her. Maybe it shouldn’t send such a thrill through me, but it brings me a sense of pride to know that she’s affected by me.
Before my thoughts can get too ahead of me, I sink into the seat beside her and play with a strip of brown waves hanging down her shoulder.
“Did you eat already?” I ask when I catch the empty plate sitting in front of her.
She scoffs. “Ryan, it’s thirty minutes past my lunch time. Of course I ate.”
“Sorry for being late.”
“All good. Now, what did we need to talk about?”
Shit. I almost forgot the entire reason I asked her to have lunch with me today, and I run a hand through my hair. “I, uh…” I take a deep breath and look at her intently, hoping that she can see the seriousness in my gaze, before blurting, “I want you to move in with me.”
Her laugh guts me more than it probably should.
Chapter11
Ava
My laugh quickly dies down when I catch Riley’s narrowed gaze. Instead of answering him I quickly take a sip of my sweet tea and glance around the cafeteria. Now would be a great time for Millie to be here, but she had some things to take care of during lunch and I was advised to bring her some food when I got back.
“You’re not serious.”
Ryan leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. My mouth nearly waters at his muscles trying to push through the sleeves of his button-down. His mouth tips into a satisfied smirk, essentially pushing the dirty thoughts from my mind, and I glare at him.
