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She blinks.
"Anything else?"
"There are people here who find it very expensive to juggle childcare with jobs. You arranged for pet-sitting on the premises, so can you—" Her voice trails off when she sees I’m looking down at my phone.
I shoot off another email. "Starting tomorrow, work will begin on half of the first floor of the building to convert it to a nursery. There will be qualified childcare givers on hand to take care of the employee’s children. Further, it will be free for all. And until all the arrangements for this are in place, I’ll reimburse childcare costs.”
"Oh." She draws in a sharp breath.
"Now, will you take a seat?"
She looks around the office as if looking for a way out, then slowly walks over and drops into the chair. I ease her in, then open up one of the containers of food. I slide some onto her plate, then fork up a morsel and hold it out. "Open."
She frowns. "Are you flirting with me?"
"It’s lunch time. I’m asking you to taste this lunch that was delivered by James Hamilton’s kitchen." I adopt the most innocent look possible on my face.
She opens her mouth, no doubt, to tell me off, and I take advantage and slide the food onto her tongue. Her gaze widens, then she closes her lips and licks the tines clean. The sight of her pink tongue and pinker lips sends the blood draining to my groin. A week without her presence at my home. A week during which I’ve used my hand to get myself off more times than I can imagine.
The only consolation is that I have Tiny for company. The mutt moped around the house, then curled up on her bed and went to sleep. I found him there, and abandoning all pretense that I did not miss her, I crawled in next to him. I woke up to Tiny trying to sit on my chest. For a few seconds I was sure I was back in the coffin my enemies had sealed me in, and that the ground had collapsed on me. Until Tiny licked my face and ensured I knew I was back in the now, and away from them. I managed to extricate myself out from under the almost 120 pounds of dog and staggered to my feet. Then, I took him out for a walk and fed him, by which time I felt more like myself. Nothing like scooping up dog-poop to bring a person back to the present. Nothing like taking care of another living thing to get perspective. Life doesn’t begin and end with me. There are others worse off. I have much to be grateful for, including Penny. Perhaps, this is the lesson my friends wanted me to learn when they foisted Tiny on me?
"May I have some more?"
I bring my attention back to her.
"The food." She glances at the container. "Some more, please?"
Of course. I scoop up more of the succulent fish and offer it to her. She wipes the tines of the fork clean, then cuts up a piece and holds it out for me. I pull up a chair and allow her to feed me. She watches my mouth, her green eyes flaring. "It’s good, isn’t it?" she murmurs.
"Excellent," I agree.
She cuts up another piece of the fish and holds it out. This time I wrap my fingers around her wrist and bring the fork to my mouth. I lick the food off the tines of the fork, taking my time. Her breath hitches. The pulse at the base of her throat speeds up. There will never be a time when we don’t feel this chemistry between us, so what are we doing apart?
"Come home with me." I slide the fork out of her hand and bring her fingers to my lips and kiss the tips. "I miss you. Tiny misses you. We can’t do without you."
She swallows, and when she tugs, I release her hand. She brings her fingers to her mouth and licks the same digits I had. She closes her eyes, savoring the taste, then turns to snatch up one of the paper-napkins. "I can’t, Sir."
60
Penny
"There. Looking good, Ma." I finish braiding her hair, then slide off the bed and hold up a mirror in front of her. My mother glances down at her reflection and a small smile curves her lips.
"The color suits you." I swallow around the ball of emotion in my throat.
Her smile widens.
Tears prick the backs of my eyes. Today is one of the good days. My mother replied when I asked her how her day had been. I place the mirror on the side table, then sit down in front of her.
"I miss you, Ma. I miss being home with you and Dad. I miss your attempts at trying to teach me the piano." I half laugh. "If only I had a talent, I wouldn’t be bouncing around, dependent on someone else to keep you in this place. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you, Mother, I—"
"You did good, Penny girl."
I stare. Wow, she sounds so much like her former self. Even her eyes are clear today. She takes my hand in hers. "You bring light to whoever you meet. That’s your talent, honey."
The tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes. I sniff. To not only have her sounding coherent, but to also give me the sweetest of compliments— oh, god, I don’t think my heart can keep up. I bring our joined-up hands to my mouth, then kiss the back of her hers.
"I’m sorry you couldn’t come to the wedding, Ma. I wish you could meet him—"
