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I nod my head slowly as he squeezes his body between my legs, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Théoden,” I whisper, and he lifts his head up from my neck. “I’m happy.”
Theo’s smile is wide. By the look on his face, he remembers telling me in the coffee shop when we first met that I could only call him Théoden when I was either happy or upset.
“Me too, Catalina.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
When I wake up, Theo’s arms are wrapped around me, his chest against my back, snuggling me soundly under the coziest blanket to ever touch my skin. Our breathing seems to be in rhythm with one another and when I start to move, his hand tightens around my stomach, ensuring I won’t get away.
We never left his office last night. Our piles of clothes are strewn across the room, and the papers that were neatly stacked on his desk are scattered on the floor. His office is bigger than my living room. Waking up cuddled against him, I am thankful he has a deep brown leather couch in here. He was prepared with blankets and pillows in the closet, as if he spends countless nights sleeping in here when working late.
Theo doesn’t snore, but he does puff out a soft breath against my neck every so often. I don’t want to disturb him, but I also want to stretch my back. As wide as the couch is, it is not as comfortable to sleep on as my warm bed.
My head shoots up when I hear voices on the other side of the wall. Pots and pans are clanging like cymbals, and it sounds like someone is taking the wooden dining chairs off the tables and scooting them into place. Someone is setting the restaurant up as if they are going to open for business. Although, I know Theo is not due to open this location until sometime later in January.
Theo stirs behind me; the noise must have jarred him awake. I slowly flip around to face him, and he is smiling, clinging to my body tightly.
“Hey, you.” I whisper, kissing his chin.
“Good morning,” he swipes at my cheek with his thumb.
“Is someone out there?” I motion with my eyes toward the wall.
Theo nods, rubbing his face. “It’s probably my manager and executive chef preparing for tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” I thought your restaurant was opening in January?” I arch an eyebrow.
“Our official opening is January 21st, but tonight is the annual New Year’s Eve party I throw for my staff.”
I prop myself up on an elbow to look down on his perfect, handsome face. “Wait. You’re throwing a New Year’s Eve party?”
“Yes,” he rests one of his arms behind his head.
I think back to the first day we met and the deal we made. One wedding for one New Year’s Eve party. Did he never intend to go with me? Did he decide to throw a party when he realized I left Hawaii, nullifying our deal? But someone doesn’t just throw a New Year’s Eve party together at the last minute. Especially one for his entire staff. That would have been planned well in advance. Did he say, ‘annual New Year’s Eve party’?
Realization hits me like a truck.
“Were you going to miss your own party to go with me as my date?” I ask, heat flooding my body.
Theo reaches his fingers up to twirl loose strands of my hair. His eyes meet mine. “I was. I still am.”
“But – But -” I stammer and clear my throat to try again. I feel my cheeks flush. I am not embarrassed. I’m … I’m humbled? I don’t even know what I’m feeling anymore. “Why would you agree to that? Why didn’t you just tell me you had plans?”
“You could have asked me to go skydiving and I would have said yes to you.” Theo shrugs, a sweet smile inching across his face. “The second I sat down at the table in that coffee shop, I knew you would end up being important to me, Catalina.”
I stroke my fingers down his face and kick my leg over his torso to straddle him. I lean down and kiss him. I love the sensation of his hands wandering up and down my hips and thighs.
“You can’t miss your own party.” I pull back from his face and whisper.
“We made a deal.”
I put my finger to his lips, silencing him. “I only wanted you to go with me so I wouldn’t be alone. How about we change our deal and I come with you to your party instead?”
Theo shakes his head. “No, you’ve done so much for me. You’ve gone above and beyond what you originally agreed to. The least I can do is -”
“I never like going to my company party,” I interrupt him. “I would rather be here. With my boyfriend.” The word escapes my lips and feels right. I almost want to say it again.
Theo’s grin melts me. “I want to fight you on this.”
