Page 7 of The Weight of Love

“You’re going to have to stop that, Darlin’. Otherwise, the parking lot be damned. You’ll be choosing a parking lot or a gym shower if we don’t cool it.”

A broad but genuine smile stretches across her face; it reaches her eyes the way her sexy smirks don’t. She’s stunning when she actually smiles like that, not that she isn’t without it, but it’s this entirely different side to her.

I would kill to know what she’s actually thinking right now…

“You may have a point there,” she acknowledges my wisdom with a nod before pulling her hand back and biting on her finger. Unfortunately, my place is also out. Kids. Somehow, I think the shower and Phil as an audience aren’t really the greatest plans either. I don’t really want to be responsible for giving the old man a heart attack.”

The laughter between us is genuine and comfortable, and it feels so much like laughing with an old friend. I can’t get over how easy she can be to talk to, and then she completely puts me on my toes the next minute.

“How about my office?”

“Your office?”

“I mean, yeah. It’s not ideal either, but since I’m the Boss, there’s less risk of someone looking at cameras and starting anything. Besides, there aren’t any cameras in my office, and everyone should be gone for the holiday.”

Such a puzzle. She clearly has some sway if she can randomly hop over to her office in the middle of the night. Her car is definitely not the stuff of someone living paycheck to paycheck.

“I mean, yeah. If that works for you? I just want you. Somewhere. Don’t really care where. I’m also sure that if we don’t figure something out fast, it’ll be on the hood of Phil’s car.”

“Mmm,” she groaned, “I do know what you mean. It did seem like a good idea for a minute, and so did the bench in the middle of the gym. But jobs… they’re important to keep.”

“Can you really lose your job? Aren’t you the Boss?”

“Well, technically, yes, they could vote me out. I have a Board of Directors. They’d be idiots to do it and would go under within a week, but they technically could if I did something ridiculously illegal. But more so, my business partner would kick my ass.”

“Well, we definitely can’t have that. So, your office? That’s the best plan we can come up with?”

She looks around, and I can see the gears turning in her mind. It’s an interesting thing to witness. I can’t help feeling like every second I’m sitting here with her that I’m just getting sucked further under her spell.

Her eyes drift back over and trail up from my lap to my eyes, and then there’s this shift again. Like something animalistic is behind them, and I’ll be damned if I don’t want to answer it.

“Definitely. So, important question, Cowboy. Do you trust me enough to drive, or do you want to follow me in your truck?”

Chapter Five

Stella

We opted for him to ride with me in my car, which I find surprising. There is no exit strategy for him. It seems like such an interesting choice, but I can’t argue with our weird attraction. I’ve never felt this type of desire for anyone before.

I can’t honestly remember a time when someone made me feel so desired when I knew I looked my absolute worst. It’s a rush. I’m not ready to think about why it makes me feel so giddy, but he makes me smile in a way I haven’t in so long.

I should be more worried about my safety, too, but for some reason, I know I can trust him. I remind myself that I have my arsenal of protection scattered around my car and office and actual security guards at the office, but that was neither here nor there.

Something in his eyes makes me trust him. He looks like he’s got that slightly edgy kink that I have been missing for so long, but then, on the surface, he’s like…apple pie. All sweet and wholesome.

Interesting combination.

Our small talk in the car covers everything from the early 2000s, including emo bands we both listen to, religion, politics, and hobbies. We both read, write, and play the absolute nerdiest video games. Based on our age gap, it is not a common ground I expected to have.

His mind also seems to jump subjects as quickly as mine, which is impressive. I hate making small talk with someone who can’t keep up, and he can match me turn for turn. It’s refreshing not to have to dumb myself down for once.

The tension between us is there, but not as heavy while driving.

I pull into the parking lot and see a familiar ancient, dilapidated Ford Focus.

“Fucking hell, Leslie…” I hadn’t planned to derail my random hook-up with snapping at one of my employees but damned if I was going to let him talk me into paying holiday pay again when I had sent him home already once earlier in the day.

“Who’s Leslie?”

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