Page 72 of Without Apology

I moved back on the bed, meeting her lips for one last kiss. “All right. Good night.”

I knew if we got started, I wouldn’t be able to leave.

“Good night,” she murmured.

***

Friday couldn’t come quickly enough. Peyton had been putting in some long hours and so had some of her staff. Normally, I would say it was all part of the job. But when it came to her, I felt guilty about the overtime, especially knowing Cooper was at home waiting for her.

Yes, the Ice man was now feeling bad for a Great Dane.

By Friday afternoon, we’d completed the staff interviews, and all had gone well. Everything, that is, except for Jeff trying to tell us who on Peyton’s team should be let go. She hadn’t been wrong about him attempting to do that. But I’d squashed it. Also, the board had finished their last interview for the CFO position this morning. By Monday, I expected to find out if she got the job.

I went down to her office around six, trying not to appear anxious for her to leave work. Nothing said quandary quite like this: I both needed the work done and to be deep inside of her.

“Hi,” I greeted, taking in her tired, yet still beautiful, face.

She looked up from her desk. “Hey.”

I closed her door softly and took the visitor’s chair. Fuck it. I couldn’t even be subtle. I’d missed her during the last couple of nights. “How much longer you think you’ll be?”

She contemplated. “Depends who’s asking. My date or the guy who’s busy buying the company.”

I grinned. “It’s after six, so I think it’s safe to say it’s your date asking.”

“In that case, only a few more minutes. But I need to run home and feed Cooper first.”

“Would you rather stay in?” I wasn’t typically the type of guy who liked hanging out at home, considering such behavior screamed ‘relationship,’ but the thought of doing it with her was appealing.

“Yeah?”

“Sure. I can bring dinner, and we could watch a movie?” Is that what people did?

“The perfect date. Do you think you’ll bring a toothbrush and stay the night?”

“I’d like to.” The thought of spending the entire night with her sounded divine. “But I have to leave early in the morning.” Not that I wanted to remind her I couldn’t accompany her to her sister’s on Saturday, but I was trying to set expectations. That wasn’t an easy thing to do without sounding like a complete arse.

“Understood. Oh, and watch out for the prostitutes on the street when you park. I hear they’re real aggressive.”

She gave me a wink and went back to her computer, leaving me to laugh.

An hour later, I pulled up in front of her house. I brought Chinese food but realized, as I knocked on Peyton’s door, that I didn’t know if she actually liked it. This only brought to my attention everything I still wanted to learn about her.

She came to the door with a smile and then cocked her head to the side. “Hey, save the frowny face for the office.”

“I didn’t mean to scowl, but I brought Chinese food and wasn’t sure if you eat it or not. Or if you have any allergies.” I followed her into the house to the kitchen.

She took the bag and put it on the counter, then stepped closer to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “I’m not allergic to any foods, although I am to penicillin. I love Chinese food. Matter of fact, I’m not picky about any food with the exception of anchovies, runny eggs, or a super rare steak. And cauliflower—hate the stuff. They can mash it all they want and say it’s like potatoes, but it’s totally not.”

How did she make it so easy to be with her? And all with not one sign she might still be annoyed I couldn’t come with her to her family’s barbeque tomorrow. “Agreed. I’m allergic to nothing I’m aware of. In addition to the things you listed, about which I agree and am not a fan of, I’m not keen on fried food or gummy candy.”

She gave a fake gasp and pulled back, her expression incredulous. “You don’t like gummy bears? Say it isn’t so.”

“Do you have any idea what they use to make those things gummy?”

She covered her ears like a child. “No, no, no. I will not let you ruin the magic of gummy candy for me. It is too delicious. But you not eating them could work out since it means more for me.”

I captured her lips, never having met someone like her, who could turn the most mundane conversation into something both interesting and memorable. “I will let you have all the gummy bears you want.”

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