Page 156 of Unexpected Hero

He presses his forehead to mine, and his warm breath dances over my face. “It’s okay, sugar. It’s okay. Just don’t give up on me when I say the wrong things. Don’t quit on me, and I’ll never quit on you.”

“I promise.” I rise on my tiptoes to join our lips again, seeking more of the precious relief only he can deliver.

The anguish I’ve felt over hurting him slowly bleeds out of me with each second in his arms.

“Ahem.”

My body goes rigid at the intrusive sound. James reacts similarly. His eyes spring open, and he pulls his mouth from mine.

Our racing breaths echo around the room as we gather our composure. But it feels like a losing battle after that kiss.

I’ll never feel composed again.

James wraps his arms tighter around my waist as he scans the space over my shoulder where the fake throat-clearing sound originated.

“Having fun, kids?”

Freya.

With a beaming smile, I twist my frame to face her while keeping myself locked in James’s strong arms. Arms I never want to leave again.“Hey, Freya. Everything good?”

She sashays to the front desk and retrieves a lollipop. “Yep. All good with me. And how are you two doing?”

“Uh,” I start, then decide not to respond. It’s not like she expected an answer.She’s just stirring the pot.

James utters a similarly unintelligible retort.

Glad to know I’m not the only one who has been kissed speechless.

After quickly unwrapping her candy, Freya slumps into my chair behind the desk.“Glad you summed that up for me.” Her shoulders shimmy a bit, and her eyes sparkle with mirth. “James, does this mean we can cancel our meeting tomorrow?”

A jealous dagger attempts to prick at my euphoria bubble, but I quickly swat it away.

“No longer necessary, Freya,” he responds flatly.

She tugs the sucker from her mouth and runs her tongue along the inside of her lips overzealously. “Good. Glad you guys talked out your issues without my intervention.”

Talk? Yeah. Sure. I think he said five words to me. Maybe six. But he got his point across, and I’m fairly certain I did.

As her words permeate my thick skull, it dawns on me that his showing up here tonight might not have been unprompted. “Did you call him and tell him about my hissy fit?”

“Guilty.”

“Busybody.” I feign anger, then quickly drop the act. “But thank you.”

She winks, twirling the lollipop in her mouth. “I got you, girl.”

After extricating myself from James’s hold with great reluctance, I smooth the wrinkles of my dress and blouse. No longer sucked into his orbit, my awareness slowly returns.

I’m at work. On the clock. The consummate professional.

Trading glances with him, I expect to see a blissful expression that matches mine. But he’s unreadable once more.

I flash a smile, something simple to reassure him that I don’t regret what just happened. I don’t care if she called him or if he knows I had a panic attack. So long as he’s here, there’s nothing to be upset about.

I’m rewarded with a twinkle in his eyes and a barely-there grin. That tiny spark silences any doubts.

Leisurely, I flounce toward Freya with wings attached to my feet. I’m practically hovering. Is this cloud nine?

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