Page 77 of Born to Make You Smile

“Grace. You know, I was just teasing. I’m sure you’re wonderful. In your own special way.”

Guilt hit me like a runaway train. I wanted to finally tell Gavin about my night job. Surely he’d understand now that it wasn’t anything strange or barbaric. But what if he was disappointed? What if he became angry with me for lying to him and decided he didn’t trust me. What if he no longer wanted to be with me in this way? What if he fired me for being dishonest? Or for tarnishing the reputation of his office? The reputation he worked so hard to build. And then if he knew why I was working there. How dire my finances were, how pitiful it was that I could barely manage to pay my bills or mortgage. He’d think I was incompetent. I couldn’t risk telling him for so many reasons. I just had to finish my contract at X-PLORE and never think about it again.

TWENTY-THREE

The following morning, Iwas in the break room making coffee. Gavin came up behind me and kissed my neck.

“You smell like peaches and vanilla,” he murmured against my skin. “Like heaven.”

The warmth of his mouth made me shiver. “It’s the body butter you got me for my birthday last year in that gift basket. I became addicted and can’t stop buying it.”

“That makes it even better. I have good taste.” He hummed with pleasure as he reached to grab my breasts over my scrub top.

“No,” I said with a smirk. “We have to be professional.”

“What about yesterday? That wasn't very professional.” His lips grazed my ear.

Visions of all the delights that happened the day before danced through my mind. A distinct heaviness weighed on my sex.

“That was after hours in your office. And that was your fault.”

“My fault you looked so delectable?” He hummed. “So irresistible. Sospankable.”

He playfully slapped my ass, and I jumped a bit with a giggle.

“Stop,” I said unconvincingly, cocking my head back to him. He was staring at me with lust, his green eyes roaming over my body. “We have to be able to work together and not get distracted.”

“We can. I just need to get my fill before I have to keep my hands off you for the next nine hours.”

He trailed kisses behind my ear and gently thrust into me from behind. I could sense him starting to get hard on my back. My clit throbbed mercilessly while a rush of arousal made me lightheaded.

“Dr. Brinley,” I said firmly. “We have to be careful. Tina will be here any—”

“Good morning,” Tina called from the front.

Gavin jumped away and turned to quickly adjust himself.

Holy shit. That was close.

I busied myself making coffee as Tina walked into the break room.

“Hey, there you two are, hiding back here,” she said playfully. I knew she didn’t mean it like that, but a part of me became tense and worried she’d somehow caught on.

“Yes. Coffee is top priority.” I flashed her a beaming smile.

“Absolutely,” she agreed.

Tina continued to chat about her son’s hockey game while Gavin and I shot glances at one another, knowing we were a hair away from being caught.

***

I met Dorina at the Eaton Centre Friday after work to do some Christmas shopping. To be fair, it was mostly her doing the shopping. I thought I’d have some flexibility for gifts this year, but with the added costs from the ceiling insulation replacement, I was struggling once again. I wished I could catch up. That I could finally get off this unstable merry-go-round of finances. For a minute, I imagined what it would be like to be rich, not to have to think before spending. Not to worry that my credit card was maxed out when I swiped. When the only concern waswhatto buy people for Christmas, nothowI was going to pay for it. I knew people were so much worse off than myself, so I shook the negativity away. I had a warm home and a roof over my head. I had two jobs. I was privileged and had absolutely no reason to complain.

A few weeks ago, I told Dorina everything that had happened with Gavin and me in Ottawa. Oursituationship. While she was refreshingly supportive, and pleased for us, she definitely voiced her concerns. What would potentially happen if we decided not to see each other anymore. The consequences. While I assured Dorina that Gavin and I would be fine, I knew deep down that this was a huge, scary risk capable of complete implosion.

“So we have to get something for my dad. And then after, we have to go to my cousin Marcelo’s store to pick up my mom’s earrings,” Dorina said. Her long legs were walking so fast I had a hard time keeping up. “What do you have to get? Gavin? The girls?”

Bricks of dread hit my stomach when I thought about what I was going to get them this year.

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