Page 103 of Why Not Now?

“This isn’t bad,” she says, looking it over with a critical eye before handing it to Spencer, who does the same. “I would make a couple minor tweaks to it. Do you have a logo?”

“You think that’ll be necessary?” I ask.

“We should sit down together,” Spencer says. “Make up a business plan for you. Between the four of us, we have quite a lot of experience with running a business.”

We agree to talk about it more in January and it seems like my life has suddenly turned around, like I’d been drowning for the last eight and a half years, but now I’ve been thrown a lifeline and I’m being pulled in. I just needed to accept the help.

When Lis starts to fall asleep on Spencer’s shoulder, he suggests it’s time to go home. Vic and Adalie go with them since they’d brought a car tonight instead of coming in an Uber. Justine also leaves, wrapping Lacey, then me, in a warm hug.

“I’m so happy for you,” she says. “Derek always did have to outdo his sisters. They each gave me one extra son. But he has to go and give me two extra daughters.” She smiles at us, and I see Lacey’s eyes well up with tears that echo mine. “I expect to see you both at dinner on New Year’s Day.” She kisses Derek’s cheek, then heads out.

When everyone is gone, I say, “I guess we should leave as well.”

“If Lacey doesn’t mind staying,” Derek says, “I have a daybed in my office.”

We go upstairs and he shows us the room.

“Why do you have a daybed?” I ask.

He shrugs. “It’s more comfortable than a futon and I’ve had people stay over occasionally.”

“This’ll be great,” Lacey says. “Do you have something I can wear?”

He grabs her a t-shirt and some shorts and gets her a new toothbrush. Then we say good night and I go with him into his room. Before I close the door, I notice Abyss following Lacey into the office.

“I think you lost your cat,” I tell him, turning to find him stripping off his shirt. My mouth goes dry as he displays his perfect abs.

“She’s a fickle beast. But she knows who feeds her. Do you want something to wear, too, sweetheart?”

My eyes shoot up to his. He’s caught me staring. After only a few weeks of us sleeping together as often as we can, the last few nights alone have been torture.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” I say, my voice hoarse.

He comes toward me, his hands circling my waist, finding their way under my sweater. “Shall I help you get undressed?”

“Please, yes,” I whisper.

His eyes close for a brief moment and he lifts the shirt over my head, dropping it on the floor and capturing my lips with his in a sweet kiss that has me melting against him.

“I love it when you say please, Ava,” he says.

I chuckle. “Maybe you should beg me this time.”

He grins. “That’s my kink. Not yours.”

I wrap my arms around him, pressing my skin against his. “What’s mine then?”

He looks down at me with such fondness that my heart aches. “I don’t know. You tell me. I’ll do anything you want me to do.”

Heat flashes through me at his words.

“That. That’s my kink,” I say.

“What?”

“You saying you’ll do anything I want.”

He shakes his head and kisses me, his lips brushing mine softly. “That’s not a kink, sweetheart. That’s just a fact.”

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