Page 103 of Wilde Abandon

“Yeah.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter twenty-four

FoximpressedMelodyfromthe moment they got out of the car in front of the building with the Fox Solutions name on it.She loved that the O in Fox was an image of a fox, looking like it was chasing its tail.So cute.

He gave her the grand tour.The first-floor entrance boasted a security desk, banks of elevators, a coffee shop, deli, and bookstore on one side, with a closed restaurant on the other.The second to fifth floors of the building belonged to a legal firm.The sixth to nineteenth floors were a collection of other businesses.And the twentieth to twenty-fifth floors housed Fox Solutions.

They stopped on each of Fox Solutions’ floors, which all boasted the same glass doors that led into a reception area with a wide desk and the Fox Solutions logo on the wall.Fox walked her around each department, introducing her to people as he checked in with various managers, staff, and coders.He knew so many people by name.

By the time they reached the twenty-fifth floor, she could barely remember even a handful of the people’s names they’d met.But it was sweet that Fox wanted her to feel comfortable here.He couldn’t wait to introduce her as his girlfriend and talk about how she owned a bar and two other small businesses that she ran online.Several of the graphic guys had offered to help with anything she needed for her websites.They scored some points with Fox for that, but he shot them all down and said if she needed help, he’d be the one doing it.

She’d never thought to ask him for help with that sort of thing.But now, she had some ideas of things she’d like to do but didn’t quite have the skill to pull off.

The twenty-fifth floor had a distinctly more polished and upscale vibe to the reception area.

Fresh flowers adorned both sides of the long reception desk.The wall behind the desk was backlit with a cool white light behind the company name and logo.

The receptionist wasn’t as young as the others downstairs.She greeted Fox with a smile and efficiency.“Mr.Bridges, welcome back.Dara stepped away from her desk to attend to a matter and should be back in a few minutes.Until then, I’ve taken several messages for you.”She handed them over.“I see you have a guest.May I get you both some coffee?”

“I’m fine.Melody?”

“No, thank you.”

Fox took the lead on introductions, as he’d done downstairs.“Melody, this is Morgan.Morgan, my girlfriend, Melody.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Morgan said, extending her hand.

Melody shook it.“Nice to meet you.”

Fox took her hand, like he did so often now.“Melody will be around today and tomorrow, then we’ll be heading back to Wyoming for a time before we return for good.There is no meeting, phone call, anything more important than Melody, so if she calls or comes in, you send her right to me no matter what.”

“Understood.”Morgan smiled, giving her and Fox a once-over.“And if it’s not too bold…you two look great together.”She held Melody’s gaze.“I hope you get him to stop working more than living.”

“I aim to do just that.”She leaned into Fox, loving his strength and that his employees cared about him.

“Please let me know if you need anything while you’re here.”

“Thank you.”

Fox led her to the right and past a group of central cubicles with offices along the outside walls.She spotted an office each for Dean and Max, plus a handful of other people, until they reached the back and stood before a cubicle to the side of a set of impressive wood double doors.

“Your domain.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because this place seems so…important.”That really didn’t describe what it felt like.“You are such a grownup.You’re the head of a company.You have floors and floors of employees.”

He chuckled.“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real to me either.”

“I bet little Fox never imagined this.”She glanced around the spacious office, where most of the employees in the cubicles were trying not to stare at them.

“You always made me feel like I could do anything, like what was happening in my life wasn’t always going to be that way.When I thought life wasn’t worth living, you reminded me it was and why.”

Tears gathered in her eyes.“Fox.”

He brushed the back of his knuckles over her cheek.

---