Page 68 of Worth the Fall

I smile, leaning in to kiss her again, this time slower, deeper, savoring every second.

The world outside her office doesn’t exist in this moment. It’s just us—her warmth, her laughter, the way she fits so perfectly against me.

But when her lips curl into another mischievous grin and she shifts on my lap, I realize we’re far from finished.

“Careful,” I say, my voice rough, my hands steadying her.

“Why?” she teases, her eyes sparkling.

“Because if you keep moving like that,” I say, leaning back slightly to look at her, “I’m going to forget we’re in your office.”

Her laughter bubbles up, light and free. “And would that be so bad?”

I grin, brushing my thumb along her cheek. “Not at all. But I’m guessing Linda might have something to say about it.”

Mia groans, dropping her head against my shoulder. “Linda. She’s never going to let me live this down, is she?”

“Probably not,” I admit with a chuckle.

She sighs dramatically, but when she lifts her head, her smile is back, soft and full of something I can only describe as hope.

“I guess we’ll just have to find a better time and place for this,” she says, her tone playful but her meaning clear.

“Agreed,” I say, pressing one last kiss to her lips before helping her stand.

As I adjust my tie and she smooths her skirt, the weight of everything we’ve faced today feels lighter.

"Do you think we can really do this?" she asks, looking up at me. "All of us? Together?"

I think about Felicity, about how much love she has in her life. About Celine finding her way back to something real. About Mia, who walked into our chaos and chose to stay, chose to help build something new from the broken pieces.

"I think," I say carefully, "that love isn't a finite resource. I think we're all trying our best. And I think..." I cup her face in my hands, overwhelmed by how much I love this woman who's helped make my family whole in ways I never expected. "I think we're going to be amazing."

"Come on," I say finally, taking her hand. "Let's get you home. We can call Felicity on the way—tell her about dinner and how excited we all are to attend her dance recital…as a family."

As she unlocks the door and peeks out to make sure the coast is clear, I can’t help but feel relief that we’ve hurdled our first major issue, we’ve finally turned a corner. I glance back at the office where everything changed. Sometimes the best families aren't the ones we plan—they're the ones we build, piece by piece, with all the love we can gather. And looking at Mia beside me, thinking of Celine's olive branch and Felicity's joy, I know we're building something beautiful.

CHAPTER 15

Mia

Miguel leans against the edge of my desk, his arms wrapped around my waist as he pulls me closer. The morning sunlight streams through my office window, casting a warm glow over his face as his lips find mine again, slow and unhurried. I swear the world outside my office doesn't exist—there's just us, the quiet hum of the air-conditioning, and the lingering taste of coffee on his lips.

"We're going to get caught," I murmur against his mouth, though I make no move to pull away. After the chaos with Celine yesterday, this moment of peace feels like exactly what I need.

"Let them catch us," he says, his voice rough as his hands slide lower on my hips. "I'm sure they've seen worse in this building."

I laugh softly, pressing my forehead against his. "I'm pretty sure Linda has a sixth sense about these things. She'll burst in any second. She has a key.”

"Linda loves me," he argues, stealing another kiss. "She told me so yesterday when I brought her that fancy coffee she likes."

"You're bribing my secretary now?"

"Strategic alliance building," he corrects with a grin. "Very lawyer-like of me."

He groans softly, his hands tightening on my hips. "I don't want to go back to work," he murmurs against my mouth, his voice low and rough. "Can't we just stay here all day?"

"You have to," I whisper, though my fingers curl into the front of his shirt, not quite ready to let him go. "That merger won't review itself."

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