Page 20 of Capitally Engaged

“Well, this is me. I guess I’ll see you later tonight?”

Preston nodded, looking conflicted at sending me back by myself.

“I’ll be fine. I’ve been putting myself to bed for years now,” I teased.

Preston smiled. “I suppose that’s true. Don’t feel like you need to wait up. I have no idea how long this’ll be.”

It all felt so domestic, like Preston and I had parted ways knowing we’d return to the same place many nights before. I reached up on tiptoes to press a chaste kiss on his cheek.

“Bye, fiancé,” I said, sliding into the car and shutting the door behind me.

Preston lifted his hand in a wave as the car started to move, a stunned look still on his face.

Chapter

Eight

Preston

My phone read after 1:00 a.m. when I finally unlocked the door to my—and now Jax’s—apartment. I winced at the squeaking sound as I pushed it slowly open. I took a step into the apartment, the floor creaking slightly under my weight, and narrowly avoided ramming into an end table in the dark room.Who knew this place was such a noisy deathtrap, I thought, waking up the screen of my phone to cast a slight glow on the room.

I walked into the bathroom, finally turning on a light. The reflection in the mirror showed a tired man in his thirties, with his tie loosened and his overcoat still on against the cold. I started stripping off layers, piling them in the corner of the bathroom where they’d sit until I could safely deal with them in the main room.

After splashing water on my face and brushing my teeth, I turned the lights back off and opened the door. Blinking, I let my eyes adjust to the darkness again, realizing too late that I was about to creep across the apartment in only my boxer briefs.I think I have some pajama bottoms in that middle drawer,I thought, carefully working my way to the dresser.

I slid the drawer out silently and started rifling through the carefully folded clothes, packed a bit tighter than normal now that I had made room for Jax’s clothing. I was just complimenting myself on my ninja skills when a bright light from the direction of the bed made me freeze in my tracks.

“What the actual fuck are you doing? Building a fortress?” I couldn’t make Jax out behind the spotlight coming from her phone.

“I’m looking?—”

“Oh shit. Put some clothes on.” The light fell to the bedcovers.

“That’s what I’m trying to do.” I picked up my own phone from on top of the dresser and turned a light on, spotting the blue and green plaid pattern of the pants in question.

“I mean, in other circumstances, I’d totally take a bite out of that ass. Just so you’re aware that my outburst did not come from a place of repulsion.”

Jax’s voice was muffled, and I looked over to see her arm flung across her face. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Good to know,” I said, pulling the pants on and approaching the bed. “I’m sorry for the free show. I thought you were asleep, and, well, old habits die hard. There hasn’t been anyone to peep on me going to bed for a long time.”

“I wasn’t peeping,” Jax exclaimed, sounding indignant. “You woke me up.”

“And what an enjoyable experience middle-of-the-night Jax has been,” I said, sliding into my side of the bed and running my hip into a pillow Jax had placed there as a barrier.

“What time is it anyway?” Jax asked, the sound of her phone being set on the bookshelf next to her side of the bed mixing with the rustling covers as she got comfortable.

“One forty-five,” I said, unlocking my phone and flipping quickly through the notifications, making sure nothing needed my attention before I went to sleep.

“God, I can’t wait to work for this man too.”

“Honestly, once you start, it’ll be better for both of us. Mitchell agreed to meet with you on Monday, by the way. He said he’ll do the interview, since it would be a conflict of interest for me to hire my fiancée.”

“Well, at least there’s that. Now, please, shut up,” Jax said through a yawn.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, fighting to keep a smile out of my voice, trying not to betray how adorable I found grumpy Jax to be.

I opened the last app I used every night, putting my phone on the charging dock and settling into a comfortable position, my back to Jax.

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