Page 59 of Love Like This

Spencer thought on the question. “I don’t think it has to.”

“Good. Then it won’t. Do you know what surprised me about you thefirst time we were together?” Hadley asked.

Spencer nodded. “That I’m magnificent in bed? Hoping for thatone.”

Hadley kissed her cheek. “That’s a given. But I was surprised howgentle you were, how patient, given how aggressive you are in business. Oh!”Hadley pushed herself up onto her elbow. “And what a snuggler you are. Whowould have guessed?”

“Shhhhhhhh!” Spencer looked around to make sure no one hadoverheard the reputation-ruining declaration. “You can’t just say that outloud.”

“Yes, I can. I just did. You’re the best snuggler, and you don’tget tired of it and roll away. You snuggle all night. You’re like an Olympicsnuggler with gold medals all over your house.”

Spencer covered her eyes. “I’m never going to live this down. Butyes, I happen to like…getting close.”

“Snuggling. Say the word,” Hadley teased, circling Spencer’snipple with her forefinger.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she took a moment to enjoy thelittle hits of pleasure. “Snuggling is fine. I can tolerate it.”

Hadley took that cue and cuddled up close, nestling her head inthe crook of Spencer’s arm. “I will accept that watered down answer…for now.”With a heavy sigh, Hadley’s entire body seemed to relax into Spencer’s, whichmade sense. She’d had a long and full day.

“Had?” she asked, not believing that someone could fall asleep soquickly and completely after being in the midst of a conversation just momentsprior. But again, she was wrong, because Hadley was out like a light. Shekissed the side of her forehead and settled in, smiling at the night they’dshared, the kids, the soup, the friends, and God, the fast and furious sex. Shetossed her free hand over her eyes and allowed herself to join Hadley in happyslumber.

“Love you,” Hadley murmured, minutes later, into her neck.

Spencer’s eyes went wide. “What?”

A long pause. “And green beans on the side. I like ’em.”

Wait, did Hadley just say what she thought she said? Panic hit.“Hadley, are you awake?” she asked quietly.

“Tomorrow is good,” she mumbled. And then more insistently,“Tomorrow!”

“Terrific,” Spencer whispered. She settled back in, but it wasn’tlike she could relax now. She’d been thrown into high alert from those words.Were they moving toward love? Was that what was happening? Was Hadley’ssubconscious confessing things on her behalf, or did she literally just wantsome green beans?

Spencer had never been in love before.

She wasn’t afraid of what that entailed, but she also knew she andHadley were still of different mind-sets. How would that work exactly? Whatwould Hadley demand of her and how would she handle it? Those were thequestions that kept Spencer up half the night, dancing quietly in the back ofher brain until the problem itself was exaggerated in a garishmiddle-of-the-night hallucination that had Hadley walking down the aisle in ablack wedding dress, beaming the way Hadley did, only this version of Hadleylooked more like a puppet with scary hair, and Spencer’s heart was beating waytoo fast as she contemplated whether to stick it out at the altar or run fromPuppet Hadley. A trickle of sweat cascaded down her forehead as she stared atHadley’s darkened ceiling, wondering where she could find more air.

Losing the battle, she rolled Hadley to one side of the bed, andspent the night on her own, contemplating, blinking, and wondering just what inthe hell she was supposed to do now.

Chapter Ten

“I think you’ve found us a winner,” Trudy said, two weeks later.She took off her dark-rimmed glasses and regarded Hadley from across the deskin the office they shared. “I was skeptical at first, but Ms. Adair hascertainly risen to the occasion with these new samples.”

“So, the order’s been written?” Hadley asked, clasping her handsin front of her face.

“Here you go,” Trudy said, handing over the paperwork. “I’mputting a lot of eggs in this basket, Hadley. I hope this gamble pays off theway you assure me it will.”

“Understood. I assume full responsibility for whatever happensmoving forward.”

“Good. This one is your baby. Don’t let me down.” Trudy sashayedher way across the small office and grabbed her Louis Vuitton bag. “I have alunch. I’ll see you soon. Oh, and take a look at the new arrivals and organizea plan for a cleaner showcase of the Dena Marie dresses. They’re not moving theway they should, and it’s likely our presentation.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

Hadley waited patiently as Trudy exited the office entirely andthen broke into a silent scream accompanied by festive spirit fingers. Yes,they’d had the go-ahead from Trudy already, but it was different when the orderwas in hand. It was a done deal now! Spencer’s line would move into the storejust as soon as the manufacturer could ship the order. She fumbled for herphone and placed the call she’d been waiting to place.

“You’re official,” she said as soon as Spencer answered.

“I’m in? You’re sure? You already had the meeting and everything?”

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