Page 42 of Pucking the Grump

I’m still scared, but I’m also ready.

Sure.

Five o’clock can’t come soon enough…

Chapter 12

Stone

I’m early for my meeting with Remy.

About twenty minutes early, in fact…

It looks thirsty, over-eager, but I’m too wound up to care.

I’ve been rehearsing this conversation in my head since lunch, imagining all the different ways it might play out until my stomach is in knots.

Now, I’m just ready for it to be over. Ready for her to pop my deluded hope balloons and bring me plummeting back to earth. After all, Rem made it abundantly clear from day one that she didn’t want to be anyone’s girlfriend, let alone their happily ever after.

But fuck…When I think about ever after, I don’t see it being happy with anyone but her. She’s my person, the one I want to love, laugh with, and lick for the rest of my life.

“Love, laugh, lick,” I mutter to myself. “Someone should put that on a t-shirt.”

Reminding myself of the look on her face in the storage room this morning and how good things have been between us lately, how honest and real, I take a breath and reach for the door handle. Remy won’t mind if I’m a little early. And if she’s still on the phone, I’ll just park my ass on the little couch in the corner and wait for her to be done.

I haven’t zoned out on my phone in days, and I’m probably overdue for a doom scroll through whatever horrific news is slouching toward Bethlehem to be born.

“Hey,” I say softly as I push inside. “I’m a little early but?—”

The words die in my throat as my mouth goes dry.

Because there Remy is, standing by her desk in nothing but a lacy black bra and matching underwear, her back to me as she rummages through a gym bag on her chair. My jaw drops as I take in the delicate curve of her spine, her toned shoulders, and the perfect round deliciousness of her ass in those barely-there panties.

I close the door behind me with a firm snick, making sure no one heading home down this stretch of hallway catches a glimpse.

At the sound of the door closing, Remy yips in surprise, spinning to face me with wide, panicked eyes.

When she sees it’s me, the panic fades into relief as she exhales. “Jesus Christ, Stone! Have you heard of knocking?” she hisses, flapping a hand my way. “Lock it. Quick.”

Not taking my eyes off of her, I reach back, flipping the deadbolt with a flick of my fingers. “No, don’t do that,” I murmur as she grabs her t-shirt and presses it to her chest, her cheeks flushed. “Why are you covering up?”

“Because I’m changing clothes! Why are you here already?” she demands, her voice firm, but still hushed. “I said a few minutes after five.” She glances at her computer screen. “It’s barely 4:40.”

I lean against the door with a shrug. “Sorry. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of ‘paperwork’ you had for me.” I make air quotes with my fingers, grinning as I add, “So far, I’m a big fan.”

She rolls her eyes, but I can tell she’s fighting a smile. “Sorry to disappoint you, but this isn’t the paperwork. I was just changing back into my clothes from this morning so I could hang my emergency office outfit back in the closet.”

I glance over at her small coat closet in the corner, nodding. “Ah, right. I was thinking about that earlier. The emergency office outfit. She’s always prepared.” My gaze tracks down her torso, past the wadded-up t-shirt at her chest, to her lace panties. “Why haven’t I seen these panties before? They’re…really nice. They might be my favorite, though I’d have to see them from behind again to be sure.”

“We can’t,” she warns, but she’s already weakening, I can see it in the flush creeping up her throat.

“Why?” I push off the door, taking a step toward her. “Everyone’s gone or about to be gone.” Another step. “The door’s locked, and we can be quiet. At least I can…”

She huffs, but I don’t miss the hitch in her voice or the way her teeth dig into her bottom lip. “My dad doesn’t have a meeting after work today. He might decide to come up and say hello before he heads home.”

“He usually doesn’t,” I say, still stalking my gorgeous prey.

“But he could,” she maintains.

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