Page 53 of The Beat of her Heart

Giselle found it a little too informal.Still, she liked it, the same way she liked the fluttering in her belly as Addie smiled at her.

“Hey,” Giselle said, sticking her hands in her coat pockets. The motion felt clumsy. She pulled them out immediately and cleared her throat. “Thought I’d stop by.”

Addie seemed to glow as the words left Giselle’s lips. Maybe she was just imagining things, but she’d love to imagine that her missing Addie would be enough to make Addie glow. She sure would feel great if Addie said the same thing about her.

“If I just…” Addie said, pointing toward the door to her office.

Giselle’s eyes followed Addie’s hand. She wore no bracelets. Her hands were as smooth as the curve of her lips when she spoke. Giselle smiled. Of course, she knew all about Addie’s hands. They’d caressed her so sensually when they’d made love.

She knew about her lips, too. She remembered every little detail of how they’d traced kisses down her thighs, then back up while she’d fucked her with her fingers. Giselle adjusted her stance.

“...the door,” Giselle heard Addie say.

She blinked. There was a key in Addie’s hand.

Oh. Key. Door.

Giselle turned red in the face.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea. I just…sorry,” Giselle mumbled as she stepped out of the way.

“It’s perfectly fine.”

It wasn’t for Giselle. She’d already embarrassed herself.

“There we go,” Addie said as the door finally swung open. “Come in.”

Addie stepped inside and Giselle followed closely behind.

Everything in here was just…Addie. Calm, and inviting, with the scent of coffee lingering in the air. Giselle soon found the culprit, a coffee cup sitting next to a stack of papers on her desk.

Addie leaned against her desk and glanced at Giselle. Giselle shifted from foot to foot, not quite sure where to start. She racked her brain, trying to think of something to break the ice.

When she looked up, Addie was watching her with a half-smile playingon her lips.

Typical Addie.

“You look exhausted,” Addie said, crossing her arms. She was close enough for Giselle to notice the tiny flecks of green in her eyes.

“It’s been one of those days.” Giselle took a deep breath. “You know what I mean.”

Addie chuckled softly. “I do.” She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing a fraction. “Working with you has made work a bit more enjoyable, though.”

Giselle wondered if Addie was hinting at something more sensual. She’d love to imagine that Addie craved the moments they got to spend together as much as she did.

She glanced away. “Work’s work.”

“You didn’t stop by just to chat about work, did you?” Addie asked. She wasn’t accusing, just observing in that way of hers.

Giselle shrugged again, this time a little too quickly. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I don’t see you with a clipboard or any notes,” she said. She stepped closer, and Giselle’s stomach twisted. “There’s no sign you came here for work.”

Giselle frowned. “I thought I’d break protocol for once.”

“Protocol?”

“Yeah,” Giselle said. “Thought I’d drop by and see what’s so special about social calls.”

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