Page 101 of Untethered Heart
“Great. Okay, we’re all done then. I’ll send the files to our printers, and we can get some test labels done. In the meantime, I’m going to work on your website, but our focus for the next few months will be construction of the new building and starting the marketing campaigns. Dylan’s sending some bottles up that we can put into tasting baskets for our high-profile clients. Oh, and I’m meeting Tenley at The Boathouse restaurant. I’m thinking they’ll be a great supplier for Legacy Malt.”
“Oh, Claire’s boyfriend is doing those renovations.”
“Lee Connors?”
“Yeah, that’s Claire’s man.” I nod.
Isabelle stands and starts packing her laptop bag, ready for her next meeting. “I met him last time I went there for a check-in. He’s really nice.”
“He is. He and Claire are perfect for each other.”
“Just like you and OG,” she says, nudging my shoulder with hers as we both walk out of her office and towards the elevators.
At the mention of Caleb, my mind goes back to the reason I spaced out earlier. When I was getting ready this morning, I remembered a particular fantasy Caleb mentioned recently. Him eating me out on his desk. Lex from a few months ago would never have done something so brazen, but Caleb unlocks a new level of sexuality within me, pushing me to explore new things. I want to please Caleb with the same invigorated servitude with which he does for me.
“Thanks for making time for me today.”
“Of course. Are you not coming down?” Isabelle asks as she pushes the call button on the elevator.
“No, I was going to go say hello to Caleb first.”
A set of doors opens with the down arrow illuminated. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
I nod. “Yep. Bye, Izzy.”
I push the button to head up to the twelfth floor, swallowing down my nerves.Don’t be nervous. He literally told you he fantasises about this.
I wait a few minutes for the next elevator that’s going up to come along, fiddling with my fingers as I make it all the way up to the twelfth floor.
When the elevator doors open, I see Riley bopping his head to something playing on his headphones. I hope those are noise-cancelling.
He taps on his phone once he notices me and slings the headphones over his neck. “Well, if it isn’t the future Mrs Heart,” he teases. “How areyou, Lex?”
“Hi, Riley.” I look down at the ruby and diamond band Caleb got me for Valentine’s Day. I’m still so surprised by it. Looking back on when we first met, it feels as though we moved slowly to get where we are today, but in the last two months, we’ve made up for lost time. It’s not the time we lost since meeting each other, though, it’s the time we lost existing without the other. I can’t even remember life before Caleb.
Every day, he becomes more rooted in my heart, more embedded in my very being. It’s not that I need him to go about my day, but the in-between moments where he messages me, and I know I’m on his mind. When he includes me with his family and asks about Dylan. When he has my bath products in his shower. Having our morning coffee together. It’s that feeling of knowing when the day is said and done, I get to go home to him.
“Is he busy?” I ask, nodding my head towards Caleb’s partially opened door.
“Never for you.” Riley laughs.
“Is he likely to be needed anytime soon?” If I thought I was being subtle, Riley’s face swiftly proves me wrong.
Heat spreads over my cheeks as he pins me with a knowing look. “Let me check his schedule.”
He makes a few mouse clicks, then waggles his eyebrows at me. “Clear for the next forty-five minutes. Let me just switch to a different playlist that will protect my innocent ears.”
I laugh because I’m quite sure he’s joking. He’s just trying to put me at ease because I’m about to go bang his boss. In semi-public. Caleb’s door pulls open, and he leans through the doorway, square frame glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. Did it get hotter in here?
“Lex.” He smiles. “What are you doing here, baby?” He comes over, placing his hands on my waist and dropping a quick kiss against my lips.
“Isabelle called me with some updates on Legacy Malt, and I said I was free to come into the office, so I just had a meeting with her.”
“Oh, good, come give me an update.” He pulls on my hand, passing by Riley’s desk. “Riley, we’re not to be disturbed.”
You can hear the chaotic clashing of instruments through Riley’s headphones, where they now sit back over his ears as he taps over his keyboard.
Caleb stops when he gets no response from Riley and casts a questioning look at him. Riley must sense the attention and whips his head over to us.
