Page 110 of Lovesick
“She doesn’t like the spa?”
“No. She thinks it’s a terrible idea.”
I couldn’t help a smile. “But you’re doing it anyway, right?”
“That depends,” he drawled, then turned to Lizbeth. Just as his mouth opened to speak, she stopped him with a hand in the air.
“I already told you I’m not opening an agency,” Lizbeth said from across the kitchen where she sat, her computer on her lap.
“Fine.” Mark leaned against the wall and folded his arms, chewing his bottom lip in thought. “Then what if JJ opens his own catering service from Adventura, and you do the website design? We’ll hire out all the back end. I do have an awesome accountant. She’s irritating as all get-out but does her job well.”
“That’s up to JJ.”
Mark groaned. “He’s never going to do it. But if you have the agency and—”
“You don’t know that.” She fluttered a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Now, go away, Mark. JJ is making frosting next, and then we’ll be back inside to start the Christmas Eve festivities. Tell Meg I’ll bring some more drinks.”
He scoffed. “You just want me to leave so you can make out.”
“Totally,” I said with a grin, the dry scent of flour in the air.
Lizbeth grinned at me and winked. Several massive cinnamon rolls cooled behind me as I slid another tray of carefully rolled balls of dough into the oven.
Mark thoughtfully drummed his fingers on the counter. “Fine, Lizbeth. Maybe you don’t have an agency, just a solo venture. But my offer to back it still stands.” Mark held up two hands. “I’m just saying! The board members were so impressed with the dashboard and what you did for Adventura that I don’t think you’ll be able to do all the work they’re going to have for you all by yourself. Hence, agency. Final word. I’m out.”
He backed out of the door, two hands held up in a placating gesture. Once he was gone, Lizbeth set aside her laptop and crooked a finger at me. Ever her obedient servant, I closed the distance between us. Her body pressed against mine as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me. She hooked her legs around my midsection and pressed our lips softly together.
“I love it when you do that,” I murmured against her lips.
Startled, she pulled back. “What?”
“Put Mark in his place.” I grinned. “It’s super sexy.”
She tilted her head back and laughed, but didn’t let me go. “I appreciate his help in starting my own company to help people with online coding problems, but it’s my company. Not his.”
“The flexibility you have doing an online job is amazing. Since Mark isn’t charging you rent in exchange for free tech support.”
“He couldn’t afford me otherwise,” she said with a wicked smile.
I laughed and ran my hand over her thighs, then up her back. She stared into my eyes, all warmth, light, and hope. Snow fell outside. Christmas lights glowed from the office—put up by Justin under her strict supervision. A small Christmas tree decorated by Megan and Justin was visible through the front window. The festive mood of the season had lightened all of us.
Next to us lay a well-worn and familiar binder covered in pink hearts. She’d obnoxiously scrawled Lizbeth and JJ’s Love Binder and kept daily tallies of all the most romantic things we did. At the top of her list? “Snuggle on the couch while JJ makes me laugh” came just before “read quietly while JJ plots out new climbs.”
I wholeheartedly agreed. Lizbeth was my kind of romance.
“Can you believe it’s Christmas Eve?” she asked.
“No.”
“Cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast sound perfect, by the way.” She pressed her forehead to mine, nose adorably wrinkled. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I think you have great ideas.”
“You were my best idea.”
She smiled. “I also agree with that.”
Breathless, I could only stare at her for a moment. She wore a little Santa hat with a white shirt and red Christmas pajama pants that clashed horribly with her hair. Her slippers were obnoxiously fuzzy, and she smelled like evergreen.
Somehow, she was mine.
