Page 21 of Linc
Linc pauses for a second with a taco midair and has a twinkle in his soft blue eyes.
“I couldn’t agree with you more.”He smirks then demolishes the other taco.
Linc takes the trash and tosses it in the bin then comes back to sit down, pulling me into his lap.He kisses me on the temple, and I think it’s time for that explanation from earlier.
“So, are we going to talk about what happened in the lobby, or what?”
He releases a long breath before turning me to face him.
“Linley is a model who I met through an acquaintance, who happens to be another client, and took to a few functions.I needed a date, and she loved being photographed in public on the arm of a public figure.”
“Huh.”Is the only thing I can think of at the moment as I take in what he’s just told me.If he’s used to dating models then what in the hell is he doing with me?“So how long were you two dating?”
“Dating?No, we never dated.We went to four functions over the course of two months and that was it.We never went on a sit down, isolated date.You’ll never see any photos of us walking in the park or coming out of a restaurant or shopping together.We only did functions, then went our separate ways.I haven’t even seen her in over a month.”
“So, she’s like rent-a-date or something?I’m confused as to why someone would want to have an arrangement like this.”
Linc stares blankly at me for a minute and then tosses back the rest of his water.
“I’m not sure why she reacted the way she did.I can assure you that there is no comparison to what I’ve felt with you, to anyone else I’ve ever had in my life Everly.No one.She’s not, nor has she ever been, my girlfriend.In fact, the last time I had a girlfriend was like freshman year of college, fifteen years ago.”
I’m sure he can see my wheels turning, trying to process his words.
“I promise, Everly, you are the only woman in my life and the only woman I want in it.”
“Okay,” I say and let the rest go, even though Linley’s reaction was saying something totally different.He’s given me no reason not to trust him at this point and until then I have to trust that what he’s saying is the truth.There still seems to be more to this Linley situation but now is not the time to delve into it.Why ruin a perfectly good day on the past, right?
He leans in and captures my lips to his in a soft but needy kiss.Almost like we’re sealing the deal on something.We only pull away when we hear the voice of a tiny person.
“Gross, ew!You’re gonna get cooties from that!”a little boy says as he grabs the soccer ball that’s rolled next to us on the grass.He couldn’t be more than five years old.
“Trust me kid, in ten years you’re going to love swapping spit with girls,” Linc says deadpan and I try to hide my belly laugh.
The little boy scrunches his face then takes off running with his ball in his arms.
“You probably just scarred the poor boy for the rest of his childhood.”I laugh and lean in to kiss him again, only to stop right before our lips connect.“Wait, what if he’s right and you have cooties?”I start to back away in a dramatic manner, but Linc is right there to hold me in place with his fingers threaded through my locks.
“Then that’s something we’ll have to deal with together.”
Linc shifts his hands in my hair and guides my face to his, never losing eye contact.Once we’re nose to nose, he presses our lips together and I get lost once again in his soft touch.
“Now, what else did you have planned for the rest of the day for us?”Linc asks when we pull away leaving me breathless.
“Oh, well, I thought you had to get back to work so this was pretty much it.”
Most people can’t just leave in the middle of a Monday, so I didn’t have anything else in mind.
Linc reaches into his jacket, pulling out his phone and starts typing something while smiling the entire time.
“I think I’ve got just the thing for us to do.”
Linc
Imessage Dale, my security, the plans and type everything I need.I really want to spend as much time as I can with Everly and make the most of it, so enlisting Dale to help will free up some of that time.I’ve told him to pick up some beach clothes for myself and Everly and anything else we might need for the rest of the day.Hopefully, he was able to handle the Kevin situation quietly so as to not alert the other associates.I’d hate for it to get out, causing the rumor mill to ignite like wildfire.
Dale arrives thirty minutes later with a change of clothes for me at the food trucks, after I devoured another three tacos while waiting for him.My mind has been changed on food trucks and everything I ever thought about them.Maybe I can have the truck set up outside my building and offer lunch to the staff one day.Huh.Or maybe I’ll keep this little treasure all to myself and I’ll be able to sneak away for lunch, from time to time, to get out of the office for a bit.I definitely need to let Levi in on this food area.
“Are you going to let me know where you’re taking me?”Everly asks when we head west on the highway.
