Page 19 of Rules Of Engagement: St. Louis
The movie ended. The credits rolled. I reached for the remote with my free hand, switching to some late-night jazz that filled the silence without disturbing her rest.
I thought about the first time I’d seen her sleep. Three months ago, on a Saturday after a long emergency work day, she’d showered, ate, then curled against my side before catching herself, pulling away with a murmured apology about “staying too long.”Now she slept against me like it was natural, like we’d done this a thousand times.
My phone buzzed on the coffee table, and I scooped it up. It was a text from my brother, Xander.
“Let’s get drinks this weekend.”
I typed back one-handed, careful not to jostle Naomi.
“Rain check.”
The redirection came easily, but it felt like I was hiding something, and I didn’t like that. I was a grown man after all. Secrecy as an adult felt childish. Being straightforward was much more my tastes. But nondisclosure had become our thing.
When Naomi stirred, the jazz had shifted to a slower, more intimate melody. She blinked up at me, momentarily disoriented.
“I fell asleep.”
“You did.”
She started to pull away, and I let her, my arm falling to the sofa cushions. “I should go.”
“Or maybe you should stay.”
Naomi’s eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I thought she might stay and we could acknowledge what had been building between us, like pressure behind a dam.
Instead, she stood, smoothing her dress. “I’ve got an early morning tomorrow.”
I nodded, rising with her. “I’ll walk you out.”
At the door, she turned back. “Dinner was divine. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
She nodded, hesitated, and I waited.
“Is there something you’re forgetting?”
We stared, captive in each other’s gazes.
“Have a good night,” she said, turning and leaving me to watch her strut away.
After she left, I cleaned the kitchen, washing dishes that could have waited until morning. My movements were slow, my mind, with her. Naomi’s scent lingered in the space, the peach and grape that lived in my memory.
I should have left and headed back to my penthouse across town. Instead, I poured another glass of wine and settled back on the sofa where she’d been sleeping. The cushions were still warm from where her body had been, and I relaxed in the memory of her presence.
Chapter
Three
NAOMI
The next morning
Maple leaves scatteredacross the sidewalk in shades of amber and claret, crunching under my wine-red Louboutin heels. I pulled my cream wool coat tighter, the cashmere lining soft against my skin as I strolled through the glass entrance.
In the elevator doors, my reflection stared back at me. The plum bandaged dress accentuated my curves, dangling diamonds earrings sparkled against the fluorescent light, and my makeup was flawless in such a way that you wouldn’t have known about my restless night.
The elevator chimed as I reached the tenth floor, and I walked down the hallway to my corner office suite. The scent of my peach, apricot, and UVA grape body spray lingered around me—my signature fragrance that clients had come to associate with luxury and discretion. I’m sure I appeared put together, but this morning, I couldn’t quite shake thoughts of my restless night.
