Page 23 of Delayed
“He’s a colleague on my team. We’reneck-and-neck for the officer promotion, so I often feel likeeverything we do is a competition.”
“He can’t possibly have any lead onyou.”
“Do one-on-one meetings and drinks afterwork with our CEO count as a lead?” She rolled her shoulders back,sitting up straighter. “It’s fine. I prove myself in otherways.”
“I have no doubt.” He caressed the back ofher hand. “But I’d still like to pop your nemesis in the face.”
She chuckled. “Thanks for wanting to defendmy honor.”
“Always, Sunshine.” And he meant it.
They’d ordered a couple appetizers and drankanother round of stout. Their conversation flowed. She talked abouther hot yoga class and her parents’ three week European cruise. Heshared his trip to D.C. She walked him through the actual tasks ofher job—forging relationships with clients, building marketingcampaigns to get their brand out there. He explained how he,Taylor, and Brady started their beer making in college. There wereno awkward silences. Their laughter was easy. Their touches werenatural. It was like they’d been together for months, not days.
“Did you want to walk the waterfront?” Shefinished her beer and set the glass on the table. “It really is abeautiful time of day to cross the bridge to Harbour Island.”
“I’d love that. Let me pay the tab.” Hestood and placed a kiss atop her head. Then he strolled to the barand settled their bill, eager to get her to himself.
****
“You were right. This area is stunning.Especially at this hour.” Rex meandered across the concrete bridgewalkway. Anna strolled next to him.
She paused, her hands resting on the stonerailing, and she stared out over the waterway. The cool breezelifted wisps of her hair. He stopped behind her, the wind wrappinghim in her vanilla scent.
The sun had set. The lights of the buildingssurrounding them illuminated the city skyline. People milled aboutbehind them, but he felt like it was just the two of them.
“I’ve been around here a number of times,but never stopped to take in the scenery.” He placed his hands onher hips and squeezed gently. “Thanks for forcing me to slowdown.”
“Life is busy.” She rested the back of herhead on his chest. “Sometimes we miss the beauty in the rush to getour to-do list done.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Thank youfor meeting me tonight, Sunshine. I needed to see you.”
She turned, leaned her backside against therailing and looked up at him. “Youneededto see me?” Hergolden eyes shimmered in the moonlight and streetlights.
“Yes.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek.Her skin was smooth.
“Why? We barely know each other.”
Not this again. He inhaled. “True. Though itfeels like I’ve known you forever.” He tipped her chin up. “Icouldn’t think of anything else but coming to see you for the lastseveral days. You’ve gotten under my skin.”
She smiled. “I could lie and say I haven’tthought about you at all since Michigan.”
But he wouldn’t let her lie. His thumbcoasted over her bottom lip.
“But you’ve gotten under my skin aswell.”
He grinned. Fuck me! That’s all he needed tohear. “Good. I want to be under your skin, over your skin, on yourmind. I want to be all around you.”
Her eyes softened. “You’re so good atthis.”
“Good at what? Wanting you?”
“Flirting. Making me feel like the onlywoman on the planet.”
“This isn’t a game.” He cupped her hips.“Right now and for the last several days, you have been the onlywoman on the planet.”
“I don’t know how to do this, Rex. I haven’tdated in a while. I can’t afford to lose focus by getting wrappedup in a relationship that may not last more than a few weeks. Thosefew weeks of distraction could put me behind.”
“Lose focus on what?”
