Page 93 of Partner Pursuit
She firmly kissed Jake on the lips. “You’rethebest.”
“No distractions. I want to see you hit that hard. But watch out for it swingingback.”
“Sounds like working with Colette.” She took a punch. The bag swung back. She ducked just in time. She paused in her punching. “I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you. I’m sorry. I want to come, and I’m frustrated thatI can’t.”
“We’ll play in the snow another time,” hepromised.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Audrey pulled up her scarf against the biting air as she left the black sedan that had brought her home from work, waving at the driver as she pushed open Jake’s building door. She couldn’t wait to relaxwithJake.
“I’m home,” she said, entering Jake’s apartment. Biscuit barked. Warm and cozy, the apartment smelled likechocolate.
“About time too,” Jake said, appearing in the hallway. He was dressed in flannel pajama bottoms and a gray fitted long underwear shirt.My favorite shirt on a man.He kissed her firmly onthelips.
“Just two more weeks and then vacation.” She nuzzled into him. “You’re so deliciouslywarm.”
“You need some heating up. Can I help you with unwrapping?” He smiled crookedly, his dimpleappearing.
“Yes, please.”
His hands slid up from her waist to her coat’s big pink button, just above her chest. He was taking his time unbuttoning her. She caught her breath, leaning against the wall for support. He held her gaze, his hands slowly working his way down the front of her coat, leaving heat in their wake. He smelled of chocolate. His hands moved to her waist to pull her towards him and they kissed again. She ran her hand through his wavy brown hair and melted into his embrace, letting the feelings take over and silence her thinking. He unbuttoned her last button, and she slid out ofhercoat.
“Mmm, you taste like chocolate,”shesaid.
“It’s a hot chocolate night. Actually, I was in the middle of making some more. I’ll put the milk back on. Do you want marshmallowsin yours?”
“Yum.”
“Coming up.” He disappeared into the kitchen, and shefollowed.
“How was the skiing?”
“Great. Fresh powder this morning, so we got in some amazing runs.” He poured two cups of hotchocolate.
“What’s your style of skiing—is it a few runs, full ski lodge lunch and then ski some more in the afternoon with a hot chocolate break, hot tub with drinks at 4 p.m.? Or is it wake up at dawn, be on the slopes when the lift opens, and here’s your soup canteen, you can eat lunch inthelift?”
He laughed. “Can it bein-between? What’s yours?”
“Oh, I’m definitely trending more towards the former than the latter.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. “I’ve never met anybody who brought lunch in a thermos and drank it on the lift. Sure that’snotyou?”
“It’s so definitely not me. Not skiing, anyway.” She sipped her hotchocolate.
“How’s the trial prep coming along?”he asked.
She carried her hot chocolate into the living room where she could see that he had been reading, if the bookmarked book on the table was any indication, and doing laundry. A pile of white folded laundry sat next to his bags from his ski weekend.
“I think it’s all under control, but I’m nervous aboutmy cross.”
He placed some napkins on the coffee table and sat on the couch next to her, hot chocolate inhand.
He asked, “Have you practiced it? My dad used to practice with junior associates—and sometimes with mymom.”
“We’ve been so busy; I wasn’t sure I should ask a junior associate to practicewith me.”
“Of course, you should. Yourcross-examinationis key to winningthecase.”
