Page 79 of Only Forever

Chapter 25

Ambiguous – when two parties make an agreement, but one person is deliberately vague about their acquiescence so as to create multiple interpretations of said agreement

Beckett

Lilac crosses her arms over her chest and refuses to move. “I am not driving to work with you.”

“Why not? We’re both going to the same place. And it will save on energy consumption.”

“You cannot seduce me with energy savings. We agreed to keep our relationship secret in the office.”

An agreement I’m now regretting. I rub a hand down my face. No, I’m not regretting it. I don’t want Lilac’s career to be in jeopardy. What she doesn’t realize is I won’t let her career be affected.

“Now go.” She shoos me out of her apartment.

“Promise me, you’ll be right behind me and drive safe.”

“I will promise no such thing. One, you need to return to your apartment for appropriate work attire.”

I glance down at my jeans and t-shirt. Damn. I nearly forgot. I blame Lilac. She rolled out of bed this morning and tossed the t-shirt she slept in, in my direction, before raising an eyebrow at me over her shoulder. How could I resist chasing her into the bathroom? I couldn’t. But now I’m late and not dressed for work.

“And two, I don’t need anyone to tell me to drive safe. I am a safe driver.”

“You don’t get it, Lilac. I don’t tell you to drive safe as an order. I tell you to drive safe because I worry about you.”

Her nose wrinkles and she looks adorably confused. “Oh.”

I soothe a finger over the smattering of freckles on her checks. “Yeah. Oh.”

She clears her throat. “And, three, we agreed to keep our relationship secret at the office. Arriving on Monday morning in the same car is suspicious.”

I drop my hand. She’s got me there. I kiss her forehead. “Okay, Lilac, you win this round.”

“This round? Our relationship is not a boxing match.”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “I wouldn’t mind sparring with you.”

“You want to hit me in the face? This is most disturbing.”

“I meant the rolling around naked kind of sparring.”

“Oh.” A blush creeps up her cheeks. “I enjoy that kind of sparring as well.”

I open her apartment door. “I’ll see you at work.”

When I arrive at the office an hour later, I stroll down the hallway intent on ensuring Lilac arrived safely before going to my office. My plans are waylaid when Brandi rushes up to me.

“Finally! I was getting worried about you.”

I check my watch. Despite the detour to my house to change, I’m barely five minutes late.

She grasps my hand and tugs me toward my office. I shake off her hold. What has gotten into her this morning?

I shove my hands in my pants pockets to prevent her from touching me again. When I reach my office and start to shoulder the door shut, Brandi stops me by following me inside.

“You have a ton of messages,” she says and tries to hand me a stack of notes.

I motion for her to set the stack on my desk before shrugging off my suit jacket and hanging it up on the coat rack in the corner. As I’m rolling up my sleeves, I note Brandi sitting in a chair across from my desk.

---