Page 107 of Bad Love

She stood with me through endless introductions and catch-ups. Through my mom’s speech from the double doors that lead out to the garden. Through the setup of the band and a dozensongs.

She’s more comfortable around kid stuff and ad campaign design, and she’s here with me because she wants tobe.

Now, she’s headed back from the bathroom for the second time tonight, and it’s crazy how much I noticed herabsence.

"Dance with me," I say when shereturns.

"Really?"

"You're wearing heels, and there's music. It's like that salsa class you were gonnatake."

She snorts. "Can youimagine?"

"I'm imagining right now." I brush my lips across her forehead. Her lasheslower.

"I might trip in these shoes," shewarns.

I pull her close, brushing her ear with my lips. "Hold ontome."

I've been pulling her close all night, following her with my eyes when we getseparated.

"You seemed overwhelmed when I introduced you to my mom. I promise she likedyou."

"It was quite theintroduction."

I want to say, “Which part? The sex toy part or the part aboutlove?”

I hadn’t planned that. It just cameout.

Because here amongst the music and the lights and the smiles and the familiarity of everyone here, everyone I love? She fits seamlessly into it. Makes everything brighter andwarmer.

My hand skims over her bare shoulder and down her arm, lingering at a few of the freckles along theway.

I wasn't exaggerating when I said all my favorite things were togethertonight.

The band plays "Sail Away," and I pull her closer, inhaling herhair.

"We should go on a trip," Imurmur.

"Atrip?"

"Paris. I heard you might beinterested."

Her gaze lifts to mine. “Logan, that’scrazy.”

“Not at all.” Especially now that I'm picturing her and me in a little flat in Butte-Montmartre, her flushed skin against the crisp white sheets. "How about the week after the boardmeeting?"

Her eyes round. “I can’t afford Paris rightnow.”

“I can,” I offer as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, because it is. I meant what I said before. I want her to ask me for things, and I want to give them toher.

"As generous as that is and as much as it’ll be a relief to have this project behind me, I'm still working for other clients. And from what you said to Monty in the car about custom brews and partnerships, it sounds like you will betoo."

“Huh.”

“What?”

“I thought you would protest on the grounds that I proposed something beyond the official end of our worktogether.”

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