Page 105 of A Ticking Time Boss

“Yes, please. Thanks.” I sit down at his kitchen table and smooth a hand over the newspaper. It still doesn’t feel real. “Do you know, I think this is one of the best days of my life.”

“Let’s see if we can keep it going,” he says. But he doesn’t rejoin me at the table. He’s leaning against the counter instead, hand gripping the coffee cup.

I pull my legs up beneath his large T-shirt. “Carter?”

“Yes?”

“I spoke to my parents last night,” I say, trying not to smile. “And I might have told them about you.”

He looks down into his coffee, his lips curving. “Did you now?”

“Yes.”

“What did you say?”

“That I have a boyfriend. That it’s very early yet, but that he’s great to me. He treats me really well.”

Carter’s smiling fully now. “He attempts to, you know. Always.”

“He succeeds most of the time.” I untangle my legs and cross the space to him, forcing him to put down his coffee. My hands curl around his neck. “I told them he’s smart, and capable, and funny. And one of the most infuriating men I’ve ever met.”

“Infuriating?” Carter repeats. He’s gripping my waist, a thumb smoothing over my hipbone.

“Yes, but that’s okay, because I love arguing with him over what movie to watch or the best way to drink coffee.”

“I’m right about the coffee thing.”

“I’ll let you think you’re right about the coffee thing,” I say. My heart feels light inside my chest, so airy it might float away. “They were very happy about it.”

“Were they?” he murmurs. His eyes are locked on my hip, where his hand is smoothing its way beneath the cotton of the T-shirt.

“Mhm.”

“They asked how we met.”

His voice is low. “What did you tell them?”

“The truth. Dad laughed, and Mom said you were heroic.”

“Heroic,” Carter repeats softly. “I’d like the chance to meet them one day. They must be pretty amazing, if they raised you.”

“Open with that line and they’ll love you.”

He smiles crookedly. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“You’re a charmer, and you’ll charm them just as thoroughly as you’ve charmed me.”

Carter looks back down at my body. “It’s what I do best,” he says.

I frown at the tone in his voice. “Well, not only, of course. You’re also sweet, and intelligent, and funny, and strong, and capable, and—”

He stops me with a kiss. “Are you trying to tell me you like me, kid?”

“Yes. Glad you got that.”

“Message received loud and clear.” He pulls me in closer, my hips against his. But I still have one more question.

“What are we going to do about work?”

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