Page 20 of Release Me

She laughs a little. “And then he met Tracy and bam, everything changed.”

I let out a loud laugh. “Bingo,” I confirm. “That’s pretty much exactly what happened.”

She takes a sip of her wine, considering me for a few seconds. “But not for you,” she eventually says, still watching me. I shake my head, my eyes never leaving hers as I wait for more. “And then you lost your wingman and the partying got boring and…” She trails off for a beat, taking another sip of wine before she continues. “And you decided you wanted a change, so you bought this place.”

I smile, my gaze on her as I say, “Yeah, that’s exactly what happened,” even as I ignore the voice in my head that’s telling me this change wasn’t such a bad thing. Especially right now.

It’s after midnight by the time we finish the second bottle of wine and there’s no way I can drive Zoey home. I’m trying to decide what’s the right way of asking if she wants to stay the night without it sounding like I’m assuming she’s going to end up in my bed, even though that’s exactly where I want her.

Before I have a chance to though, she pulls her phone from her pocket and says, “I should grab an Uber.”

Exhaling, I nod, giving her the address even as disappointment curls in my gut. I want her to stay so fucking badly, but I know I can’t ask her that. And even though I’m starting to think this whole attraction thing isn’t entirely one sided, I’m also keenly aware that I cannot be the one to start anything.

It has to be Zoey.

“So Brandon and Tracy arrive in a week?” she asks, just as her phone chimes out to let her know the car is arriving.

We both stand from the couches and make our way back inside. I grab her coat and bag from the mudroom and walk her to the front door, my feet dragging because I really don’t want this night to end.

“Yeah, next Monday, they get in around lunchtime and will come straight to the lodge.”

Zoey stops by the front door, turning to smile at me. “Let me know if you need me to do anything?”

I open the front door when her phone chimes out again. “I will, thank you.”

She looks up at me now, not moving even as the cool night air hits us, almost like she also doesn’t want to leave, doesn’t want this night to end either. “Well, thank you for dinner,” she eventually says. “I had a really nice time.”

“Thank you for the ski lesson.”

Her smile widens. “You’re very welcome. Let me know when you’re ready for another one.”

Always.“I will,” I reply. “This was fun tonight,” I continue.

“It was,” she says, just as the driver taps on his horn. Zoey rolls her eyes, chuckling a little as she takes a step toward me, her hand moving to my chest as she pushes up on her toes and presses a kiss to my cheek.

My whole body instantly feels electrified, my hand automatically moving to her hip as I hold her there, inhaling her scent, relishing the feel of her lips against my skin. God, I would do anything to be able to pull her inside, close the front door and take her to my bed.

“Good night,” she whispers. “Have a good weekend.”

“Night, Zo,” I reply, my voice husky and low. “Let me know when you’re home.” She pulls back, a playful smile on her face that has me smiling too. “So I know you’re safe,” I add.

With a soft laugh, she nods once as she whispers, “So protective.”

God, fuck, you have no idea, Zoey.“Just making sure you’re okay.”

“Okay,” she says, before turning and making her way down the steps to the car. I watch as she opens the back door, sliding into the seat and giving me a final wave as the car drives off. As I turn and head back inside, closing the front door, it’s only then that I realize she was still wearing my sweater when she left.

And how much I fucking love that.

Chapter8

Zoey

It’s been a week since Ethan and I had dinner at his house and I’m still thinking about it. Still thinking about the way his hand instinctively moved to my hip when I leaned in to kiss him good night. It’s something I didn’t even give a second thought to when I did it. It felt right, it felt like I should have done more than just peck him on the cheek, but I kept reminding myself that he is my boss.

And it also seems that the gossipy desk girls have let the whole thing go, or at least they’ve stopped talking about me. I still can’t believe I let them get to me and almost canceled on Ethan. It was stupid and I really don’t give a shit what they think about me, and if I were dating Ethan, it would be none of their business anyway.

I walk out of my bedroom, my thoughts consumed with Ethan and if anything could ever happen between us, when I find Alex standing in the kitchen wearing Ethan’s sweater. It was the one he gave to me when we had dinner at his house. The one I should have returned already, but I tossed it in the laundry, hoping to return it to him washed and clean. I may or may not have slept in it that night.

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