Page 41 of How to Deal
“Did you see the way he was watching her at the expo? Or the way he watches her at work?”
“I know, right,” Casey gasps. “He was watching her like she was one of his newborn cubs.”
“I’ll be his cub if she won’t.” Zane grins. “He can lick me clean.”
Okay, am I the only one disturbed by that image?
“I think they are cute together,” Casey says. “Imagine how adorable their babies would be.”
Babies? What the fuck? And why am I imagining them now?
“I’m sitting right here.” I wave my hands in front of them, but they continue to talk like I’m not even there as they plan out my life for me.
“What I wouldn’t give to have a man stare at me like that,” Zane adds.
Oh, believe me, I know that stare. It’s like he’s worshiping you with just his eyes.
Casey shrugs, eyes distant. “She’s in denial.”
“I. Can. Hear. You. Assholes!” I say, loud enough for the entire office to hear.
Tell me why I hang out with these two?
“Chil-lax, muff.” Zane pats my head.
I slap him on the shoulder. “Don’t call me muff. I’m not okay with that. And go back to your desk.”
The mailman stops by and gives me an armful of mail and says something to me, but none of us can focus on what he’s saying. He’s got his pants so far up his waist it looks as though he’s trying to create a onesie.
Zane turns to us with a look of horror. “What’s with the moose knuckle on that guy? It looks like a fanny pack split in two.”
I watch the mailman walk away for a moment before I give my explanation. “His tequila is missing its lime is what’s wrong with him.”
Zane loves it when I come up with little sayings like that because he spends a good portion of his day thinking of new ones to tell me.
Luckily for me, Paul comes into the office around nine, and I’m able to get away from Casey and Zane to attend a meeting with him.
Work is crazy and thankfully passes in a blur. Tathan never does show up, and I’m both sad and relieved.
I’m late getting home after I have dinner with Zane and two of Casey’s cousins to discuss the bridal shower on Saturday morning, followed by the bachelorette party that night.
When I climb the stairs to my apartment, Tathan is walking in with his black camera bag on his shoulder, smirking. “Isn’t it a little late to be out, Amalie?” he asks, his eyes glowing like he’s undressing me. He probably is.
I shrug but don’t answer. I’m too exhausted to speak.
He leans up against the wall beside my door as I’m fumbling with my keys. “Wanna go to the hot tub again?”
He leaned. Just him leaning snaps something inside me, and all I can think about are those soft pouting, biteable lips. I don’t want to admit it, but I missed him today.
Something I can’t explain takes over, and I’m overcome by his presence. Controlled by the lack of sex, I act on impulse. At least that’s what I think it is because what else could explain what I do next? Certainly not sanity.
I grab his shirt, yanking him to me and capture his lips with my own. He’s shocked, his eyes seem to glow in the darkness of the hallway, but he quickly gains control of the situation and closes them. His hands move around my back and he pulls me flush with his body, pushing us against my door. My hands snake up to where I’ve imagined them being since I met him, up to his chest, feeling every inch, and eventually settle in his mess of thick dark hair.
Everything about it issoright. His touch, his smell, he could very well be the death of me. I know this now.
Parting my lips, he takes full advantage, his tongue caressing my own. It’s nice. It’s really fucking nice. It’s extremely passionate, and when he eventually pulls away, I’m left breathless and weak, a puddle in the bottom of his bucket.
I suck his bottom lip between my teeth, biting down softly and pulling him into me. He willingly comes forward, his kiss growing just as eager as mine. With my back against my door, his lips brushing mine, easing me into it, but there’s no easy in my mind.
