I earned one more eye roll before he pushed at my chest and moved away from me. “One more day, David.”
Chapter 27
Malcolm
My fingers gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly. If I kept this up the entire way back to Chicago, my hands would cramp, and that wasn’t a good time for anyone.
The music played on low on an alternative station that I liked to listen to. The melody had a good way of bouncing from emotional to something upbeat.
David seemed lost in thought, staring out the window and occasionally humming along to a song. I hated that I couldn’t just give him a solid answer on whether we could make this something real. He deserved to be loved openly and not constantly yanked around. If only there were a way to take the guesswork out of everything.
And that was when it suddenly hit me.
“We take the guesswork out of tech work.”
“What?” David turned to look at me after my sudden outburst.
“That’s it! That’s what we were missing. I was so freaking worried that we were going to be gone this whole weekend and I’d still be stuck on trying to think of a slogan for you when we got back. It’s perfect, right?”
David laughed, a wide grin stretching his face as he looked at me. Maybe it was a little silly, but thataha!moment had been pretty spectacular. It was one of the best feelings in the world and something I lived for when it came to my job.
“The guesswork?” he mused as he continued to study me.
“I mean, yeah. You want to ease access for those who struggle. And that’s exactly what that means. Not to mention it’s short, simple, and catchy.”
That smile returned in full force, making my stomach do somersaults. Yeah, maybe that was something I wanted to get used to seeing. I wanted to see David Garrison always light up like that over the little things.
“I like it.”
“Really?”
“I do. See, I knew I hired the right person for the job. You doubted me. You’re talented.”
I didn’t feel all that talented sometimes, but I’d gotten to where I was on my own. Maybe he was right. Pride swelled in my chest. I’d done good. This was really working.
There was still another half-hour drive back to the city, but I couldn’t wait. When I pulled off to the side of the road, David’s brows creased in concern, but quickly eased when I leaned across the center console to hook my hand behind his neck, bringing him in for a kiss.
The way his beard rubbed against my face was bliss. I purred into the contact as our tongues slipped and slid together. I could still taste the remnants of his coffee from our breakfast, and all I wanted to do was climb across the car and into his lap. But not on the side of the highway.
It took everything in me to let him go, landing back in my seat.
Something changed at that moment as well. I saw something different in David. Some of my previous apprehensions and fears vanished. What was it about feeling like I’d finally donesomething right that had caused that shift? It shouldn’t have been that easy, but it was. Hell, it might’ve always been that easy, but I just never let it happen.
I suddenly couldn’t wait to be back in Chicago and at David’s hotel so we could continue what I’d started. We needed to celebrate and do it correctly.
“How long do you think you’ll be here?” I asked as we entered the room, those nervous butterflies taking flight all over again. What was it about the man and hotel rooms that got me all kinds of messed up?
David didn’t answer me at first. He stripped off his sweater, pulling it over his head as he walked from the front of the room toward the bed. He seemed to have one singular intent, and I couldn’t blame him. It was where my head should have been as well.
“Only until I can find something a little more suitable. This isn’t too bad. For the most part, all I need is a bed and a place to take a shower. What’s even better is that I don’t have to clean up after myself.”
It was hard to argue with that logic, but most people couldn’t afford to live in a hotel room full time. This wasn’t a long-term answer.
Instead of continuing to dwell on things, I followed him across the room, and the door clicked closed behind me as our bags lay forgotten in the entryway. We could figure that out later. There was a man who was currently stripping in front of me, and I wanted a taste of him. A better one. One that meant a littlemore than quick, fumbling hookups. Maybe this was us finally solidifying things. I could tell him that, right?
“David?” My voice shook, but only a little, because damn if some of that uncertainty didn’t try creeping in. This was all scary. I was giving in to something that I hadn’t before. The two of us had already crossed lines I hadn’t crossed with anyone else, so asking this shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
“What is it, gorgeous?”
