I have.
And then, there she is. She walks along the path to the booths, pausing here and there to take notes or check in with the vendors. Her hair falls in loose waves, and she's wearing a smart wool coat, a chic winter hat, and those eyeglasses that make me want to bend her over my desk.
I say my goodbyes to Blaze and walk toward Hartley. As I get closer, she glances up and pauses. The immediate grin across herface lights up my heart, but then it falls, and she bites her lip with a worried expression.
Before I reach her, she hustles down one of the other paths. I race to catch her, pulling her behind the snow cone truck before she can escape.
"Mr. Maloney," Hartley says with professional aplomb, although the way her breath catches gives away her true feelings.
"You snuck out on me," I growl, stalking her backward.
"I-I had to get down here to finish setting up. I missed most of it yesterday." Hartley's eyes are locked on mine, but a light blush rises on her neck.
"I remember," I say, loading my voice with sexual tension. "I kept you occupied all night long."
Hartley whimpers when I reach out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, then shakes her head. "I don't play games. You've been cold to me since I started, and now I'm your favorite girl? No. I'm tired, Bradford. Tired of watching you smile at everyone but me. Charming, grinning, and being kind to everyone but me."
Her eyes fill with sadness, and I'm furious with myself that I'm responsible for it.
"I like to get what I want," I admit, shrugging my shoulders.
I step toward her again, crowding her against the side of the snow cone truck.
She swallows hard, her eyes locked on my mouth as she whispers, "And what is it you want, Bradford?"
"You." I capture her mouth with mine, and she melts into my touch.
We take our time compared to last night. The urgency is gone because I know without a shadow of a doubt that we’ll kiss each other like this every day for the rest of our lives. But the heat? It's just ramping up.
"Bradford," Hartley gasps, pulling away and breaking the spell. "I want to do this. But I'm at work. And so are you."
"Yes," I say, even as my hands find their way inside her coat to cup her round ass. I give it a hard squeeze before I lift her into my arms.
She groans, wrapping her legs around me as her tongue invades my mouth, but she pulls back again, torn between needing my touch and her obligations to her job. She's so fucking perfect.
"Give me one hour, and then you can fuck me over your desk."
I grind my hard cock against her hot core. "Thirty minutes. And you need to wear those glasses the whole time."
"Deal," she agrees.
I set her down next to the truck, keeping my arms around her and gazing at her like I mean to memorize her face. "Hartley, I love you."
She stares at me for a moment before breaking into a wide grin. "You said it last night, but I thought..." She trails off, shaking her head like she's trying to wake up from a dream.
"I've loved you since that first day in the lobby. You stole my heart, and I was too stupid to do anything about it until now. I’ll never make that mistake with you again." I bend, sealing my lips to hers as I pour all my love into the kiss.
When I reluctantly pull back, she looks up at me with a dazed, sultry expression.
"Okay, put me to work. Where do you need me?"
"In your office," she pants. "Now."
She takes off for the resort, and I follow her like the luckiest puppy on the face of the planet.
Mine.
Chapter 6
