I rest my forehead against his. “How did it all happen?” I feel his warm breath on my skin. “Yesterday, I was a single girl with no feelings for anyone and no prospects, and now I’m here, with you. It already feels like we’re a unit.”
He chuckles and rubs his nose against mine. “I like the way you think. We’re a unit. I’ve always felt like there was a piece of me missing. I just didn’t know it was you.”
“We fit.”
“We do.”
“You might want to deal with Alex first, though.” I smile and feel him smiling back.
“This time, I’ll fight back.” He thinks for a second before adding, “Actually, I might punch first this time.”
“I sure hope you will.” I lightly kiss his cheek. “I happen to like your face the way it is.”
“You won’t believe it, but I happen to like it too.”
“Are you wearing eyeliner?” I whisper the question into his ear, and he laughs. A full belly, good-natured laugh.
“Et tu Brute?”
“Your eyes are very pretty.” I shrug shyly.
“No, I’m not wearing eyeliner. I have my father’s eyes.” He pulls me back into him. “In fact, I look a lot like him.”
“Do you have any pictures of him?”
“I do.” He nods. “I can show them to you.”
“After dinner.”
“Alright.”
We eat dinner in a very nonformal way, meaning I’m wearing his T-shirt with no panties on because he still managed to fit in a quickie before we ate, and he’s wearing my favorite gray sweats. Love that piece of clothing. Definitely created by a woman—a very smart one—we all should praise her every time a well-hung man’s junk flops around in those.
We talk about pretty much everything, and I feel like since the veil of guilt was taken from his eyes, he sees the world differently. And I like this new person a lot.
The next day, as promised, we go to the same parlor I had visited him at before. I felt awkward coming here again, especially when I was met with a nasty look from the same receptionist. Whenshe saw us holding hands, her nostrils flared, and I swear I saw steam coming from her ears.Huh, someone has a crush on her boss.
The same guy who showed me in before gives me a nod of obvious approval as we pass his station. A few people say hi, and as Stephan predicted, a few very curious, flirty smiles are sent my way. I return them all with a polite smile of my own and grip Stephan’s hand tighter.
When he opens the door into his office, the same woman, Cherry, is sitting at his desk and arguing on the phone. When she sees us, she lifts her fingers in the air and keeps fighting with the person on the line. And I’d say she’s winning.
Once she’s done, she aggressively clicks the screen, drops the phone down, and pulls on her hair. “Fucking asshole!”
“What happened?” Stephan’s voice turns concerned, and I see his protective side begin showing. I’ve never thought of myself as a jealous person, but maybe it’s because I haven’t found someone I was scared to lose, but even knowing their sort of relationship, I feel a little twinge of the green creature. I try to suffocate it because Cherry was the one who saved Stephan’s life. If she didn’t call me when she did…I don’t even want to think about it.
“The vendor is being a dick. They delivered the wrong colors, and now he’s telling me it’s our fault because we haven’t placed the order correctly.” She throws her hands in the air angrily.
“Want me to take over?”
“Fuck no.” She waves her slender hand dismissively. “You do you. Or her.” She winks at me, and I smile in return. She is rude and crass, and I love her. “I’ll deal with the fucker.”
“You sure?” He doesn’t sound convinced.
“Duh. Of course.” She rolls her eyes, and I finally understand their dynamic. She does more for him than I initially thought. She’s not only his friend and his family, but she’s also hisconfidant and the person who’s holding his business together. Quite literally. An instant rush of gratitude overcomes me, and I, despite me being…well, me, rush to her side and envelope her in a hug.
She freezes for a moment, but then she gets her wits together and wraps her arms around me, giving me a hefty squeeze.
“Do I want to know what’s happening?” Stephan asks, confused.
