“Sean,” Paul greets with a nod of his head, given that both my hands are occupied. There’s a knowing glint in his blue eyes. “And Savannah. Lovely to see you again.”
“Hi,” Savannah says at my side, clearing her throat as she shuffles on her feet. I tighten my hold on her, trying to reassure her silently that everything is okay. Despite how well she fits in at the office and the fact she’s truly excellent at her job, she’s still worried about how people will take the news of our relationship. I’m eager to prove her wrong.
“I see you and my partner here are getting on spectacularly,” Paul says with a wide grin, raising a brow at me. “I expect a nice bunch of flowers to say thank you.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes at my old friend. “Thank you?” I sip my whisky and shake my head. “For what, exactly?”
“Hiring this one.” Paul shrugs like it’s obvious. He turns his smile on Savannah, who looks a little shocked at my side. “Though, I think I should be the one thanking you, Savannah. I see you got Sean here to dress up for once. I’ve been nagging him for years to embrace the spirit of Halloween, but he never listens to me.”
Paul is dressed as a vampire or some sort of ghoul, with a drip of fake blood at the edge of his lip and a black cape on his back.
Savannah giggles. “I tried to get him to wear the tail, too, but he refused,” she says, pouting dramatically.
I scowl. I conceded to the devil horns she made me wear, but the red pointed tail was where I drew the line. “I should’ve known you two would get on far too well.”
But Savannah has relaxed at my side, even leaning into my touch as she and Paul tease me mercilessly about my reluctance to “properly” dress up, and not a single part of me is mad about it. When she tilts her head to grin at me, I take my chance to steal a kiss, and she lets me.
“I bet you can’t get him to dance, though,” Paul says to her just as someone shouts his name, summoning him away from us.
Savannah jumps at the chance. “Oh, really? I bet I can.”
“Winner buys the next round,” Paul challenges and starts to walk away.
Savannah shouts at his retreating back, “You’re on!”
“I am absolutely not dancing,” I tell her with a smile, and she raises a brow at me.
“Wouldn’t want another drink spilled on you, would you? I need you to keep me steady on the dance floor.” She beams, and I groan because I know for a fact she’s going to win this stupid bet.
This girl owns my heart, and there’s no way I’m going to be able to watch her dance in her little angel outfit, sparkling and gorgeous, and manage to keep my hands off her.
“Sean! Who’s this? Oh! Savannah, I didn’t realize…” Judy, one of our managers, says as we approach, surprise in her wide eyes. I can practically feel Savannah’s renewed worry flood her.
“I…uh…” she stutters, clearly unsure of what to say.
Judy’s gaze softens. “Oh, I don’t mean anything by it.” She shakes her head, the cat ears in her hair bobbing about with the movement. “It’s about time Sean found a nice girl to settle down with. Getting old there, boss.”
I roll my eyes for what must be the thousandth time. I was right that Savannah had nothing to worry about, but clearly, I should’ve been more prepared for my entire company to take the piss out of me for this.
“She keeps me young,” I say back, making Judy laugh.
“I knew I liked you,” Judy tells Savannah, raising her glass in a cheer.
“You…you guys really don’t mind?” Savannah blurts out, immediately sipping her drink as she ducks her head in embarrassment.
“Mind?” Judy waves her hand through the air like the notion’s ridiculous. “Since you started working here, everything is about a hundred times more organized, and I don’t have to come running every time Sean forgets where he put a file. I promise you, Savannah, nobody is going to have anything but good things to say. As long as you’re both happy, and you don’t ever quit, I’m pleased for both of you.”
“Oh,” Savannah breathes, eyes wide. “Thank you.”
I lean down as I whisper, “I told you so, sweetness.”
The night passes in a whirl of congratulations and pink cocktails, Savannah dragging me onto the dancefloor with a cheer of victory against Paul. I don’t let her leave my side the whole night, my hand in hers or on her waist or her thigh under the table the entire time.
She collapses against me as we leave, still laughing and dizzy from spinning around to the music. I catch her happily, staring down at her. Her costume is fitting. She is an angel. My gorgeous, perfect, sweet angel.Mine.
“I love you, sweetness,” I whisper the words against her lips, tasting the sweetness of her drink in our kiss.
She moans, wrapping her arms around my neck to keep me close. “I love you, too.”
