And this was why I loved her.
“Come on.” I bent over and lifted her in my arms, then charged like a mad man into my bedroom before tossing her onto the bed and pulling off my clothes at an alarming speed.
When she did nothing but stare at me with her mouth open, I clapped my hands to gain her attention.
She jumped.
“Less staring, more stripping, Avery Bug.”
“Am I your girlfriend?” She grinned.
“Are we doing this now? Because there are so many other things I’d rather be doing with my mouth.”
“Thorn.”
I stalked her, slowly, putting one foot in front of the other before grabbing her leg and jerking her down the front of the bed and pulling her shorts down and her shirt up over her head.
“Cute socks,” I muttered.
“Thorn!”
“Yes.” I cleared every stitch of clothing away from her perfect body and settled myself between her thighs. “You’re my girlfriend.”
“And one day you’ll marry me.” She tipped her chin up.
“One day . . .” I inched inside her, and the tension left me immediately. “Very soon . . . I’ll marry you.”
“Soon?” she asked on a moan as her head fell back against the bed.
“Soon,” I swore.
Chapter Forty-Six
AVERY
He was pissed.
Because I was asking for a transfer to work with one of the other vice presidents. Something felt wrong about being Lucas’s private sexretary—it had been just one full day back at work, and he was a giant grumpy bear.
Every time I brought him papers to sign, he pouted.
Like a child.
Twice he texted me to come into his office and lock the door.
And twice I gave him a sweet no with a smiley face.
Lucas: Dying. You’re actually killing me. Remember that whole scenario where my penis falls off?
Me: You’ll make it.
Lucas: Is this punishment for the calendar?
Me: Yes. That’s what this is.
Lucas: I’m in hell.
I grinned and set my phone down, then went about sending in the next girl. “Molly?” I called her name. “Lucas Thorn will see you now.”
She glared at me.
And I nearly skipped toward the door after her. “Lucas, your next appointment is here.”
“Thanks,” he said through clenched teeth.
I waved and then went back to the desk and grabbed a piece of gummy candy just as the elevator doors opened and the flight attendants walked in.
“You guys are early, but if you’ll just take a seat right over there, Lucas will be right with you.”
They eyed me warily.
And they should have.
Because I was cleaning house. Lucas thought all he needed to do was call the girls and let them know he was settling down. But I knew girls, and I didn’t want him having that temptation in his life. So not only did he get a new phone with a new number, but he also set up meetings with each of the girls he had cheated with.
And apologized.
Ladies and gentlemen, Lucas Thorn—cheater of the year, man whore of the month—has found his heart! How about a round of applause?
“Why are you clapping?” one of the two girls asked. “Why is she clapping?”
“Sorry.” I grinned. “I just have a lot of company spirit, and it’s Secretary Appreciation Day.” Lie, total lie, but whatever. Let them stare down the other woman.
The one who singlehandedly stole Lucas Thorn’s heart.
And refused to give it back.
And just because I was feeling awesome, I offered them candy.
Naturally, they declined because, calories, which just meant more for me and my new spirit-animal bobblehead panda—compliments of my boyfriend.
I patted the head; it bobbled at me.
I had told Lucas I would quit being his intern, and naturally I said he should request a nice old lady to assist him. Someone who was bored with retirement—not that I didn’t trust him. I just knew the effect he had on women.
Really, it was like his superpower.
The door to his office opened. Molly left a sobbing mess. I held out the box of tissues while Lucas yelled from his desk, “Next!”
The flight attendants didn’t look happy.
Then again, who would be happy about being dumped?
I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face, and it would have probably stayed there had Austin not texted me.
Austin: He’s a monster!
Me: Who?
Austin: THATCH! A cheating, low life, ball-sucking bastard, and if I have to see him one more time, I’m going to strangle him alive.
Me: Drinks later?
Austin: No. Class. Sorry.
I sighed and dropped my phone. Stupid Thatch and his stupid cheating and inability to keep his pecker in his pants.
The door to Lucas’s office burst open, and out walked the flight attendants. They were classy. No tears. Instead, they looked at me, each with a respectful smile.
Lucas leaned his muscled frame against the side of my desk. Slowly, I raised my eyes to his. “Yes, sir?”
He grinned. “It’s done.”
“All of the girls? Even the substitutes?”
“Do you realize if you smiled any bigger, your face would actually crack near your ears?”
“Smile? What smile?”
He tipped my chin toward him. “I love you, Avery Black.”
“I love you too.”
He was just about to kiss me when I rolled my chair backward. “What?”
“Do you love me enough to find out why the hell Thatch would break Austin’s heart and cheat on her?”
“He did what?” Lucas said, and then let out a heavy sigh. “Thatch may be a player, but he doesn’t cheat.”
“He did. On her.”
“On purpose?” Lucas had the balls to ask.
“YOU DON’T CHEAT BY ACCIDENT!”
“Whoa.” He held up his hands and backed away slowly. “Yes, whatever you say. Look, I’ll call him, order you some lunch, make sure to draw you a bubble bath back at home, and let you have remote time.”
The door to his office closed.
What just happened?
My phone went off.
Lucas: I love you. When you love someone, you let them win—not every battle but at least the ones that matter. Calling Thatch now. There has to be a reason, not that I’m defending what he did or didn’t do. Now, your only job—if you choose to accept it—is to make reservations for dinner tonight, for our first real date.
I grinned down at my phone.
Me: I say where it all started.
Lucas: I couldn’t agree more.
Acknowledgments
This is the hard part.
Trying to thank everyone who helped put this book together. I think with the more books I write, the harder it gets, and the last thing I want is for this section to become habitual—because I truly mean a huge, giant, epic thank-you to all the people in my life who make writing possible.