“Rowan, huh? I’ll make sure HR gets rid of him tomorrow.” I wink back at her. I’ve never been so glad that Rowan Benson is a gay man and for the fact that I know Saige is totally joking.
“We’ll talk about Tuesday night later. Let’s go to bed.” But I’m confident that she’ll be here Tuesday night. She wiggles out of my arms and slides her hand into mine. I let her lead and follow her through the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedroom.
We didn’t exactly go right to sleep, so when I finally heard the soft purrs of her breathing, it was well after one in the morning. Both of us were exhausted. Only once I knew she was peacefully asleep would I allow myself to sleep. A few times during the night she mumbled or jerked her body, but she never woke up. I’d do anything to take her nightmares from her. Thankfully, she slept restfully for most of the night.
In the morning, the alarm goes off at six, but she doesn’t even budge. Saige is curled into a little ball, her arms wrapped around her knees. It doesn’t look comfortable, but she’s sound asleep. I slip out of bed and toss on some gym clothes, anxious to get a quick workout in before heading in to the office. I’ll use the home gym today instead of jogging outside in case she wakes up.
The TV in the corner is set to CNN, and I catch up on world news while getting a five-mile jog in. The last mile, I increase the speed and really push myself. When I’m finished, I reward myself with a piping hot cup of coffee, pouring a mug for Saige too. When I return to the bedroom, I find her on my side of the bed, lying on her stomach, her head resting on my pillow.
I set down the two mugs of coffee and slide onto the edge of the bed. As I trail a finger down her spine from neck to bottom, she slowly begins to move. “Good morning,” I tell her as my finger makes small circles on her bare hip.
She twists slowly in bed, rolling to her back. Her hair falls against my pillow, and she throws an arm over her eyes. “What time is it?” She asks, her voice gravelly.
“Time for you to get up.” I lean in and press a small kiss to her flat stomach. Her breasts lie perfectly on top of her chest with her nipples in hard little peaks. It takes every ounce of self-control to not join her naked body back in bed. “There’s coffee for you on the nightstand. I’m going to get in the shower.” I push myself off the bed and walk into the bathroom, where I undress. Tossing my clothes in the hamper, I step into the glass-encased shower.
Minutes later, I see her long, lean body through the glass shower door. She’s standing at the sink and twists her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head before joining me in the steamy heat.
As she begins to lather body wash into a sponge, she asks, “So how is today going to work? Do we act like we did last week? A brief hello in the hallways and no other interaction outside of weekly meetings?”
I pull her soapy body to me and press her up against the tile wall. “Nope. You’re going to go to lunch with me, and when you walk with Rowan to get your morning coffee, you’re going to bring me one.” I kiss her nose. “Just be you.”
Her lips part, and she pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Just be me.” I can see the hesitation in her eyes, her concern, and her worries. She’ll never be a dirty little secret and I’ll prove it to her.
“Yes, Saige. Just you. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“There is everything to worry about,” she disagrees with a little shake of her head. “I was supposed to go have an innocent drink with my boss. That turned into a weekend of fantastic sex, and now I’m standing naked in his shower.”
I ignore everything she just said. “Medium roast, splash of cream, half packet of raw sugar.”
She blinks as droplets run down her beautiful face, her cheeks reddening from the steam. “Excuse me?”
I smirk. “That’s how I like my coffee.”
She’s stunned for a moment. “I can’t bring you coffee to your office, Holt. I’ve never brought you coffee before, let alone walked into your office. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will know we’re sleeping together.”
“Good.” I feel the smile spread across my face.
“Good?” She asks, confused.
“Yes. Everyone will know you’re mine.” I smile at the thought. At her stunned silence, I shrug one shoulder and rub the shampoo into my hair. “They’ll talk for a day, then they’ll move on to the usual gossip like what big celebrity is buying our next plane.” I really don’t see what the big deal is, and I honestly don’t give a shit if everyone talks about Saige and me, but Saige stands quietly, a concerned look on her face. Her lips are tight, and she feigns a weak smile.
“Okay,” she says, not convinced.
I give her ass a little smack, and she yelps. “Now shower up. We’re leaving in forty minutes. Wouldn’t want your boss to have to reprimand you for being late.” I wink at her, and she shakes her head, bewildered. I simply press a kiss to her lips. She’ll understand soon enough that I’m serious. Serious about her and serious about not giving a shit if the world knows she’s mine.
I could really get used to this. Saige in my bed, in my shower, in my life.