Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“What are you concentrating so hard on?” she finally asks when the elevator doors open and we step on.
“You,” I answer honestly and then hold open my jacket for her to wear. “Here, put this on.”
“I’m fine, it's not that cold. You can wear it.”
“It’s dropped twenty degrees since lunch. Put it on.” I stand there holding it out, and for a moment it’s a battle of wills. I don’t know why she pushes so much when she knows I’m right. Okay, so maybe I do, but it’s fun to see her give in.
“Fine, but don’t get pissed when I accidentally spill soy sauce all over it.” Her smirk makes my insides warm as she buttons up the coat that swallows her small frame.
“Don’t fret over that,” I say as I tuck the collar around her neck. “I’ll send you the drycleaning bill.” Then I wink at her, and she looks adorably pissed.
“You would.” She tries to hide the edge of her smile, but it’s no use.
My hands are still on the collar of the coat as the elevator descends and we stare at one another. It’s like the moment earlier in my office all over again, and I want to tell her everything that I’m feeling.
“Do you have any idea what you mean to me?” I confess, and her smile drops. Her eyes meet mine, and her lips part as I bend down closer. “All this time I’ve been waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” she asks, and I feel her breath against my lips.
“For you to stop hating me.” I brush my mouth gently over hers and breathe her in. Her lips are full and soft, and I can’t help but glide my tongue over the bottom one that she bites when she’s concentrating.
The kiss is slow, like time has stopped, and I drink in every detail of it. I want to take her soul and fuse it to mine so that she can’t ever be away from me again. For years, I’ve waited to make her mine, and now that the time has come, I don’t know if I can let her go.
Her chin tilts up, and I feel her tongue touch mine with gentle pressure. She’s unsure, but how can she be when this is our destiny? She’s my forever, and I plan on binding her to me from this moment on.
Just then the elevator doors open, and Nelly is standing there. “There you are,” she says and looks between Meadow and me. “I was on my way to your office.”
I can feel Meadow physically and emotionally pulling away, and I’m so caught off guard because I don’t expect it. Is she embarrassed to be caught kissing me? I’m still in shock as the collar of the coat slips from my fingers and she darts off the elevator.
“See you tomorrow,” Meadow calls out as she practically runs outside.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to Nelly as I move around her and chase after Meadow.
“Meadow!” I call, but she either doesn’t hear me or ignores it.
Once I’m outside, it’s too late because there’s a line of cabs and Meadow jumps in the back of one and is pulling away from the curb before I can reach her.
“Fuck,” I growl, throwing my hands up. I have to go after her. Just then my phone rings, and I see it’s Mace. “What?” I snap a little harsher than I intended, but he ignores it.
“I’m in your office.”
“So?” I look up at the building like he can see me.
“You asked Nelly and me to meet you here after work. Where are you?”
I let out the world's longest sigh as I rub the bridge of my nose. “I forgot.”
Glancing inside, I see Nelly on the phone as she paces near the elevator. Although I don’t want to choose work over going after Meadow, I know that I’ll see her tomorrow, and I can explain everything. Nelly and her husband have been working around the clock to get us this information, and they have another case they need to start. It would be shitty to cancel now, even though it’s the last thing I want to do.
“Be up in a second,” I finally say before hanging up the phone and walking back inside.
SEVEN
MEADOW
If it wasn’t for the kittens, I wouldn’t be going home right now. I’d do anything to keep myself busy so I wasn’t thinking about Heath and all the things he might be doing with her.
I’m so stupid. How did I let myself fall back into the same hole? He was being nice today, and I swear we had a few moments of something sweet. I’d make today more in my head than it was. Clearly the dinner invite had to be a friend thing. Heath isn’t the type of guy to cheat, but what the hell was that kiss then?