Kiss A Ginger Day: A steamy workplace romantic comedy

Chapter 8

Hand in hand, they slowly strolled around the Jefferson Memorial. They’d stopped at his rented condominium so he could get clean clothes. It was a battle to not fall back into his bed, but Alice was proud of her resolve. He didn”t push the issue, either. Rather, he suggested a walk and a little sight-seeing—preferably where they wouldn’t run into anyone they knew, he”d offered. She appreciated his discretion and the time to move her sore limbs. Their night had been acrobatic.

“I can’t believe you haven’t been here,” Alice said as they made their way along the edge of the tidal basin. The Jefferson Memorial Park was almost empty. Then again, in January, it wasn’t exactly a hot spot for most people. “How many times have you been to DC again?”

“Four. Never got farther than a block from any of the hotels.”

“That’s some dedication to work.”

She liked that about him. She was beginning to like a lot of things about him. Like how he walked on the outside, closest to the road, but then switched his position when they got close to the water as if to shield her from falling in. Maybe being with him like that wasn’t a bad idea.

For one, his skills in the bedroom were off the charts. Looking at him, she would have thought he’d be wound as tight as Big Ben’s winding mechanism. Rather, he was the opposite. Free and open. Ravenous in his sexual appetite.

He lifted his face up to the sun. “Nice day. Almost like spring.”

She laughed. “It’s forty degrees.” Thank God the warmth from his hand was keeping her digits from falling off. At least the snow had melted. Nothing but a few piles of sooty slush was left here and there.

“Where I come from, this is like spring.”

She’d die. “You really have to visit when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. It’s like snow falling all around you.” She’d only made it down to the tidal basin during blooming season one time a few years ago, but it was one of her most favorite things she’d done since moving to DC five years ago.

“I’ll put that on the list. For April 18. It’s International Day for Monuments and Sites.”

She slowly shook her head. “How do you remember all those?”

He tapped his forehead. “Photographic memory.”

She stopped short, her hand slipping from his. “Seriously?”

“Truly.” He grasped her hand again, which was good because, unlike her companion with his thick British skin, she immediately began to shudder.

He must have felt it because he lifted her hand to his mouth and huffed hot air over her skin. To think she thought the man was as strange as one got a few days ago. Now, her panties couldn’t stay dry around him.

“You’re a surprise, Theodore.”

He winked at her. “You, too, Alice. Let’s learn more surprising things about one another.”

He drew her to a bench, swiped his hand over it, then gestured for her to sit with him.

They stared silently for a few minutes over the dirty basin water and the ducks gliding along the edge. She wanted to ask him questions but didn”t know where to start. The cold air did little to wake up her brain—except for one thing. Theodore had said his ex-girlfriend married his ex-best friend. That had to have been tough.

She curled her fingers around his hand. “I do have one question for you.”

“Fire away.”

“What happened between you and your ex-girlfriend?” She watched his face closely to see if she’d crossed a line.

His jaw tensed a little. “Hmm. Hard story.”

She pulled her hand free, then clutched them in her lap. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

He shrugged. “It’s okay. Just no easy answer there. I traveled a lot. She got lonely. My best mate was there.”

There was more to this story, wasn’t there? “But your friend …”

She shouldn’t be pushing it, but you could tell a lot about a guy based on their past romantic relationships. She had questions. Like, how long were they together? Did he love her? Did she cheat? Or did they break up, and then she went off with this “ex-best mate”?

None of it was her business, considering they”d known each other for mere days. But her curiosity was growing about him, and they had seen every inch of each other naked. That had to qualify for some level of life intimacy, right?

When Theodore didn”t answer, she studied his face and decided to drop it. Except he then answered her anyway. “He cared for her more than for me. But I wasn’t a saint, either. I didn’t alleviate her fears about my travels; though she had nothing to worry about. Got sick of her questioning me all the time. Got tired of hearing I loved the airport more than her.” He angled his body to face her. “What about you?”

“What about me? I don”t date that much.”

The whole office at Edison Tech saw her more than anyone else. Her career had always been the most important thing to her—at least until that weekend.

“Surprising.”

“You really haven”t been out and about in DC much. It”s not exactly the land of romance.” Rather, a perfect place to put your job center stage. It was why she’d moved there, away from her little hometown of Junction Pine, where no one ever lived farther than ten miles from their families or sometimes never even got past tenth grade in their schooling. She knew by the time she was seven years old that wouldn’t be her life.

“Then how did you get so good at kissing?”

A sliver of pride ran through her. But he”d been honest with her; she”d be honest back. “Meredith Lane. My best friend in seventh grade.”

His head fell back. “Jesus, you’re getting me hard again.”

“No, no. She taught me how to practice on a peach. She said all the boys were trying to grow those little soft mustaches”—she waved over her lip—“and it would help neutralize the tickling if we got used to it. I must have gone through a bushel of them that summer.”

“August 27. National Peach Day. I will never think about it the same way again.”

“What about you? How’d you get so good at …” Her thighs were a little raw from his beard.

“Worshipping? I never kiss and tell.” He lifted her hand to his lips.

“That’s good because we’re not telling anyone anything.” She may be okay with how the weekend had unfolded, but that didn’t mean she’d ever be comfortable with the whole world knowing her business.

“What could I say anyway? That you’ve made me rethink not only National Peach Day but how, this year, I really want to celebrate National Work Naked Day?—”

“You made that one up.” She pulled her hand free, but he grasped it again. They then started a little hand tug-of-war like little kids.

“February 7,” he said. “And I still say we call in sick on Monday and work from home and?—”

“Get nothing done?” Her hand landed on his chest, and he held it there.

“We’d get a lot done, my little freak in the spreadsheets.” He began to push her hand lower down his torso.

“I am committed to always doing a good job, no matter what that entails.” Her fingers connected with his belt buckle, and there went another pair of panties. At that point, she”d have to do laundry every day to keep up with how many she”d cycle through in twenty-four hours.

“Oh, I see that. In fact, I say we go get some peaches, and you show me exactly what I’ve been missing in the food porn area.”

Her laughter was interrupted by someone calling her name. A woman in a bright red coat was making her way to them. Oh, shit. It was Patty.

Alice swung her gaze to Theodore. “Remember. Nothing happened.”

“Alice!” Patty closed the distance and slapped her hands on the back of the bench, a little out of breath. “I thought that was you.”

Patty smiled at Alice, glanced at Theodore, then back at her. Her eyes narrowed. “What nothing happened?”

So much for the Tidal Basin in January being a good idea.