30. Arlo
After thirty minutes of waiting for Hota to come out of his office, I’m convinced he’s not going to until it’s bedtime. I can either go back to work or man the hell up.
When I stand from the sofa, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Thank goodness my feet know better than me. They stop outside Hota’s office.
I lift my hand to knock on the door, then think better of it. He never knocks on my office door, so I open it.
He’s leaning over his desk, looking about as dejected as I felt on the sofa. His laptop is open. His gaze may be on it, but his thoughts are a million miles away. His fingers hover over the keys, doing nothing.
I need him to let me in, to tell me what’s plaguing him, so I can fix it. Then again, isn’t that what he needs? Me to let him in?
“Concentrating really hard over there.”
He jerks upright and adjusts his tie. “I bought tickets for Friday’s game against the Blackhawks.”
I don’t care about hockey tickets. I care about him.
Instead of acknowledging his words, I march over to his side of the desk, yank his chair back, and climb onto his lap.
The springs groan under our combined weight.
My knees jam between the armrests and his thighs. I rest my ass on his quads and pull him to my chest.
He comes willingly with a shudder.
I pluck the satin tie from his hair, then plow my right hand into his thick strands, holding him to me.
We stay like that until my legs lose feeling, and then course with stabbing tingles. Still, I don’t move. I breathe him in and hold him close.
“I’m scared,” Hota rasps.
“Me too.”
“I don’t want to lose you.” He buries his face in my neck and bites down hard.
I swallow down the pain, loving the mark he’ll leave.
“Hota, you couldn’t lose me if you tried.” I pull his face back until he finally looks at me. “There’s nothing you could do and no place you could go that will keep me from you.”
Tears glimmer in his eyes, but he doesn’t shed them. Instead, he smiles. “Sounds stalkerish.”
“Good. I am obsessed with you.” I kiss his forehead. “Go on a date with me.”
“Is that how you ask people out on dates? Demand?” His perfect mouth quirks.
“I don’t ask people on dates or even demand it of them. Not people. Only you and Hailey.”
“Okay.” He shrugs.
“Okay? Not yes, I’d love to or oh, I can’t wait .” I scoff.
“Take it or leave it.” Another shrug.
My gaze narrows on his dark eyes. “I take you.”
The laugh that leaves him is thick and raspy. “You took me a long time ago.”
“I don’t plan on giving you back.”