Chapter Twenty-seven
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
TOBIAS
“What’s our plan to send you to Colorado next month to open the new location?”
I pause my writing and look over the screen at Simon. It wasn’t that I forgot we were opening the new location. It’s that I’ve been happily distracted.
The last couple of days since Natalie and I have been back in Wind Valley have been ... shoot, I can’t explain it. Saying they’ve been the best days of my life is too cliché, but that’s exactly what they have been. Every touch, kiss, hug, look, you name it, is natural between us. Yes, it’s physical now, but the rest—the morning routines, the dinners we’ve cooked together, and all the moments in between are effortless. Our friendship has always been this way, but now—hell, it’s like we found a part of us that we didn’t know was missing, and we finally know where we belong.
“I go when it’s ready—that’s the plan,” I tell him. I might not be looking forward to being away from Natalie so soon, but we do both work jobs where we can be anywhere, so I don’t see why she couldn’t come with me since I’m there for only a couple of weeks.
“Okay. You just seem like your head is in another place these days, so I wanted to check in.”
“No, yeah, sorry about that. I’m focused, even if it might not seem that way.”
Which is true. I’ve handled emails, messages, and various phone calls here and there. This area of my life is simple, so it doesn’t take a lot out of me. Especially since once the contracts were signed, the renovations started quickly, and things are going smoothly. After all, the building was ready, and it was mostly cosmetic changes.
“Good.”
“Perfect.”
“I’m glad we went for the one with the apartment. Even though we haven’t really dabbled in residential real estate yet, this is a great place to start.”
“I agree,” I say, my focus balancing between him and the novel in front of me.
With the idea of taking a trip to Colorado with Natalie on my mind, I reach for my phone to text her.
Tobias
I have to go to Colorado next month for work. I’ll probably be there for a couple of weeks. Do you want to come with me?
Dove
I won’t be a distraction?
Tobias
Oh, you will, but I can’t imagine anything better.
Dove
Does this mean we need to tell our friends? Won’t they be suspicious?
I hop up from my seat, ready to take this conversation to the back room where I can call her, but Natalie walks through the front door before I even have time to excuse myself.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. I start to greet her with a kiss, but her focus settles on Simon.
“I thought I could work with you guys here for a bit. Keep things exciting on the work front.”
“Of course.” I move my things to make room for her.
I don’t miss the way Simon is watching me carefully.
“Can I talk to you for a moment in the back?” I ask Natalie.
“Oh, sure, yeah.”
She follows me to the back room, where I close the door behind us and then push her against it to kiss her deeply.
“How can a couple of hours without kissing you feel like an eternity?” I ask.
She laughs, rolling her eyes as she pushes me back. “Did you bring me back here to make out?”
“No,” I answer and then raise one eyebrow at her. “Is that why you came with me? I can change my answer.”
All she does is shake her head.
I take a seat on the edge of the desk. “No, I came back here to finish the conversation we were having over text.”
“Oh, about telling people?”
“That’s the one,” I say and bop her nose. I follow that up by grabbing her hips and pulling her to me. She rests her arms around my neck, and I wrap mine around her hips. “I think we should tell them when you’re ready to tell them.”
“So that means you want to tell people?”
“It means I’m ready for people to know you’re mine and mine only, yes.”
“Hmmm, a little possessive, are we?”
“Slightly.”
Her head falls back on a laugh. I press my lips to her bare neck, kissing from her collarbone to her ear and then pressing my lips to hers.
“Do you want to know just how possessive I can get?”
Her eyes meet mine as she takes in a breath.
“Here?” she asks on a whisper.
My hand moves to the button on her shorts in response.
“You can tell me to stop,” I tell her.
“As if I’d ever want that.”
I flick her shorts open and jerk them down, turning her around.
I pull her back against me, sliding my hand around to her slink into the front of her panties.
She’s standing while I sit on the desk, but as soon as I slide a finger inside of her, her legs buckle, and she rests her weight on me.
“Do you like that?” I whisper in her ear.
She nods. “Yes, but I don’t want to play today. I just want you inside of me.”
I’d never refuse to give her what she wants, so with one hand still playing between her legs, I use the other to undo my pants. I lift off the desk enough to slide them off. I grab a condom from my wallet before they drop to the floor.
After I’ve rolled on the rubber, I stand, rotating her to face me. I pick her up, her legs wrapping around me. Then I back us up to the wall, and as soon as I find my footing, I adjust our bodies so I can slide inside her.
“Ohhhh,” she says as she takes all of me. “This angle is nice.”
“Nice?” I repeat. “What did I tell you about calling me nice?”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” she teases and bites her lip. “You might have to remind me.”
“Oh, I can’t do that.” I pull out only to slam back in.
I spend the next ten minutes making sure she never forgets what calling me nice will get her, and honestly, by the time we’re putting our clothes back on, I’m starting to think that she should call me nice more often.
“So, I was thinking of the new location and something we should add,” Simon says once Natalie and I are both seated back out in the open area.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Soundproof walls.”
Huh.
I guess Simon knows.
I sneak a look at Natalie. She and I both erupt into laughter.
“God,” he groans. “The honeymoon phase is the worst.”
“Only when it’s not you,” I say and pull Natalie close to kiss her forehead.
Simon calls this the honeymoon phase, but I have a feeling this is exactly how Natalie and I will always be together.
Carefree, happy, and falling quickly in love.