Chapter 26
DANE
Ina Lavin was in my bed. That was my first conscious thought.
And I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay right where I was with her naked body wrapped around mine.
The instinct should have terrified me. It should have sent me spiraling into all the reasons this couldn’t work. All the ways this could blow up in both our faces.
Instead, I felt calm. Comfortable. Like I’d finally figured out the answer to a question I’d been asking my entire adult life without realizing it.
She stirred against me, making a small sound. I smiled and waited for her to surface into consciousness. Was she going to freak out about last night? Would there be regrets? Was she going to pull the blankets around her and try to run?
She tilted her head up to look at me. The moment of truth.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Good morning.”
“Last night actually happened, right? I didn’t dream the whole thing?”
“If you dreamed it, then I’m having the same dream. Which seems statistically unlikely.”
She laughed. “Always with the statistics.”
“It’s how my brain works. I can’t help it.”
“I know.
My fingers trailed up and down her arm. Her skin felt like silk and she smelled like heaven. I was certain I could stay in bed forever. Yes, dehydration and starvation would get me, but I would die a happy man.
“I need to tell you something,” I said.
She tensed slightly. “That sounds ominous.”
“It’s not bad.” I traced patterns on her shoulder. Her fingers were dancing across my chest, gently pulling the thatch of hair in the middle. “The Christmas party. When I saw you for the first time.”
“Yeah?”
“Before that. When you walked into the venue.” I could still see it clearly in my mind. “I was disappointed.”
She pulled back to look at me. “Disappointed?”
“When Norma told me she wanted to hire you, I looked at your resume with your application photo. You were wearing pink sparkly glasses and had a nose ring. You looked safe. Like someone I could work with without complications.”
“I don’t wear the glasses anymore. And I took out the nose ring when I moved here because I thought it looked too unprofessional.” She was studying my face. “You were disappointed I didn’t have my nose ring?”
“No, because you were beautiful. Are beautiful.” The words came out rough.
“And I knew immediately that you were going to be a problem. I was attracted to you from the very beginning. I knew working with you every day was going to be torture. I knew I should have told Norma to move you to a different department before I did something stupid.”
“Like have sex with me?”
“Exactly.” I pulled her back against me, needing her close. “I tried to avoid you.”
“I noticed. I thought you hated me.”
“I hated how little self-control I had around you.” I pressed a kiss to her temple. “You make me feel things I didn’t think I was capable of feeling.”
“Good things?”
“The best things.”
I swatted her hip. “I need coffee.”
“You do know it’s not even six, right?”
“I’m usually up much earlier.”
“Why on earth would you do that?”
I laughed and got up, then pulled on a pair of sweats and went downstairs. Making coffee was automatic. I’d done it thousands of times. But this morning felt different. I was making coffee for two.
I grabbed the power-pink mug and grabbed a black one from the cupboard. The black one I used to use until I was informed the pink one would essentially make me invincible.
Ina appeared wearing my T-shirt from last night, her hair tousled and her face still soft with sleep. She looked adorable.
I gestured to the blender on the counter. “Want a protein shake?”
Her nose wrinkled in the most endearing way. “A protein shake? For breakfast?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Not a fan?”
“I’m more of a pancakes and bacon kind of girl.” She took a sip of her coffee. “But I appreciate the offer.”
“I have leftover Chinese food from two nights ago,” I offered. “It’s probably still good.”
“Leftover Chinese for breakfast?” She grinned. “Now that I can get behind.”
I pulled the containers from the fridge—fried rice, kung pao chicken, and some noodles I couldn’t remember the name of. I divided everything between two plates and heated them in the microwave.
We settled at the kitchen island, sitting side by side with our coffee and reheated leftovers. It should have felt strange. Instead, it felt right. Natural.
“I should get home,” Ina said reluctantly. “Get changed, pretend I didn’t spend the night with my boss.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“Dane, if we show up together it’s going to cause problems.”
“I’ll take you home,” I said. “Then you can do your normal routine.”
We both dressed with her choosing to wear my sweats and a hoodie instead of trying to put the dress back on. I pulled to a stop at her building and grabbed her hand before she could get out.
“I’ll see you at the office?” she asked.
“Later. I have a few things to handle first.”
I leaned over and kissed her. It almost felt like I was breaking some rule by kissing her in the daylight. I supposed in a way I was.
“See you later,” she said and climbed out.
I watched her walk away and drove back to my place. I needed to shower, change, and get myself together before I went into the office.
I arrived a full hour after Ina, to make sure we weren’t seen arriving together. I felt almost normal by that time, like I could walk past her desk without everyone immediately knowing what had happened between us.
I stepped off the elevator to find the office in its usual Friday chaos. But there was Ina at her desk, looking professional and composed in a purple blouse and dark pants, and for a moment, I let myself just look at her.
Damn, she was captivating.
And mine.
Mine?
What the hell?
Where did that come from?
Your own head, asshole. As if there’s some other dude in there claiming her.
She glanced up, and our eyes met. Her lips curved in a small, private smile. That smile was meant just for me. I felt an answering smile tug at my own mouth.
I started to make my way toward her, already composing the discreet message I’d send once I was in my office, asking if she could stay late tonight. I wanted her alone. I wanted her on my desk.
I wanted her naked.
“Dane!”
Keith’s voice cut through my thoughts like a knife. I turned to find him striding across the office with that particular swagger that screamed “rich prick” and let everyone know he thought he was the shit. I used to always think it was cool. I liked his confidence.
Lately, it irritated the hell out of me.
“Keith. You’re back.”
“Got in a few hours ago. Miami was incredible. You should have seen this club we went to, and the women? I swear they get hotter every month.” He caught sight of Ina and grinned. “Ava! Looking good. Did you do something different with your hair?”
Ina’s smile faltered slightly. “No.”
She didn’t like him. That much was clear. And for some silly, juvenile reason, it made my heart warm with satisfaction.
He turned back to me, not noticing or maybe just not caring about the way Ina’s expression had dimmed. “Dude, I saw the pictures from the gala last night. Who was that pretty little thing on your arm? That ass could launch a thousand ships, if you know what I mean.”
Several people nearby turned to look at us. Ina choked on the coffee she had just sipped.
“Keith,” I said, my voice low and controlled. “My office. Now.”
“What? I’m just asking.”
“Now.”
I didn’t wait to see if he followed. I walked into my office, and sure enough, Keith sauntered in a moment later, shutting the door behind him.
“You need to watch your fucking mouth in the office,” I said before he could speak. “That shit is way inappropriate.”
“Whoa, touchy. I was just curious. Aren’t we friends? Don’t I get to know these things?”
“You can’t be talking about hot asses in the office.” I moved behind my desk, needing the physical barrier between us because I suddenly had the urge to punch him in the nose. “And no, you don’t get to know these things. My personal life is private. It’s none of your goddamn concern.”
Keith stared at me, then shrugged. “Fine. Be mysterious. But that body was fire. Let me know when you’re done with her and I’ll take my shot.”
“One more comment like that and you’re fucking fired,” I told him, no humor in my voice.
He held up his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. My lips are sealed.”
He left, and I sank into my chair, running a hand over my face.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings and emails and Friday chaos. I barely saw Ina except in passing. There were a few brief moments when she brought me messages or confirmed appointments.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that Lucas made his rounds with the final week of Cupid’s Exchange gifts.
He stopped at Ina’s desk, deposited something, then continued on his way. It was the gift I got her. I recognized the wrapping. Lucas had taken my instructions to heart.
He didn’t bring anything to my office, which felt a little off. I knew Ina was my Secret Cupid. She’d been a rock star when it came to gifts. Then I remembered she went to the gala and stayed at my place. She probably didn’t have time.
I waited about fifteen minutes, then got up to go into the break room when I saw Ina heading that way.
“You got your Cupid gift,” I said.
She grimaced. “Yeah, toothbrush.”
“You don’t like it?” I asked.
“It’s bluetooth enabled, apparently. I don’t even know what that means.” She looked confused. “Why would someone give me a toothbrush? Are they suggesting I need to brush my teeth?”
I reached over her head to grab a mug, using the movement as cover to lean close enough to whisper in her ear. “It’s to keep at my place. Tonight.”
I felt her go still, saw the blush creep up her cheeks.
“You’re my Secret Cupid?” she whispered.
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later.” I poured coffee, playing the part of the boss getting his afternoon caffeine fix. “Funny, though. I didn’t get a gift this week.”
She turned to face me, checking quickly to make sure no one was watching. “I have something for you. Later.”
“Later when?”
“Tonight. Your place. When I bring my new toothbrush.” The corner of her mouth curved up. “Unless you’d rather I use yours?”
“Definitely bring yours. We’re not at the sharing-toothbrushes stage yet.”
“Yet?”
“Yet.” I took my coffee and headed back to my office, feeling her eyes on me the entire way.