Chapter 8
DEVIN
Ifeel bad about leaving Laila alone most of the day but she seems thrilled, murmuring ecstatically about actually getting ahead of her reading and notes for the upcoming awards.
I spend most of the morning skiing and having some good conversations with Daniel, our lead researcher. I don't see Laila when I go in to lunch, so I find her in the library and drag her out for a quick meal of what she calls “mega high-class designer sandwiches”.
After another round of skiing in the afternoon, I collect her from the library and carry her laptop and books upstairs. "I feel like you're walking me home from school," she laughs.
"If I’d known you back then, I definitely would have."
My hands are full, so she unlocks the door to our room. I set everything on the desk, and she catches my slight wince as I turn back. "Are you hurt?"
My grimace can't be disguised as I quickly discover the left side of my lower back is very tight. "I'm not used to skiing this much," I explain. "I'll just stretch it out."
Laila's lovely eyes are filled with concern. "Should I…I don't know if they have a doctor on site, but…"
Taking her hands, I pull her to stand between my knees. "I'm fine. Really. Don’t worry." I tip her chin up with my finger, and she leans in so naturally that I know she wants to kiss me too.
“There are three things that will fix my back. I hear it's pizza night tonight, and you know pizza fixes everything."
She laughs with me. "Okay, that’s one. What else?"
"Maybe I'll remember to stretch before skiing tomorrow. That’s huge."
"And number three?"
"Well…” I hesitate. “They say that a kiss from a beautiful woman will cure all pain."
I expect her to laugh. Instead, she smiles softly, leaning closer as her fingers drift into the back of my hair and along my shoulder. “How about an ordinary-looking woman who loves beautiful books?"
I'll have to correct her later. I can't resist her perfect lips a second longer.
This kiss is different from the one last night. A bit less lusty, a bit softer and more affectionate. When my hands skim down her back to cup her luscious round ass firmly and I pull her close, every touch is an exploration of things to come.
The feeling of her fingers in my hair is driving me wild. I reach up to stroke the side of her face and her neck, tilting our mouths together as the heat begins to kick in.
"Devin?" she whispers across my lips. Her breasts are moving in time with her breath, brushing against me in a way that makes my fingers tighten around her.
"Yeah?"
"This weekend is your chance to have some face time with the people that matter at your job."
"Yeah. So?"
Her fingers run along my earlobe, making me openly shudder. She laughs, then steps back. "It would be downright antisocial and a bad career move to miss pizza night."
My bottom lip sticks out. "Grumble."
She stares. "Did you legit just say grumble?"
"Grumble grumble. Grr."
Laila bursts out laughing, playfully shoving my shoulder slightly as she turns away, rummaging in her suitcase for a fresh shirt.
This time when we walk into the dining room, laughing and holding hands, I have zero doubt everyone will believe we're a couple.
We're going to get away with this.