Chapter 12
Marina
I step off the elevator into the Taft & Kennedy lobby in sneakers, yoga pants, and Zach’s t-shirt from the day we met. My hair is pulled back in a high ponytail. The whole ensemble screams my defiance, and it actually feels good. I woke up in an eerily calm frame of mind. I thought about wearing the suit I mindlessly packed on Friday night, but I’ve spent all my time trying to fit in here, and I never have. If I’m getting fired today, it’s go big or go home.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a few heads turn to follow me. I hear whispers. I ignore them. I’ll never see these people again. None of what’s about to happen matters. I duck into the copy room, grab an empty paper box, and head to my desk. I can hear Ms. Taft on the phone as I near her office. Great. Showtime.
I cross in front of her open door and step over to my desk, setting the box down and opening the top drawer. As soon as I do, I hear her cut her phone call short.
“Something wrong with your dry cleaner?” Ms. Taft says as she stands in her doorway, looking me up and down .
I finish pulling my personal items from the drawer and drop them into the box, then I look up and shake my head.
“Not at all,” I say with forced lightness.
Internally, I’m a bit of a riot, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Please step inside my office, Marina,” she says coldly.
I step out from behind my desk and follow her into her office. She doesn’t bother to shut the door, which shows what a wonderful person she is. She wants this to be overheard.
I sit down without being asked, prompting her to raise her eyebrows. I focus on my breath, in and out, while my heart pounds against my ribs. Conflict is hard for me to deal with, but here we are. I’m facing it. She looks me up and down again.
“What’s with the outfit?”
“I’m just here to pack up my desk,” I explain. “I didn’t see the point in wearing Chanel for it.”
She scoffs coldly. “You mean that bargain basement blue thing that hasn’t been in style since I was in college? I’ll be glad not to see that rag anymore, at least.”
Ouch. I can see by her smug expression I didn’t hide my feelings well when she landed that punch. That blow landed right where she wanted it to, and she looks really happy at my reaction.
“Is there anything else you wanted to say before I leave?” I say coolly.
“Well, at least you’re efficient at being fired,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “You lied to me.”
I shake my head. “I’ve never lied to you.”
“I asked you if that was you on the news that morning!”
I shake my head again. “You didn’t. You said I must have a twin, and I told you I don’t have any family here.”
“Semantics.”
“It’s actually not semantics,” I say. “And there is nothing I’ve seen or experienced in my time at this firm that would lead me to believe transparency would be something that’s a safe choice. Besides, it has nothing to do with the firm.”
She scoffs, and then her eyes dart to the doorway behind me. Someone is obviously there because the transformation on her face is immediate. I’d be shocked if I hadn’t seen it a million times before, any time she was being cruel to an employee and someone important walked in the room. Her expression morphs into one of pleasant, delighted surprise as she bolts out of her chair, ready to greet whoever has just walked in. I turn in my seat, and my jaw drops in shock. I look up to see the one and only Ethan Montclair leaning down to kiss both of her cheeks. The gesture is as dramatic as it is insincere, and I’m left feeling decidedly creeped out.
“Ethan! Isn’t this a wonderful surprise,” Ms. Taft gushes, gesturing to the guest chair beside mine as he sits. Then she shoots me a look, “I think we’re done here.”
“Yes, we are,” I say with feigned levity.
I start to stand, but Montclair reaches out and wraps a hand around my wrist.
Eww.
“Just because I’m here? No!” He looks at Ms. Taft. “Lexi, c’mon…if I’d known you had the famous mermaid on your staff, I would have cleared my calendar a lot sooner. When I saw the story on the news last night, I couldn’t believe you kept this secret from me! I cleared my calendar this morning just so I could come over to say hello.”
Her cold eyes drift to me and I fight against the smile I feel tugging at the corners of my mouth, despite Mr. Smarmy having his hands on me. Plus… Lexi? Who knew?
Montclair turns to face me.
“You must know one of my corporations owns a television studio,” he croons. “Promise me you’ll give us an exclusive interview.”
I force a smile and gently pull away from his grip. His fingers slide along my skin, making it crawl.
“You and Ms. Taft must have a lot of catching up to do,” I say, standing. “I’ll let you get to it.”
He holds a hand up, halting me. “No, I refuse to let you leave this room until you promise me that interview.”
My gaze flicks to Ms. Taft, and I can see her fuming under that cool facade. She flicks a hand in my direction.
“Of course she’ll give you the interview,” she spits out. “But as you can see by her attire, Marina has a scheduled day off today. She’s only come in to help me with something because she’s such a dedicated worker.”
She puts emphasis on dedicated worker as her eyebrows slightly rise in a silent challenge. Interesting. I smile at Montclair.
“She’s right. I did come in to put some things together for her to sign,” I say in my most professional voice. “I’ll just be a minute, then she can sign them, and she’s all yours.”
He eyes me carefully for a few seconds. “And you’ll be at the proposal meeting so we can chat?”
I nod. “As long as Ms. Taft allows it.”
He grins as if it’s a done deal, then pulls his phone out of his pocket and waves a dismissive hand at us.
“All right, ladies, go sign your papers,” he says. “Don’t take too long.”
I walk out the door, followed quickly by Ms. Taft.
“All right, you can stay,” she whispers when we come to a stop at my desk. “At least until the contract is signed. If the media circus dies down by then, I’ll consider letting you stay permanently.”
Emboldened by Montclair’s enthusiasm and my own bravery this morning, I decide to really push.
“No,” I say flatly, looking her right in the eye. As long as I live, I’ll regret not being able to take a picture of her face. And mine. It’s quite possible this is the first time anyone has told her no, and oh my lord, it was me! Little Miss No Drama.
“ No? ”
I nod. “No,” I say emphatically. “It’s clear Mr. Montclair wants me here, which means you need me here. I don’t just want my job back. I want a bonus when the contract is signed.”
She blanches. “That’s ridiculous.”
I literally have no idea how I’m doing this, but it’s thrilling. My stomach is in knots, my palms are sweaty, and my pulse is pounding, but I am cool as a cucumber on the outside as I stare her down.
“It’s not ridiculous,” I argue, channeling my inner trial lawyer. “Remember, I’ve seen the bonuses you give to your staff. You’ve never rewarded me for being such a dedicated worker .”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Anything else?”
I nod. “I want a letter of recommendation from you. For law school.”
She scoffs but doesn’t argue when I raise my brows. She nods curtly.
“Deal,” I say, then gesture at her office. “Better get back to Mr. Montclair.”
She regards me quietly for a moment. “We’ll talk later.”
I nod, and she stalks back to her office and closes the door behind her. As soon as she’s gone, I fall into my chair and let out a huge gasp.
What. Just. Happened?
I reach into the box on my desk and take my things out, putting them back in my desk drawer. All things considered, this is really a hollow victory. She will definitely fire me as soon as the Montclair deal is done. But at least this gives me time. Time to save up what little I can and to look for another job. The real victory was in the way I just stood up to her. Fear didn’t control my behavior at all, and look where it got me.
Bravery rocks.
I pick up the empty box and put it back in the copy room. Halfway back to my desk, the heavy weight of realization hits me. If she does fire me right after the contract is signed, there’s nothing to keep her from reneging on that bonus. Whether I lose my job or not, I need that money. I chew on my lip for a moment, then head back to my desk.
I unlock my computer, look for the file I need, and make the necessary edits to add my name to the form before sending it to my printer. I jump up, grab the printed document, and nearly bounce into Ms. Taft’s office after giving the door a quick knock. She and Montclair both look up as I enter.
“Ms. Taft,” I say in an apologetic tone. “I’m so sorry, but there was one more document I needed you to sign.”
I move to the side of her desk and place the paper down in front of her. She reads it, then looks up at me with a hint of rage behind her eyes.
“I don’t think this is necessary,” she says coldly.
I nod. “Yes, I remember distinctly. You insisted this is done by the book.”
I smile at Montclair. “She’s very thorough. I’ve learned so much from her.”
He aims what I’m sure he thinks is a wickedly charming smile at me, but I just feel like I need a shower. His gaze rakes over my yoga pants, which leave little to the imagination, and I force my attention on Ms. Taft.
She looks back to the agreement to pay me a bonus if I remain employed through the Montclair deal. It’s the standard agreement she makes all her people sign when she’s dangling a monetary carrot over their heads. She grabs a pen and signs it, handing the agreement back to me.
I look it over and put it back on her desk, pointing at the space she intentionally left blank.
“Don’t forget this,” I say sweetly .
If looks could kill. She left the dollar amount of the bonus blank on purpose. She scrawls something and hands it back to me without looking at me.
Five thousand dollars .
For her, that’s chump change. For me, it’s a little bit of safety. It’s all I can do not to squeal in triumph, but instead, I turn to Mr. Montclair and extend my hand for a handshake.
“It was wonderful to meet you, sir,” I coo at him. “I’m looking forward to seeing you in a couple weeks.”
He takes my hand in both of his and gives my hand a squeeze.
“Me too, gorgeous,” he croons from behind his perfect veneers. “But I’m sure I’ll be around. You’ve given me a reason to visit more often.”
I pull my hand from his and walk out the door, not giving Ms. Taft another look. I fold the agreement and shove it into my purse. As I head for the elevators, I feel the eyes of my curious colleagues on me. I don’t take a real breath until I get down to the parking garage and climb into the back of the waiting SUV, where Merry is sitting in the back seat with a curious expression.
She runs her gaze over me, looking for the box of my belongings she expects me to be carrying. I fasten my seatbelt and grin at her. Her eyes grow round.
“Not fired?”
I shake my head. “Not fired. Dave, would you mind swinging by my apartment?”
He nods and begins maneuvering the car out of the parking garage while I tell Merry what happened upstairs. She listens with rapt attention as the car winds around the dark depths of the garage.
“Why do you insist on working for this woman? She is horrible. I can’t believe she said that about your clothes. How cruel.”
“Yeah, that stung a little.”
We’re driving up the last level of the garage, so it’s dark in the car, but I can still tell she’s frowning.
“I wish I understood why your plan has to involve spending so much time around hateful people,” she mutters. “You deserve better.”
Dave drives the car up the exit ramp of the parking garage, and my pulse quickens as I notice a group of photographers standing outside the exit. I know they can’t see through these windows, but I still feel so exposed when they try to peer inside. Now that the story is out, I feel like I should relax a little about all of this, but I can’t seem to make myself. I shake it off.
“Well, I have to go to my apartment and grab some work clothes if I’m going to keep working there,” I say in a breezy tone. “At least this gives me some time to plan and look for another job.”
“True.”
A few minutes later, Dave pulls the car up to the curb in front of the entrance to my apartment building. There’s a woman waiting outside on the sidewalk who is paying way too much attention to Dave as he gets out and opens the door for me. He steps in the way so she can’t see inside the car.
“Pretty sure that woman is a reporter,” he grumbles, looking at me with concern. “Let me open the door to the building for you.”
“Thanks, Dave,” I whisper as I ease out of the car, and Merry follows behind me.
In just a few steps, Dave covers the distance to the door and manages to shove himself between me and the woman. She has her phone out now and is obviously recording me. I put my hand up over my face and run inside the building with Merry.
“Marina, how serious are things with the Duke of Rock?” she yells as the door shuts.
Merry and I climb the stairs to my floor and find a security guard waiting outside my door. He recognizes me and nods. I smile briefly, turn my key in the lock, and Merry and I are safely in my apartment .
“Wow,” Merry gasps. “That was a little crazy.”
I nod slowly, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in my gut. I look at Merry and shake my head.
“I don’t know how he does it. How do you live your life being chased by complete strangers? And for what?”
Merry shrugs. “People relate to him. And let’s be honest…a mermaid and a rock star having a spontaneous concert in the middle of a bridge is a pretty good story.”
“And completely your fault.”
She dares to feign innocence. “Me?”
“You’re the one who started the whole thing.”
She wiggles her eyebrows and laughs, making me giggle as I shake my head and walk into my bedroom. Merry follows, and I duck into the closet to start pulling out what I’ll need.
“So what’s he like?” she asks, flopping onto my bed.
I toss a couple suits on the bed next to her.
“Hmm,” I muse. “Unnerving.”
She laughs. “Wow, that’s super romantic.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m serious. When it comes to giving guys the cold shoulder, I’m pretty good, right?”
“If scaring men away was a competitive sport, you’d definitely bring home the gold.”
I make a face at her. “Gee, thanks!”
Merry laughs as I head back to the closet and grab more clothes.
“Zach is different. He just looks at me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking and keeps coming at me.”
Merry’s brows furrow.
“Not in a bad way,” I clarify. “It’s just unnerving like I said. I know exactly what to do when the average guy tries to come on to me. With Zach…”
Merry rolls over on my bed. “ Awww! This is so great!”
I shake my head. “It’s no big deal.”
“You can say that all you want, Marina, but I know you. I know what this is.”
“What is it?” I ask as I throw an overnight bag on the bed and toss clothes into it.
“He sees you, my friend. That’s why you find him unnerving. All those other guys were just guys trying to get attention. This is a man who sees you. He doesn’t just want your attention. He wants your heart. And it scares you a little.”
I feel the truth of her words hit home and I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. Merry pulls herself up on her knees and grabs my hands.
“Hey,” she says gently. “It’s totally okay to feel a little scared when you meet someone who gets a little under your skin.”
I squeeze her hands in thanks and let go so I can busy myself with tucking the rest of my clothes in the bag. She’s exactly right: Zach sees me. But if it does scare me, why can’t I run? The man is like some kind of musclebound tractor beam with a British accent. I’m caught up, and I can’t get away. And, let’s be honest, I don’t want to get away.
I zip the bag closed.
“I still have the instinct to run away from him,” I say slowly, sitting on the bed. “But I think I’m just realizing I’ve spent too long pushing most people away. I haven’t really allowed myself to get involved with anyone, and Zach…”
“Is the only one to come along who’s actually worth it?”
She’s grinning ear and ear and I laugh despite the tumult of feelings at war in my head and my heart. My stomach could compete for a gold medal in gymnastics right now.
I nod. “Yeah. Exactly. I don’t want to run from him.”
Merry jumps up off the bed and wraps her arms around me.
“I’m happy for you, Marina. You deserve to find someone worthy of you. ”
I hug her back, then pull away with a gasp.
“I forgot to tell you what he wants to do,” I say quietly. “He offered to help me find Max.”
She flops back down on the bed, her mouth wide open.
“Oh, Marina!”
I feel a little tear pooling in my eye when I smile and nod at her. I’ve thought about it a lot since he made the offer. It’s so generous. And kind. And completely too much. Exactly like him.
“What did you say?”
I clear my throat. “He didn’t want me to give him an answer right away, so I promised I would think about it.”
“Have you?”
“Some,” I say. “My first inclination is to refuse. He’s offering to hire a private investigator, and that is a huge expense. We just started…whatever this is. I feel like it’s too much. I feel like I’d be taking advantage.”
She nods. “Okay.”
“But I also know the offer comes from a sincere desire to help, and not as some way to gain my favor. And it’ll be years before I can afford such a thing on my own. I could have my brother back in my life.”
“So what are you going to tell him?”
I shake my head and pick up my bag. “I’m still thinking about it.”
“Keep me posted?” she asks as we walk to the door together. “When do you see him again?”
I hesitate with my hand on the doorknob. “We’re going out for dinner tonight, but he won’t tell me where.”
Merry raises her eyebrows. “Oooh! Probably someplace fancy.”
I shake my head. “Casual dress. Jeans and sneaks. And he says I might get chilly.”
She thinks for a moment. “I have no idea, but it sounds interesting.”
We step out onto the landing together and I lock my front door, offering the guard a smile before heading down the stairs with Merry.
“With Zach, it’s always interesting.”
Merry laughs. “Nonno was right, he’s a keeper.”
My heart does a little flip at the idea, and I let myself imagine for just a moment that Zach and I have some kind of future together. What does that even look like? I can’t imagine going to law school while living in the back of a tour bus. Nor can I imagine a scenario where he settles down and lives a quiet life in San Francisco with me. I don’t know where this is going, and that’s definitely feeding my fears on some level. But Zach does see me, and when we’re together, I feel so many things I’ve never felt before. Cherished. Treasured. Precious. No one else has made me feel those things. Ever. So even though this is scary and things are uncertain, when I think about the way I feel as soon as I’m in Zach’s arms, I know I don’t need to have all the answers right now. The only thing I need to do is get back to the hotel and get ready for our date. Everything else can come later.
***
Zach
I force an interested look on my face as I listen to the lawyer drone on and on about the paperwork he’s drawn up. Indeed, I couldn’t care less. I’ve done this kind of thing a few times before when I’ve been inspired. There’s not much to it. Yet, when I telephoned my lawyer in London yesterday, he gave me ample warning that his American counterpart assisting in my latest endeavor is very…enthusiastic. I have little patience for anyone trying to impress me at present, when all I can think of is Marina and how she’s doing at work.
I pull my mobile phone from my pocket and check my messages for the hundredth time. Still nothing. I can’t stand it any longer. I nod at the lawyer as he continues talking and type out a message .
Zach: Hey, beautiful. I was trying to give you time to get through it, but I find I’m too worried to keep quiet. Are you all right?
Marina is typing…
Marina: Hey, you. :-) There’s way too much to type, but I’m not fired. I’ll fill you in when you get back.
I can’t help but heave a huge sigh of relief, which prompts a curious look from the man behind the desk. Sadly, it doesn’t deter him from his breathlessly boring interpretation of the forms I’m about to sign.
Zach: And you’re okay?
Marina: I’m okay. What are you doing this morning? I don’t think I asked.
Zach: Just a few things I needed to take care of. I’ll be on my way back shortly.
Marina: Oh? Nothing else on the shed ule today?
I laugh out loud at her mockery of my accent, and the lawyer stops talking completely. For once. But I can’t help it, so I just let it roll out of me. This woman drives me crazy in all the good ways.
I clear my throat. “Sorry. Please continue.”
Zach: Oh, my beautiful Siren…you wreck me. :-)
Marina: LOL. How long before you’re back?
Zach: About thirty minutes and I’m all yours.
The chat goes silent, and I force my attention back to the attorney, holding up my hand.
“Mr. Zedner, I’m not sure if my attorney explained, but I am quite familiar with this process.”
He nods, opening his mouth to continue, and I hold up my hand again.
“I’m afraid I have a full day ahead of me, so if you could just let me sign so I can be on my way. I’m quite positive everything is in order.”
He nods quickly and pulls a pen from his desk drawer, handing it to me.
“If you’ll just sign here, here, and here,” he says, pointing to each line requiring my signature.
I scrawl my name and place the pen on his desk, standing.
He regards me pensively for a moment. “I’m just curious, sir. About the mermaid reference.”
I offer him a smile and nothing more. He takes the hint and clears his throat, holding up the papers with a flourish.
“I’ll make sure these are filed and sent to your attorney’s office in London right away,” he says with a smile.
I shake his hand.
“Thanks very much,” I reply quickly, striding for the door. “Have a good day.”
I text my attorney the approval to create a new account and move funds to it as I walk through the lobby on my way to the awaiting car. Everything’s in place, and now I can spend the rest of the day with my favorite mermaid.
As I exit the building, a few reporters rush after me, yelling questions as usual. As if yelling at me will get a reply. It never works. The smart ones know this.
“Zach, how does the mermaid kiss?” one of them asks.
“Is it serious?”
“C’mon, Zach, tell us about the mermaid!”
I dive into the awaiting car before they can see the secret smile spread across my face. The driver shuts the door behind me and we’re away in a few seconds.
How does the mermaid kiss ?
I’m in so much trouble. I’m already addicted to those mermaid kisses. Something’s gnawing at me, though, and I can’t shake it. I’m used to the media covering everything from the band’s latest album to whether I prefer American pancakes or English scones for breakfast. Marina isn’t. I make a mental note to see how she’s feeling now that the story is out.
It feels like an eternity before I’m actually knocking on the door to Marina’s suite. I’m not ready for the growl that escapes my throat when she answers the door in yoga pants and my t-shirt. Her hair is up in a high ponytail that makes me think of all kinds of things I know she’s not ready for. She smiles at me, and her whole face lights up.
“Hi.”
I give her a wicked grin. “Hi.”
She steps back and lets me in. I take two steps inside and pull her into my arms before the door is even shut. She laughs softly.
I lower my mouth and brush her lips with mine as she wraps her arms around my neck. Her body is soft and pliant as she relaxes against me. I squeeze tighter, and she lets out a little moan, her breath tickling my ear. I pull back enough to look into those gorgeous green eyes.
“Are you going to tell me what happened with your job, or do I have to kiss it out of you?”
She reaches up and runs her fingers through my hair. Her nails scratch lightly across my scalp, and I lose all capacity for rational thought for a few seconds. I could live my whole life right here. Never sing another song, never do another thing but kiss this woman. Her smile fills me with longing.
“That’s only going to give me incentive to keep quiet.”
That’s all the invitation I need. My mouth crashes into hers as I lift her up until her feet are dangling, then take a few steps forward. A little squeal escapes her lips. I don’t put her down until she’s trapped between me and the door. She breaks our kiss and eyes me with mock suspicion.
“I’m trapped. ”
I grunt, she grins. She playfully tries to step around me and I block her. She steps to the other side, blocked again. I step forward, pressing the length of my body into hers as she wraps her arms around my waist. I cradle her head in my hands, turning her slightly so her mouth is at just the right angle, and I begin the most delicious exploration. She gives as good as she gets, tasting and taunting me as she fists her hands in the back of my shirt. Finally, I pull away as my resolve begins to disintegrate. Her eyes drift up to mine. They’re darkened with desire, which only makes me want to push her against the door again. Before I can, I take her by the hand and lead her to the couch in the living area.
“Right,” I say as I gently pull her to sit with me. “Out with it, Siren. Tell me how things went.”
She takes a deep breath and nods. I don’t miss how her throat bobs when she gets ready to speak. I drape my arm around the back of the couch and place a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turns her full attention to me.
“I went in to get my things and leave quietly. Ms. Taft was there, and she was pretty angry. She accused me of lying to her about the whole thing.”
I shake my head incredulously. “What did you say?”
A proud smile blooms on her face. “I corrected her.”
I stay silent so she can continue, but I know my eyes are glowing with joy for her victory.
“She was halfway through her speech when Ethan Montclair stopped by to surprise her.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Montclair? The man she wants to impress so badly?”
She nods. “And, apparently, he’s a huge fan of mermaids.”
I feel my eyes grow round as saucers. “No!”
Marina laughs and shakes her head like it’s the most incredible thing to be saved by the one person her horrible boss would be afraid to upset. It’s bloody brilliant, and I’m thrilled for her.
“He made it clear that he’s on Team Mermaid, so I wasn’t fired simply because she couldn’t do it without angering him,” she explains. “But I also took the opportunity to work a bonus into the situation if the meeting goes off without a hitch.”
I reach up to brush her cheek with my fingers. “I’m firmly on Team Mermaid. You are so brilliant. That’s wonderful news.”
She shrugs. “She’ll keep looking for reasons to fire me. I’m not safe…I’m just safe for now. But I’m used to that.”
Her words are a shot to my heart. I can’t imagine what it was like to grow up the way she did, with no one in her corner. Always fighting. I reach my free hand out and capture one of hers, causing her eyes to dart up to meet mine.
“How can I help?”
She looks surprised by my question, and I wonder how many men in her life have ever asked her if she needed help. Has anyone? Has there ever been a time when she felt safe? Remembering how she tried to push me out of her life like a tiny, glittering battering ram with fins…I think not.
“Oh, I’m fine.”
I study her face. That meme of a cartoon dog in a bowler hat drinking tea in a room that’s on fire comes to mind. Something about her expression tells me not to press the matter, so I don’t. I clear my throat.
“I was thinking we should talk about something.”
As soon as her face falls, I regret my choice of words. She always seems to be waiting for the next run of bad luck to happen. I squeeze her hand.
“About the media,” I add quickly.
Her expression changes to curiosity. Better .
“It occurs to me that I’m very used to them following me around and hounding me, but you are not. It can be a lot to take in.”
She considers for a moment, then nods. I lace our fingers together. A tingling sensation crackles along my skin everywhere our hands meet. Something in my gut tells me to treasure this contact like I might lose her at any moment. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s one small catastrophe away from trying to run again.
“I’m okay.”
The smile on her face doesn’t quite light up her eyes as her real smiles do. You know, the ones that turn my heart to liquid goo as soon as I see them. The ones that make me want to slay dragons for her. I remain unconvinced as far as her being okay . Worry pulls at me like a riptide.
“It’s perfectly fine if you’re not,” I say gently. “You can tell me.”
She shakes her head and offers a shaky smile. “I’m fine.”
I decide not to push things again. The newness of whatever this is between us still feels so delicate, and I don’t want to do anything to stress it too much. I force myself to let it go.
“Well, in that case…” I growl.
On impulse, I slowly lay down on the couch and pull her with me. She giggles as she slides down and leans precariously over the edge of the cushions.
She clings to me, giggling. “Help!”
I pull her on top of me for a moment, then move enough to let her slip down between the back cushions and my body. She nestles in perfectly, resting her chin on my chest and looking up at me.
“Now what?”
“We have a few hours before our date. Let’s take a nap, Siren.”
The sexiest smile I’ve ever seen spreads across her face, and I may come completely undone by it. She drapes her arm across my middle and rests her head fully on my chest. A little murmur escapes her lips as she completely relaxes against me, and I wonder in earnest whether my heart ever stood a chance against her. Marina is one thousand percent in control of it, and I’m completely at her mercy.
I reach up and smooth a hand against her hair, planting a light kiss on top of her head as sleep starts to pull me under with her. Her breathing has already evened out and I let out a light chuckle as I realize she’s asleep. I give her a gentle squeeze, and she snuggles closer. As I close my eyes, I think ahead to our date tonight. Everything is in place. I’ve made sure of it. I’ve done everything I can to make it special and uniquely Marina. One thing’s for sure: this isn’t a date the average guy can pull off, and I’m hoping it’ll be one she’ll never forget.