Chapter 19
Iwon’t lie. A weekend of slex was exactly what I craved, but following that, what I desperately needed was a break. That’s probably how I found the strength to drag myself out of bed this morning to head to work, despite Lex’s attempts at keeping me right there in his arms.
He was so close to making me cave in, especially when he joined me in the shower to scrub me all over and help clean up his mess, as he explained. But like a true Ibanez woman, I stayed strong and came to work, like a big, responsible girl.
Especially since Oli and I are working on the deep learning protocol for the ASL app. They worked on it so much while I was gone that I barely recognize what used to be my app anymore. It’s so much more sophisticated and efficient than the one I created on my own.
We’re elbow deep into it, along with Mace, when my eyes are drawn to a figure that just walked in.
Seeing him here is such a surprise that I have to do a double-take, thinking my eyes are deceiving me and I’m imagining the man wearing a dark blue turtleneck under a black coat, and jeans.
But no, that’s him. The man whose arms I woke up in this morning.
The very one who didn’t mention he’d be dropping by when I left.
Seeing him here is such an odd feeling, like a step into the past, to over three months ago, before our idyllic world was blown apart.
But it looks like we’re back on track, and that warms me up with comfortable joy all over.
Or maybe it’s Lex’s loving gaze, along with his little grin.
He’s very proud of his little surprise, isn’t he?
I’m experiencing such a powerful déjà vu that it takes me a few seconds to notice that he shaved.
That’s why it feels so much like old times.
The lush, pepper-with-a-bit-of-salt beard is gone, replaced by his signature stubble.
Fuck, I still wanted to ride that beard a couple of times before it disappeared.
It seems I’m not the only one who’s excited to see Lex, because as soon as Brian notices him, he shouts, “Guys! Lex is back!”
Everyone in the room reacts to his words, and before I know it, they’re all up and rushing to him with enthusiastic greetings.
I watch, mildly amused, as Lex goes through all the hugs and pats on the back, and even though he isn’t a very physical person, I can tell he doesn’t mind.
He loves this team of nerds he built. He missed them as much as they missed him.
I join them, eyes never leaving the merry scene, and Lex welcomes me into the crook of his arm, bending down to grant me a small, chaste kiss on the lips.
“How was jail?” Brian asks.
Mason elbows him in the ribs and mutters, “Shut up, man.”
“It wasn’t great,” Lex answers anyway.
“It’s crazy they thought you were Nammota,” our colleague continues. “You’re like, rich. It would be like attacking your own people.”
“It was all an odd conjunction of circumstances. But I think we can all appreciate the fact that I’m not Nammota.”
“Right … You’d have to be a magician to pull off that new heist from a cell.”
Lex’s hold on my hip tightens, imperceptibly to them, but enough for me to notice. “Especially since I wasn’t allowed internet access.”
The guys talk with him a little longer—Brian does most of the talking for them, really—and then they return to their computers one by one. Once it’s just Lex and me, I take his hand and lead him right outside the Troll’s Lair, where we’ll have more privacy. Then, I look up at him with a pout.
“You shaved.”
“Yes. I thought it was time to turn over that page of my life.”
“I liked the beard.”
“Felt good, didn’t it?” he whispers.
“Felt amazing.” He shakes his head with amusement and gives me another discreet peck.
“I wouldn’t have shaved if you’d stayed home with me.”
“I already told you, I can’t take more days off.”
“Of course you can.”
“Some of us don’t have the luxury of staying at home all day, Alexander.”
“You do. I have enough money to take care of you for a hundred lifetimes.”
I huff in reprobation. Depending on him for the rest of my life sounds preposterous. “So, what, I’m to become a trophy wife?”
“You’d have to be my wife for that.”
“And I would be, had you not refused my proposal back in Sheridan.”
“It wasn’t a proposal. It was a terrible attempt at claiming spousal privilege, which would have made everyone more suspicious.”
“I panicked, okay? It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now, let go of me, you ungrateful man. I need to go back to work.”
“I still maintain you could have taken the whole week off as a birthday gift to yourself.”
“Wh—”
I take my phone out, frowning, check the date, and count. Jesus fuck, my birthday is this Saturday …
“You forgot?” Lex asks, amused.
“Yeah, I had a lot on my mind lately … How did you—Why do you know?”
“It’s one of the great dates of US history. The Declaration of Independence, winning World War II, the moon landing, your birth …”
I snort at his cheesiness. “You’re such a simp.”
“I don’t see why that’s a problem.”
“I didn’t say it was.”
We pause, looking into each other’s eyes for a few beats. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d come by?”
“I didn’t know when you left. And I … needed to talk to Kevin.”
“About what?”
“The fact that I’m not ready to come back yet.”
“Oh … What did he say?”
“That he understands. That I can take whatever time I need. That my old position will always be there for me. And he encouraged me to talk to Shelly, which I already planned on doing soon. Oh, and we’re invited for dinner at their place on Wednesday.”
“Okay, that all sounds very good.”
“Yes.” He looks serious as he continues, “Thank you for being so patient with me. I was drifting away from myself, and you were like a lighthouse, strong and relentless. You brought me home, Andrea, and I’ll forever be thankful for it.”
“You’re welcome, baby.”
This time, the kiss he gives me is a little more intense, but I don’t really care. He isn’t our boss anymore, so it’s fine. “Want to get out of here?” he offers, barely pulling away.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Lunch? The Italian place?”
“That’s a great idea. I’m starving.”
“When are you not?”
“Ugh, you know me so well.” I think for a moment and suggest, “Can we take the nerds with us? It’d make them so happy.”
“What if I only want you?”
“You’ll have me all to yourself tonight. But right now, I’m willing to share you.”
“Hmm …”
Resigned, Lex releases me, and we return to the room. “Everyone. Lunch is on me today. Italian. Get your things. We’re leaving now.”
Yep, this definitely feels like old times, with him bossing everyone around like this.
And none of the guys seem to mind as they all comply with the command, not questioning Lex’s authority.
They all grab their jackets or coats, and within a few minutes, we’re off to the elevators.
The merry band speaks with Lex the whole way to the ground floor, and I almost regret suggesting they all join us.
Like the greedy woman I am, I enjoy having him all to myself, after all.
The mood is jolly as we walk toward the restaurant. Lex and I are a little behind while Brian, Joseph, and Steven lead the charge.
“So,” I start, looking up at Lex, “any big plans for my birthday on Saturday?”
“Should there be?”
“Thought it was one of the great dates of US history?”
“And I thought you didn’t even remember it was your birthday until I mentioned it.”
“Right, but you built expectations now. You need to plan something so we can celebrate.”
“As a matter of fact, I have a few ideas,” he says with a smirk.
Immediately, I perk up with excitement. “Really?!”
“Mh-hm.”
“Tell me more.”
“No.”
“Just a clue.”
“No.”
“Lex,” I whine.
“Always so impatient.”
“It’s in my nature, you should know that by now.” I bat my lashes at him, lips plumped together in a pout, and say, “As an early gift, may I get a clue?”
He sighs and holds himself back from rolling his eyes. “It involves two of your favorite things.”
“Including you?”
“Three of your favorite things,” he corrects himself.
I’m still giddy when we arrive at the restaurant. While we wait for them to arrange a large table, Lex gets Oli’s attention with a tap on the shoulder.
“Andrea told me what you did,” he says. “Thank you for it, Oliver. I owe you one.”
“I was only paying you back, so don’t worry about it, Lex.”
“You’ll have to come by one day for dinner. We can talk about it, and your father and … what I did.”
“I’d love that, yeah.”
I move slightly away, giving them some space so they can talk. Seeing these two men get along like this has all sorts of emotions rising within me. By coming into their lives, I accidentally created a rift between them. But it looks like it’s finally mending, and it was about damn time.
“Still can’t believe a man this fine can be so desperately heterosexual,” Mason complains, appearing next to me.
“I mean … His sexual orientation is really working out well for me.”
“Yeah, but that’s ’cause you’re a selfish hoe.”
“I’m sharing him with everybody right now,” I defend myself. “I could have had lunch with him and left you all behind.”
“Mh … Maybe you’re not that bad.”
I really am not. Especially since I’m also willing to share him with Kev and Shelly on Wednesday, for that dinner we’ve been trying to have for ages.
“Ithink that’s when I realized how much of a genius he really is,” Kevin says, concluding his story.
Andrea turns to me, still stunned by the anecdote. “You really learned Kev’s entire curriculum in three weeks, to help him with his exams?”
“Yes.”
“Do you realize how crazy that is?”
“I wanted us to start our company, so I wasn’t letting him fail.”
“Of course. So logical.”
She turns to Shelly, shaking her head like my reasoning is absurd, and Shell shrugs with a grin.