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“Jerk.”
“How was the rest of your day?”
“Good. I found a hot lead, and we’re meeting with the company on Friday. If we get this account, we won’t be too affected by investors pulling out.”
Getting up, he pulls out a beer from the fridge and pours me a glass of wine.
“You are so good to me.”
Remi hides the grin that wants to break free, and the tops of his ears pink. “Is that why you’ve been so stressed out lately?”
Wiping my mouth, I respond, “Yeah, I’m just trying to keep it all together, you know. If I can set Ever Heart on stable ground, I’ll be able to step back and be there for Isabel whenever she needs me.”
Taking a long pull from his bottle, he sits back down. It doesn’t escape my notice that he scooted closer. Smooth, guy. Real smooth.
“It sounds like a noble plan.”
“I just want to be there to support Jay, and for my daughter. Be the mother I never had.”
Catching me off guard, he wipes something off the side of my mouth.
My face gets warm. “Thanks.”
“You and Jay are close.”
“Yeah, my mom was always working when I was a kid. Jay’s mom stayed at home. They always shared their lunch with me because mine was always a bit sparse.” It’s something I never want my daughter to struggle with. I want her to be the one to share her lunches with others. “One day, Jay took me home for dinner and we’ve been inseparable ever since.” I’m thoughtful as I pick a stringy onion out of my burrito. “I owe Jay so much.”
“Is that why you work yourself to death? Because you feel you owe your best friend?”
“No,” I snap. Taking a breath, I set my burrito down, looking at it as if it has all the solutions to my issues, then getting pissed because it doesn’t. “Yes,” I deflate. “I don’t know. We’re a good team. I love working with Jay—they’re the best. I’m good at what I do. It’s just…”
“What?” Remi has dropped all pretenses of eating. He’s just blatantly staring at me, watching me hammer a burrito like it’s a piñata filled with gold. Which is both flattering and unnerving.
“Is this my dream job? I don’t know.” My shoulders scrunch. “I love conquering goals, but sometimes the race to the top is…” I hesitate, not wanting to voice my deepest discontent. “Soulless.” And lonely.
“Don’t you think if you told Jay how you really feel, they’d understand? I’ve seen them with you—they adore you.” He takes a sip of beer. “They’re also very protective of you. I’m sure if Jay knew that’s how you felt, they’d want you to find your own path.”
“Jay needs me just as much as I need them. If I go, then who’s going to take care of them?” It’s my job to make sure they’re happy, healthy, and thriving. They’ve done it for me all these years.
Remi leans closer, his fresh laundry scent swirling around me, pulling me under his spell. “What about you, Mae?”
“Don’t.” My demand isn’t as forceful as it sounded in my head. If anything, it’s a weak protest—one I’m struggling with. A protest that I don’t believe in because … what about me? When you’re everyone’s anchor, sometimes you drown in the tide.
Maybe it’s the trembling of my voice or the drop of my shoulders. Maybe it’s my lack of conviction. Whatever it is, it invites Remi to run a hand up my spine—to comfort or seduce, I don’t know. But it’s not unwelcome in the least.
My head sways back when he starts gently massaging the tendons there. It’s an innocent touch.
Is it? I was just massaging Jay’s shoulders a little while ago.
When Remi moves to pull my hair back, I freeze. My brain doesn’t want him making these moves, but my body is begging for him. I don’t pull away. Maybe I even sway closer.
He smirks like he can see exactly what I’m thinking. The hand that was rubbing my neck has moved to my head. The soft, strong squeezing is exquisite. I can’t help but groan at the sensation.
“Let me take care of you,” Remi whispers, a millimeter from my ear. He nuzzles my hair, and his exhale slides across my sensitive skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Let go.”
I feel the heat of his other hand as it slides up my thigh. The air siphons out of the room, and arousal pools between my legs.
My breath hitches. “Rem—”
