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I wanted to tell him to get lost, but it wasn’t my call. Erika stepped around me, her expression unreadable as she headed for the door.
“We were just finishing,” she remarked dismissively, her tone cold.
I watched her walk past the agent, my eyes drawn to the sway of her hips. The agent followed her with his gaze, and I felt a surge of possessive anger.
“She is something,” he said with a casual grin, as if we were friends.
“And?” I growled, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
“And nothing. She’s totally hot,” he replied, oblivious to the fury simmering beneath my surface.
“She’s beautiful,” I snapped, shoving past him in a desperate attempt to catch up to Erika. But by the time I’d run through the apartment, she was gone. Defeated, I slumped against the wall, sadness washing over me as I loosened my tie and ripped off my jacket.
I stumbled out of the elevator, preparing to hail a cab when I heard a voice that made my heart stop.
“You should put that back on if you plan on taking me to brunch.”
There she was, sitting in one of the floral wingback chairs in the corner of the lobby. Relief flooded through me as I approached her, unable to speak, afraid to jinx the moment.
Her voice made my heart skip. There she was, sitting in one of the floral wingback chairs in the corner of the lobby, her presence more intoxicating than anything I’d imagined. I moved toward her, my breath catching in my throat, every step fueled by the desperate hope that this wasn’t a dream.
“You forgive me?” I croaked as I reached her, the words barely making it past the lump in my throat.
Erika’s gaze held mine, steady and unyielding. “It won’t be that easy. You’re going to have to work for this, Elliott.”
A sigh of relief escaped me when she used my last name, the tension in my chest loosening just enough for me to whisper, “I love you.”
“Be that as it may,” she said, a slight smile playing on her lips, “you owe me brunch at least.”
“Anywhere you want to go,” I agreed without hesitation, my voice thick with emotion.
She tapped her glossed lips with her index finger, feigning deep thought. “Hmm, this might be the right time to ask for a gift.”
“Anything you want,” I affirmed, my voice soft but resolute. “Take it all, as long as I can have you.”
Her smile grew, but there was a hint of playfulness in her eyes. “I’m kidding. I won’t take advantage. By the way, the roses were gorgeous.”
“I thought you would call,” I admitted, the vulnerability in my voice evident.
“I was angry. I’m still a little angry. We should talk.”
“Where do you want to go for brunch?” I asked, eager to keep the momentum going, to keep her with me.
“Your apartment. My day is clear. I had two cancellations, and a negotiation fell through last night. I need a break.”
I smirked, feeling a glimmer of the old spark between us. “How do you know I don’t have work?”
“You look exhausted. Were you negotiating a deal last night?”
“I haven’t slept in days,” I replied honestly. “I’m also drinking too much.”
“Stop. Take me to your place.”
In the cab, the tension between us felt like a live wire, crackling with unresolved emotions. I couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her, the need to feel her closeness overwhelming me. Her perfume, the warmth of her skin, the way her presence made everything else fade—it was everything I needed. I pressed a kiss to her jaw, lingering there, waiting for her response. Her eyes closed, and her thick lashes fanned her cheeks, a sight that made my heart ache.
“I love you,” I whispered as I reluctantly pulled back, not wanting to push too hard, too fast.
“Who said you could end the kiss?” she murmured, not opening her eyes, her tone teasing but filled with something deeper.
