Page 130 of Enticing Her Love

Three dots danced at the bottom of the screen. She waited for his text, but the dots disappeared. He might be her boyfriend, but he was still her boss. Was she asking too much of him to be supportive and understanding as her boss? A new weight of worry settled on her shoulders.

Sutton: Not that I’m dying to leave DH. I love my job.

Sutton: But it’s good to have options. She added a smiling emoji.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply and reminding herself not to assume the worst.

Flynn: I agree. See you tonight.

Ten minutes later, Sutton strode purposefully into the room to meet GNN’s management team, two professionally dressed men and a sharply dressed woman. “Good afternoon,” she said, offering her hand. “I’m Sutton Steele, your next frontline reporter.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

AS THE SUN hovered over the horizon and evening settled around him, Flynn paced the deck waiting for Sutton to arrive. She’d texted a little more than an hour ago to say the interview had gone well, and she’d tell him all about it tonight. Of course they loved her. Why wouldn’t they? She was a brilliant, driven reporter with a great personality. He was happy for her. He meant what he’d said about following her dreams, but that didn’t mean he relished the thought of living across the country from her.

The sound of tires on gravel had his pulse ratcheting up.

He lit the lanterns he’d set out, and as he made his way inside, the front door opened, and Sutton walked in. Her beautiful eyes instantly found his, a hopeful smile lifting her lips. In that moment, everything became clear. He wanted to give her the world. To make things easy and pave the way to the future she’d always dreamed of and more. But he knew that while he could give her unconditional love and endless support, there was another level of fulfillment that could only come from within her. Pushing his own inner turmoil aside, he made room for what mattered most. Supporting her in that endeavor, regardless of the sacrifices.

“There she is. GNN’s next big ace in the field.” He closed the distance between them, drinking her in.

“It’s not a sure thing.”

“Well, I am a sure thing, so at least there’s that.” He nipped at her neck, earning a sweet giggle. “You look incredible. Am I losing my mind, or are you wearing a different outfit than the one you laid out last night?”

“Is there anything you don’t notice?”

“Not about you. Charcoal just became my second favorite color.”

“What’s your first favorite?”

He arched a brow. “Nude.”

“And here I thought you left all the cheese in the rainforest.” She laughed.

“Lucky for you, I’ve got plenty more where that came from.” He set her shopping bags and tote on the table by the front door and took her hand. “Come on, Steele. It’s celebration time.”

As he led her around the couch and his surprise came into view, Sutton’s eyes lit up. He watched her taking in the antique lanterns illuminating the picnic blanket he’d spread out on the deck with the seafood medley for two he’d prepared, the champagne he’d chilled, and the bouquet of colorful wildflowers he’d picked.

“Flynn.” She sounded awestruck. “What are we celebrating?”

“Your successful interview.”

She looked at him with disbelief. “You did all this just for the interview? You even got champagne.”

“It’s a big day for you. One you’ll remember twenty years from now, when you’re the first name out of people’s mouths when they talk about great journalists.”

She looked like she might cry. “What if I had bombed the interview?”

He slid his arms around her, pulling her closer. “Then I would have gotten you drunk and made you forget about GNN.”

She laughed and put her arms around him. “And I thought pink flowers around my poop hole were romantic. Thank you.”

He kissed her. “Why don’t you kick off those heels and get comfy, and then you can tell me all about your interview.”

After she changed her clothes, they ate dinner, and Sutton told him about the people she’d met and the topics they’d discussed, vacillating between excitement and uncertainty. “I’d be covering domestic and international events, and I’d be in the thick of it. Traveling, interviewing influential people and maybe one day even world leaders.”

“That’s exactly what you’re striving for.”