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“Before that.”
I grinned. “Sure. That would be fun.”
Ryker grinned back. “You’re looking for any excuse to be at the ballroom.”
“Just like you use every trick in the book to get me here. We all have our weaknesses.”
“True,” he said, sitting on the couch, already opening his laptop. I curled up next to him, yawning. I had no idea how he still had energy to prepare for tomorrow. All I wanted to do was go to sleep. The weekend had been great, but I didn’t really get a chance to rest. Despite tomorrow being Memorial Day, Ryker still had to go to the office.
“Holy fuck. Owen was fired.”
I straightened up. “What? On what grounds?”
“Apparently senior management considered him reaching out to Dawson a bad idea, just like we did.”
Ryker was silent then as he started reading his emails. I wondered if that would have any implications for him and what they could be. I kept watching him, admiring the calm and collected way in which he dealt with difficult situations.
“I can feel you watching me,” he said playfully.
“What? You’re smoking hot when you’re all focused like this.”
Chuckling, he shut off his laptop, placing it to the side, turning to me. Before I realized what he intended, he awkwardly pulled me toward him and I climbed onto his lap.
“Stay here tomorrow too?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. On second thought... why were you and Avery exchanging all those secret glances in Arizona?”
Ryker laughed, feathering his fingers around my ankles. “Are you trying to negotiate, love?”
“Yes. Is it working?”
Smiling devilishly, he moved both hands all the way up under my skirt.
“No, but you have all night to keep trying.”
***
The next morning, Ryker left the apartment early, but I slept in until eight. I had two articles to work on but had more than enough time to finish them.
I was making myself a coffee at Ryker’s fancy machine when Danielle called.
“Morning,” I greeted.
“Hey! So, I have some news for you. I don’t know if you’re aware, but Owen was fired from Pearman. Apparently there was some disagreement there with management, I don't know the details, but that changed our management’s perspective.”
“I’ve heard.” I didn't want to share anything else, since Ryker told me everything in confidence.
“Anyway, I spoke with our higher-ups again, and they’ve decided to publish your article after all, but they want you to rework it a little, include Owen’s departure and emphasize how Dawson’s article played a role in it.”
Holy shit. I was suddenly bursting with energy and hadn’t even touched my coffee.
“Sure! I’ll get on with that right away.”
“You’re also getting your bonus. Finally made them sign that. It’s there, in black and white.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
My mind was already spinning with ways to weave the recent developments in the existing piece I’d written.
