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He stood and kicked off his own shoes, made himself comfortable at the head of the bead, fluffed the pillows, and sat so his back was to the headboard. He patted the comforter. “Join me?”
She climbed between his legs and sat with her back to his chest. He draped his arms around her shoulders, and she snuggled into him more. “What now?”
“Now, we start simple. We’re both ruled by our jobs, so talking about work makes sense”
The warmth of his arms was reassuring, and as much as she wanted to dive into the physical, she was content with what they were doing. “Sounds reasonable.”
“So I’ve got a couple of nibbles on a new agent. Two have made me offers, and I’m narrowing things down.”
She turned her head to the side as much as she could without pulling away from him. “That’s fantastic. Are you leaning toward one or the other?”
“I’m getting close. They’ve both got an impressive client list, but I won’t be making my call until I’m done with more important things—you, namely.”
“That’s fantastic. Congratulations.” It felt incredible to be happy for someone else’s good news. It was even better that it stemmed from the thing that almost kept them apart to begin with.
He kissed her cheek. “Now you tell me how you got into a job that keeps you on the road so much. You wanted to travel when you were younger. How did you get from there to here?”
He remembered her comment from the very first day they met. The realization warmed her as much as any of his flirting. “Well, when I was seven, I figured out the difference between a state and a country...”
She paused. “Maybe I won’t go that far back. I started with my current employer as an administrative assistant. I have a knack for finding things, and my boss felt like my talents were underused, so he promoted me.”
“Finding what kind of things? You said they make cosplay-themed lingerie. So, like, lace? Gravity defying satin?”
“Not quite.” She laughed at the imagery. It felt amazing to relax and chat with him. Knowing the physical connection was there, and exploring an emotional and intellectual one on top of that. “When I was an assistant, I found information. Who owned domains. Property. Businesses. Now I look at sales opportunities we haven’t explored yet, and pitch to retailers to get our clothing in their stores. After the weekend in Nashville, I’ve added anime conventions to the list. Or at least, I hope to.”
He squeezed her tighter. “I like that. So there’s a chance work might keep us together more often?”
“I’m hoping.” As she said the words, they rang through her with a kind of desire that stole her breath. It sounded like an amazing possibility.
* * * *
CONVERSATIONS CLATTEREDoff tile and stainless steel. Lines inched forward. Luggage slid along the footprint-covered floors. Molly didn’t care how crowded the airport was. She was a little disappointed to be there, but the warm body at her back made the looming separation easier to ignore.
She leaned back into Brandon, who was using a nearby wall for support. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “What are you proposing?” His voice was low, but so close to her ear it cut through the noise at the gate for her flight.
It was an incredible week—not just the sex, but everything. “Joint apartment custody?” she said.
He pushed the bottom of her shirt higher, enough to trail his thumb along her bare skin. She loved that sensation. He kissed along her neck. “Technically, that term doesn’t make any sense. It means we’re sharing an apartment, but not at the same time.”
She gave a fake growl, unable to wipe the smile off her face. She wasn’t looking forward to leaving this behind. “It sounded clever in my head, and you know what I mean.”
“You’re right; I do. And yes, you should come stay with me whenever you can get away with it, and I’ll do the same.”
She rested her cheek against his. “Final boarding call.”
He nudged her away, grabbed her wrist, and spun her to face him. Hands at the small of her back, he tugged her close again. “I’ll see you next weekend?”
She slid her body against his, burning every contour into her memory, to keep her company until they saw each other again. She draped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, holding her captive for a moment.
When they broke apart, he still didn’t let her go. She gave him a sad smile. “Really. Final boarding call.”
He pecked her bottom lip, and dropped his hands. “I love you.”
The three words shot through her like a spark. Neither of them had said that yet. She expected panic to follow, but all she felt was joy, relief, and rightness. She smiled. “I love you too.”
He gave her another quick kiss and then spun her toward the gate. “Go. Before I talk myself out of letting you make your flight. Besides, I need to get to my gate.”
She fell into line with the last of the stragglers, shuffled down the walkway to the plane like everyone else, and found her seat. One perk of so much business travel was frequent first-class upgrades.
