AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I would really like it to be a big day for the collective us,” Hayden said, his tone laced with meaning.
I looked up, meeting his eyes, so full of emotion. Fear, hope, uncertainty, affection.
“There you go, thinking about what others might want of you instead of what’s best for you.”
Hayden swallowed. “What if you’re what’s best for me?”
My breath hitched, tears springing to my eyes. This beautiful man offered so much and part of me wanted to take it, to be selfish and ask him to factor me into whatever he did next. But I couldn’t do that just when he was finding himself in the world.
“Come here,” I said, bringing my mouth to his, losing myself in a slow and gentle kiss full of so much longing and promise. Slow and sensual, our mouths moved together, Hayden pulling me until I was sitting in his lap, straddling him with my back to the island, the remains of our dinner forgotten.
“You have an especially early start tomorrow,” I said, brushing his hair back off his forehead. “How about a bath and an early night in bed?”
“Do we have to sleep in bed?” Hayden asked, a wicked gleam in his eye, his earlier question seemingly forgotten.
“Why do you think I’m suggesting bed at 7:00 p.m.?” I said suggestively, grinding my hips into his lap.
With coordination I’d never understand, Hayden pushed out his chair, forcing me to wrap my legs around him like a koala to feel secure.
“Early bird catches the worm, after all,” he said, walking us toward his room. An evening where it was just the two of us, blocking out the outside world and what tomorrow would bring, was exactly what we needed.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Hayden
The car carried me toward the office while it was still dark out. Since Duncan was only in the States for a few days, he was trying to stay mostly on European time. This meant people he could inconvenience, like his brother, were scheduled to meet with him at the balls-ass early time of 5:30 a.m.
Normally, leaving a warm bed with an enticing woman in it would have made a cold winter’s morning like this one even more miserable. This morning though, I had been awake since about three, listening to Charlotte breathe and thinking about what the day would bring. She was probably right to cut off our conversation about what today’s meetings could mean for us as a couple, but that didn’t stop my mind from spinning through possibilities. I slid silently from the bed before my alarm, dressing in the dark, and leaving her with a kiss on the head. I left a good luck note and the coffee maker all set up for her when she woke, but this morning felt like something I had to face on my own, the knowledge she’d be rooting for me enough.
I took the elevator to the fifth floor, where Duncan’s office was. I rounded the corner to his suite, slightly shocked to see a yawning Bradley in his seat at assistant’s desk at this early hour. I gave him a sympathetic smile, wondering if this particular assistant would quit before he gave Duncan a reason to fire him, forcing him to keep the same hours without the benefit of the weeks abroad. He’d made it this far, maybe this one would stick.
“Hay—I mean, Mr. Brandt. Good morning. Mr. Brandt is expecting you. Will you be needing any coffee or anything this morning?”
I lifted my travel cup in answer. “I’m all set, thank you, Bradley”
“Go on in,” he answered, looking relieved at not having to find the energy to make me a cup of coffee. It was likely Duncan was on his second or third cup already.
I knocked on the door as I entered and found Duncan’s head bent over some spreadsheets. He waved me in, intent on finishing the page he was on before looking up. I walked in and took a seat at one of the chairs across from his desk. Taking a few minutes to look around his office, I noted there were a lot of things in the office that screamed “Duncan Brandt, CEO and powerful millionaire,” but very few that screamed “Duncan Brandt, big brother and normal human.” You would never be able to tell he ran half-marathons, loved volunteering at animal shelters, or collected bottles of whisky from the cold and impersonal office he kept.
Duncan put his pen down and finally looked up from his desk, surprised to find me sitting down across from him. He got up from his chair and rounded his desk.
“What, you don’t see me for six months, after living in my condo for most of that, and you can’t even wait to give your big brother a hug?”
I stood up, accepting a tight squeeze and the firm back slaps he offered.
“It’s good to see you, Dunc.”
“You too, Hayden. So, tell me, what’s up? I know it’s not work-related. We have the executive cabinet meeting all day tomorrow.”
I swallowed. “Well, it is sort of work-related. I think I need to resign as your Chief Information Officer.”
Duncan’s eyes widened slightly. It was the only outward sign I had caught him off guard.
“I see. Is there something wrong with your team? The distribution of duties? Your salary?”
“Oh, fuck off, you know you pay me entirely too much for my first executive-level job. It’s not the salary.”
