My fingers lazily trail up and down ‘Lo’s side while I’m laying here, not wanting to get up and face the day. Knowing tomorrow we’ll both be up and at the restaurant, me with the meetings and emails that have piled up from taking two straight days off. Basically, tomorrow is going to suck, badly. I saw Harlow’s schedule before leaving work and she’s completely booked solid, opening and closing at least three days this week. I know she’s trying to better herself, but fuck. I don’t want her to kill herself from sleep deprivation, but damn am I proud of her.
“Morning,” I hear Harlow with a voice I’ve yet to hear before. One deep from sleep, but tinged with happiness.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” I say with a chuckle.
I lean in, going for her lips and kissing her thoroughly not caring that she may have morning breath, or she may be apprehensive about kissing me first thing in the morning. When I’m done nipping her lips, my nose runs along hers, and I look into her eyes and say, “It’s really going to suck not having you in my arms tonight, but I know you’re opening and I have meetings one right after the other.”
“I know. This weekend has been a dream come true. I can’t remember the last time I had a couple of days off to just sit around relax. It has really been amazing, Ev,” she tells me with a huskiness to her voice.
Her face is soft, and I know for a fact she’s naked under the covers. Hell I am too, and it would be so easy to roll her over, spread her gorgeous thighs, and take her virginity. Except I don’t. She’s not ready for that and until we’re out in the open and the whole damn world knows she’s mine. I’m going to take my time.
“Best fuckin’ weekend I could ever ask for,” I tell her as I take her mouth again.
17
Harlow
It’s been five days, five whole days where I’ve barely seen Evan and we’ve hardly even spoken to each other. Well except for the phone and I’m the only one to blame, too. I put us in this “don’t tell anyone we’re together…yet” type deal. I’m beginning to loathe my own stupid decision. I would have brought it up while we’re on the phone late at night, but we’re both so tired and I don’t even have the energy to bring it up. Plus, it’s something I feel needs to be handled face to face.
It’s day five of my six-day work week. The only day I have off being Sunday. Just one more day and then I can sleep in and hopefully that includes Evan. My feet and back are killing me from all the extra hours I’ve been putting in, but with Jessica out on vacation, I volunteered to pick up her hours. Something I may never do again. Sure my paycheck is going to be amazing and enough for me to put up for taxes and insurance, but hurting this bad, this body of mine will pay for it later on in life.
I’m seating the last of my guests before my shift ends, when I see Evan. He’s standing at the opening to the hallway that leads towards his office. He nods his head relaying he wants to see me before I head out and it gives me a full body shiver as I think about his hands on my body and the way they felt gliding against my skin.
I finish seating the nice couple that is here to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary. I want a marriage like theirs, one that’s lasting. You can see the love they have for each other reflecting in their eyes. It’s as if no one else is surrounding them, almost as if they’re in a small bubble and it’s just the two of them.
I relay to their server to make sure they give them a complimentary dessert and that I’ll pay for it. I don’t usually do something like that, but seeing them, it reminded me of the memories my own parents made before they were taken much too fast.
Walking towards Evan’s office, I’m grasped by my hips and pulled into his embrace. I relax into his body. Instantly I’m relieved to have his arms wrapped around my body. He walks me into his office, slams the door and says, “It’s been way too long, ‘Lo. I’m done with this hiding shit. I can’t take it anymore.”
I let out a breath of air. I give him a coy smile and tell him as I stand on my toes to reach out and run my fingers through his dark locks, “I couldn’t either. It’s been on my mind all week. But with both of us working so much, I wanted to wait until I could be in your arms before I said the same thing.”