“I dreamed about this the first time around,” I admit. “Caroline Bennett has such a nice ring to it.”
“Speaking of rings, I already have the one for you in my mind.” She wiggles her eyebrows, rubbing her hands excitedly. “Just need the word.”
This escalated quickly.
“No more talk of rings. I said I dreamed about this the last time. Now—”
“You’re taking it one step at a time.” Summer winks, taking the carton of ice cream in her lap, monopolizing it.
“I’m usually a happy drunk. What’s wrong with me?” I’m disgusted with my own negativity.
“Nothing wrong. Doubts and fears are normal. You’re in love with a man you lost once, and you’re afraid of losing him again,” Pippa says.
I pull my knees to my chest, suddenly feeling exposed. “I didn’t say anything about love.”
The girls smile, exchanging glances.
“We can read between the lines,” Summer informs me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Daniel
“Come on, sleepyhead. One kiss. I know you’re awake. You peeked when I was getting dressed.”
In response, Caroline hugs the pillow tighter under her head, blinks open an eye, closes it again. “I like you better naked.”
“I aim to please, but I have an early Monday today.”
“Mmm... bad words.”
“If you’re not giving me that kiss, I’m going to take it.”
She wiggles her sexy bare ass, eyes still closed. “What’s stopping you, Bennett? Take what’s yours.”
Cheeky woman.
Putting one knee on the bed, I lounge over her, kissing up her spine, giving her ass a little smack. She moans softly, reaching back with her hand when I’m kissing the side of her neck, tugging at my hair.
She’s usually an early bird, but I kept her up late last night. The weekend was a shit-show of epic proportions. It’s the last bachelor or bachelorette even
t I’m organizing, no matter how high profile the customer requiring one is. Drove right here yesterday afternoon, needing to see Caroline, to get my fill of her—which I still haven’t. I hover over her, just feeling her warmth and sweetness, all the good things she brings in my life. As if sensing how much I need her, she takes out a hand from under her pillow, caressing my neck, pulling me closer.
Staying here with her sounds like the best use of the day, but duty calls. And if there’s one thing I can’t persuade Caroline to do, it’s to call in sick. Her work ethic is killing me.
She falls back to sleep just like that in my arms, and I move away, careful not to wake her. She’s taking her group to the circus today, so she starts later.
The day goes downhill the second I climb into my car. My phone rings, a familiar name appearing on the screen: Jake Wensworth, owner of the San Francisco Business Report, the most successful local business magazine.
“Hi, Jake!”
“Daniel. Not too early, I hope?”
“Not at all. You’ve got news for me?”
“Yeah. You were right. Someone from your team is out to get you. We got a call from a guy named Hamel—”
My body goes cold. “Justin Hamel?”