“Question for you - are the sheets on your bed expensive?” Robert’s question pulls me back to reality and I look at him in confusion.
What kind of question is that?
“No, why?” I ask, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
“I, uh, liked how they felt. Very soft.” His eyes wander off and I can tell that once again, he’s lying.
“What were you doing in my bedroom and why were you feeling my bedsheets?” I question with a teasing smile.
“Cal needed help making the bed,” he says quickly while looking around the room to find a distraction. He spots the catering manager walking in and points toward her. “Oh look, there’s Emma. Let me go tell her we’re done.” He takes off before I can even continue my interrogation.
I roll my eyes at his outrageous lie since Cal is a master at making our bed. In fact, he’s better at it than I am. Just thinking about him makes me miss him, so I pull my phone out of my back pocket and send him a text.
Me: Hey, sexy. Whatcha doin’?
Cal: Hello, gorgeous. Avery and I just arrived at the Children’s Museum. We’re going to play and then I’ll take her to lunch, sugar her up, and drop her off at your parent’s house.
I laugh out loud at his plan, because Avery is bat-shit crazy when she’s hyped up on sugar, and my mother has no idea how to handle her when she’s like that.
Cal: You need to stop texting me so you can finish and be home. Are you almost done?
Me: We are almost done setting up for the first party. We’ll grab a quick bite to eat and then head over to the second one.
Cal: Don’t forget we have dinner reservations at 6 p.m.
Me: The only thing I’m going to be hungry for is you.
Cal: Eating you for dinner can be arranged.
My legs tighten together as memories of what his mouth does to me cloud my brain. My core clenches in anticipation of what’s to come tonight.
“Um, Jenna?” My head snaps up to see Robert and the rest of my staff, staring at me. “We’re ready to go if you are.”
“Yes!” I exclaim with too much enthusiasm, and I start to giggle to hide my embarrassment. “Let me just grab my purse and we can go to lunch.”
I turn on my heel and race toward the back of the room, my cheeks burning from the awkwardness of the situation. Once I arrive at my purse, I squat down next to it and continue texting Cal.
Me: I need to go. I love you. Kiss Avery for me and tell her I love her.
Cal: Will do and I love you. Don’t over-exert yourself today; you have a long night ahead of you. Wink.
I bite my lip to contain my moan, wishing it was five o’clock already so I can be home. I throw my phone in my purse and haul it over my shoulder. I get up and walk briskly over to where Robert is waiting for me. It’s time to quicken our pace because I’m determined to get home early enough to demand a preview of what’s in store for me tonight.
3
Cal
I tap my fingers against the car door panel, sighing in irritation at the lack of movement from the cars i
n front of us. It’s been an hour since we’ve dropped Avery off at her grandparents' house, and what should’ve only been a thirty-minute drive back to the city has now turned into an excruciating hour.
“Mason, why aren’t we moving?” I lean forward to ask my bodyguard while looking from side-to-side to see all lanes of traffic are at a standstill.
“Looks like there’s a major accident, sir.”
“Can we take another route?”
“The closest exit off the highway isn’t for another three miles, sir. We’ll be taking a different way as soon as we get to this exit.”