“Night?” she questions.
“Yep, I’m calling it an early day. You should go home, as well,” I tell her. I know she usually leaves by five thirty, but if I’m not here, then she might as well go home, too.
“Are you feeling okay? Do I need to call your doctor?” she questions further.
“I’m feeling fine. With the time difference, I need to head home so I can talk to Harper before she goes to bed.”
“Aww, I can’t wait to meet this woman. I never thought I’d see the day that you’d find someone important enough to change you.”
“She’s worth it,” I tell her as I walk to the elevator.
Five minutes later, I’m relaxed on the couch, a drink in my hand and FaceTime pulled up on my iPad. Harper’s face fills my screen, and I can feel the stress of the day melt from my body.
She’s curled up on her couch, covered by a blanket with a book laying in her lap. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi,” she says, clearing her throat.
“Are you okay?” I ask, immediately worried she might be sick or something.
“Easy now, I just had a tickle in my throat and had to clear it.” She laughs and I feel that worry go away, just like the stress did a moment ago. “How was your day?”
“Good, busy, but I got a lot done. How about you?” I ask.
“Busy like most days, but Lacey and I changed a few things up and I think it will make our closing go a little faster, which will get us out faster.”
“That’s good, gives you more time at home.”
“Yep,” she says.
“God, I miss the fuck out of you. I just want to pull you into my arms and kiss the hell out of you,” I tell her honestly. “When can I see you again?”
“I don’t know,” she says, and I can see the disappointment on her face. “I’m guessing you can’t come back here anytime soon?” she asks.
“Not really, but I could fly you here. You could spend a week in the sun and sand of California during the day, and in my bed at night.” I waggle my eyebrows at her.
“You’re incorrigible.” She laughs, throwing her head back as she does. All I want to do is lick that exposed column of skin, sink my teeth into the tender area and tease her until she’s riding my cock.
“Think about it, please,” I almost beg.
“How, though, Nathan? I can’t leave Lacey for that long by herself to run the bakery. It isn’t possible for one person to do alone.”
“What about hiring some more help? Even if it is just a couple part-time people?”
“It’s a possibility, but I don’t know. The added payroll expenses will definitely cut into my budget,” she says. “And it’s not like I can just hire people for a week’s time.”
“If you hired them, wouldn’t it free up some of your time to take on more orders or expand into something else?” I ask, trying to find more reasons for her to pursue this.
“Probably, although I don’t often have to turn away any specials, so I’m not sure where the added business would come from.”
“What about a silent partner? Would you consider that?”
“Nathan.” She says my name all irritated like. “What are you trying to scheme?”
“Just trying to come up with ways to get you in my arms and bed more. I need time with you. I’ve already wasted ten years; I won’t waste any more,” I tell her honestly.
“You can be so charming sometimes,” she says, her smile bright.
“I’m serious, Harper. I want you in my life. If that means wiring you a million dollars tonight so that you can go hire more staff tomorrow to be in my arms on Friday night, then tell me your bank information right now and it will be in your account in the morning. And before you get mad at me, I know that I can’t always expect you to be the one coming to me. I’ll do my best to move things around so I can go to you, I just can’t do that for the next few weeks, so I’m trying to figure out a way to make it so you can come here.”