Epilogue
As she followedAnderson down the stairs from their apartment, she couldn’t stop smiling or watching his butt. Once at the ground level, he held the door for her to go through, and as she did, he lightly slapped her butt. “Stop looking at my butt, woman.”
She laughed, surprised the morning was so warm for early May. Usually, the mornings were chilly, but today promised to be a warm day.
They slowly walked the few steps to the office, and he waited as she unlocked the door. Once she had it open, he pulled her into his arms, and it made her laugh until his mouth closed over hers. The kiss was a little too steamy for Main Street, and she heard Rafferty yelling about them getting a room from across the street. She ignored him and focused on Anderson.
Lifting his head, he kissed her nose before letting her go. “See you at lunch.” Then he was gone, walking away from her across the quiet street where Rafferty was waiting on the sidewalk.
It had only been a month and a half since she had returned to Landstad. Just a short amount of time, but so much had happened already. For one, he had officially moved in. After spending a few weeks picking and choosing whose stuff stays and whose goes, they got rid of it all and started anew. Some of the stuff that was too nice to throw out had been moved into her office apartment. Most had been sold or set out for the garbage collectors or quick neighbors who beat the garbage collectors. Now it felt like home to both of them.
Once that was done, Anderson had decided that he and Rafferty should move their office back to Rafferty’s building. It was bigger and had a better layout than Anderson’s office, especially for two agents. So, they had worked to get that office set up. Rafferty hadn’t even commented when Ruth had set up the network and all the computer equipment.
With a smile, she pushed into the office she had worked at for so many years. The new sign would come soon. When Anderson had suggested that she use the office as a base for her rental business, it had taken her a few days to realize it was a good idea. Why pay someone else to do her rental stuff when she could do it?
Sitting down at her old desk, she logged into the computer and waited for it to come alive. Out the window, she saw cars driving by and people milling around. It was a nice, almost summer day in North Dakota, so people were going to be outside.
Looking through some of the programs on the screen, she smiled and got up. The rental business was really not going to take any of her time, way less than even her secretary job had taken except on the first of the month, when the checks were mostly hand-delivered now. It was still a good day.
Leaving her old office area, she went into what was once Anderson’s office. Now it resembled her office upstairs. Both her computers were set up, and the wall of computer equipment was all there, making the room cozy. Shutting the door behind her, she slipped off the sweater she had worn downstairs that morning. Hanging it on the back of the chair, she sat down and booted up the computer in front of her. Then she spun around and booted up the one behind her as well.
As they came to life, she slipped her headphones on her head. Looking through her phone for a playlist to listen to, she leaned back in her chair. It had been Anderson’s idea to have her writing office down here so that she could still be a part of the community. It had turned out to be perfect. Not that she got many visitors, but she still felt like she knew what was happening in Landstad.
It had just been a week since she had been set up, and so far, it worked out great. Anderson would bring her lunch every day so that she ate, and she usually had one guest a day in for a chat. Sometimes it was Mia, and sometimes it was Tess. Sometimes it was just a high schooler looking for a donation. But still, it was people.
Most were offered a coffee from her new high-tech coffee machine. It was her first purchase for her office after coming back. It was a luxury from her time in the city she wasn’t ready to give up, not just yet.
Computers up, she turned on the programs she wanted for the day and hit ‘play’ on her music, turning up the volume to block out except the phone, which would stop the music automatically for her. After reading a few sentences, she started to type.
Oliver’s fingers skimmed over Grace’s naked breasts, causing her breath to hitch. As his lips followed the same path as his fingers had gone, Grace’s entire body throbbed.
Needing to feel his skin against hers, she worked the buttons on his crisp white shirt, her fingers shaky as his lips and tongue didn’t let up on her nipples. Still tearing at the shirt, she moaned Anderson’s name.
Smiling, she deleted out ‘Anderson’s name,’ like always. He always ended up in her books, and sometimes she didn’t even notice until the read-through. Having no idea how long she had been working, she nearly jumped when she saw the door swing open. A smile spread across her lips when she saw Anderson standing in the doorway. He hadn’t brought lunch, which was odd.
Slipping the headphones off her head, she turned all her attention to him. “What are you doing here, handsome?”
He walked further into the room and said, “Just needed to see you. I miss seeing you all day.”
Pushing her out of her chair and into his arms, she replied, “I miss you too.”
“No, you don’t, you don’t even notice I am not here.” He kissed her neck. Him kissing her in the office was easy to get used to.
“Sometimes I do.” He was starting to see how engrossed she got in her work. Many days he stopped by the office on his way home, just to get her away from the computer. Otherwise, she would never come home.
“I love you, Ruth,” he said, kissing down from her neck to the buttons of her shirt.
“I love you too, Anderson, but I am at work. It’s professional space here.” Pulling out of his arms, she walked to the door that separated the front office from the back office. A shiver ran through her, sensing that he was following to leave the professional space and go somewhere more private. Luckily, it was still just a few steps away and up a flight of stairs. So close.
But at the door, she stopped and decided to shut it, then turned to lean against it, locking it behind her. “But this is now my office, and everything is allowed in my office.”
His arms went to either side of her, and she found herself trapped against the door. His mouth went back to her chest as her arms slip up to get his suit jacket off. Once it had slid to the floor, she pulled his shirt from his pants so that her hands could touch his warm skin, exactly what she’d wanted to do since she’d noticed him in her office.
His hands had started to undo the buttons she had buttoned up not that long ago. “I have wanted you in this office for months.”
“I wrote about this years ago, so you are way behind. I hope it’s as good in reality,” she whispered.
“So much pressure, Ruth.”