“Fine. Then I’ll come to you.” Dave stood and went to hug her, but she retreated into the hallway.
Maybe this was better because now they didn’t have an audience.
He curved a hand around her waist and another at her neck and backed her against the wall.
She sighed against him, dropping her bag on the floor before encircling his waist with her arms.
“Hi,” he said against her lips, trying not to smile because smiling made kissing more difficult. But he really liked kissing her and smiling at her at the same time.
She kissed his mouth and his chin with little pecks between tiny happy noises she made. They were something in between a giggle and a hum.
This girl.
Absolute perfection.
He captured her mouth with his, and when he slid his tongue against hers, she tightened her arms around him.
He pressed her against the wall and wondered for the thousandth time how he’d gotten so lucky. She was soft and smelled like wildflowers and freedom. And he could get lost in her for hours. Days. Weeks. Whatever.
“Let’s get out of here,” he murmured to the skin of her neck.
“Aren’t you working?” she asked, followed by a soft giggle.
He sighed because she was right, but he wished she wasn’t. He ran his hands up and down her sides, loving the feel of her.
“Do you have plans for dinner?” he asked, kissing the tip of her nose.
“Would you like me to include you in my dinner plans?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re included.”
Easy as that.
“Can you stick around for a few minutes while I finish up?”
She wagged her head back and forth. “I can stay for a little bit.”
“Okay, if you have to take off, just go. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be right behind you.”
* * *
SABINE
Watching Dave and Zara make up what was sure to be a hit song out of thin air was amazing. It was like watching a magic show as a child and knowing there were things happening you didn’t understand but not caring and just loving the exhilaration of it all.
She was also able to watch Nikki work. Something she hadn’t been able to do and she was fascinated by the blonde’s fast fingers and critical ear. She heard and understood things Sabine would never be able to catch. She was captivating.
And to think how close Nikki had been to being Sabine’s sister-in-law. It was a strange realization. It left her with more questions than usual, and she had no idea who to even ask. Sure, she could ask André, but he wasn’t talking. He hadn’t even told her that he and Nikki had been a couple. And Nikki really didn’t seem like she would spill her guts to the little sister of the guy who broke her heart.
Sabine was assuming there was heartbreak. How could there not be?
Engaged? Ghosted?
It had heartbreak written all over it.
Plus, there was the small fact that Nikki acted like Sabinewasn’tthe little sister of her former fiancé.