“You’re not going to get away with this. You think you’ve got that promotion in the bag? Just wait and see,” Gio threatened.
I turned my back on him. Kellan gestured for me to pass through the doorway first, then followed me out into the hall.
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on a flight? And what do you have on?” I ran my palms over the front of the fuzzy Santa suit, the words tumbling off of my tongue.
“One at a time.” Kellan’s warm palm slid up my bare back, sending goosebumps racing over my skin. “First, let me get you a drink. We’ve got a lot to celebrate tonight.”
14
KELLAN
Ihanded Blakely a fluted glass of sparkling wine. She clinked her drink against mine and smiled up at me. Damn, she looked beautiful tonight. Thinking I’d almost walked away from her sent a sharp pain slicing through my chest.
“Should we make a toast?” I held her gaze and wondered what might be going through that gorgeous head of hers.
Her lips parted. It took every bit of willpower I possessed to keep from leaning down and ravaging those plump pink lips. Even though it had only been a few hours since I’d had her, my body craved hers like a drug.
“What should we toast to?”
“How about to us? To letting go of the past to make room for the future.” I tilted my head and watched her tongue slip out to run along her lower lip. Fuck. My cock hardened as I remembered what she’d done with that tongue earlier this afternoon.
“I still don’t understand what you’re doing here. What about the job in Taiwan?”
Lowering my glass in one hand, I cupped her cheek with the other. “I don’t know how I thought I could ever walk away from you. It doesn’t make sense, but I know in my gut we’re supposed to be together.”
Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks. Then she looked up at me again, her eyes two clear blue pools of honesty. “I feel it too.”
Relief coursed through my veins. I’d been prepared to fight for another chance with her, but it seemed like fate had removed at least one obstacle for me. “I’ve got nothing to offer you, Blakely. No job. No house. Nothing but me and the promise that I’m going to find a way to take care of you.”
Her brows knit together. “I don’t need you to take care of me. We can take care of each other.”
My fucking pride wouldn’t allow that, but I’d let it go for now. She’d find out soon enough that I had every intention of keeping my word. I planned on making her mine in every way possible and satisfying her every need.
“I’m going to start by making sure you get something to eat. You’re going to need your energy for what I have planned for you later.” With my hand at the small of her back, I guided her to an empty table. “Should we check out the buffet?”
She set down her glass, then slid into a chair. “Not until you tell me what happened. I’m thrilled you came back, but what changed your mind?”
“You.” I took the seat next to her and rested my arm on the back of her chair. Now that I’d found my way back to her, I couldn’t stop touching her.
“How did you know where I’d be tonight?”
“I stopped by your condo, hoping I might catch you, but you’d already left. There was an older woman… I think her name was Fitz or something… and she caught me trying to get into the pool area by the outer gate.”
“Fitzy.” Blakely let out a laugh and shook her head. “I bet it wasn’t difficult to get her to talk at all. What did it take?”
I clucked my tongue. “No need to give up all my secrets, is there?”
Blakely tilted her head and didn’t break eye contact.
“Fine.” I scrubbed a palm over my chin. “She made me sing a couple of Christmas tunes and promise she could sit on my lap later. That was the only way she’d tell me where I could find you tonight.”
“Be glad she didn’t ask for more,” Blakely said. “She must suspect how much I like you.”
“You like me?” I arched a brow.
“I think there’s potential.” She caught her lower lip with her teeth.
“Potential, huh?” I was about to thread her fingers with mine and show her just how much potential there was waiting for her between my legs when her douchebag ex took the stage.