I tucked the spread under my arm and bolted from the office. My surroundings receded into an uninteresting blur as I called Cora and headed for the ground floor.
She answered on the second ring, like she’d been expecting the call. “Hello?”
“Cora Margulis. I need to see you.”
“Hmmm. Why’s that?”
“No reason.” My legs felt like jelly, all the jitters returning to me, as if this was our first date all over again. “Just read something interesting about how you’re single suddenly. Thought maybe we could change that.”
A laugh rocketed out of her, drifting on in pure delight. My own smile stretched ear to ear.
“I’d like to enjoy the single girl status for at least a full day, once I’m finally granted it,” she said. “But we can see about what comes after that.”
“Where are you? Can you meet?”
“I’ll go wherever you want, Axel.” She sounded dreamy, like she was floating in outer space.
“Meet me at the building.” I wet my bottom lip, knowing I hadn’t said it quite right. “Ourbuilding.”
I arranged for cars to collect us at our respective locations. A half hour later, we were both stepping out of Fairchild SUVs on Tenth Ave, late-August sun warming me down to my bones through my light gray suit.
Cora’s sun kissed calves caught my attention. She wore a breezy green romper, her bare, toned arms spreading for a hug as she approached me. At eleven a.m. on a weekday, I’d never seen her so dressed down. I bridged the distance between us in two powerful steps and then she was in my arms, hands clasped behind my neck.
“I’m so sorry, Axel,” she said, her gaze bouncing all over my face as if we’d been apart for years instead of days.
“I’m the one who owes you an apology,” I said, nuzzling her neck. I could sense the attention of passersby sizzling over us. Phones were out, photos being captured. We needed to give the people what they wanted. I covered her mouth with my own and coaxed a long, sloppy kiss from her. For the tabloids, sure. But also for our health.
She giggled when we broke for air. I pressed my forehead against hers.
“I’m so sorry, Cora. For doubting you. For pushing you away.”
“I don’t blame you for doubting me,” she whispered. “But I needed to go. I had to get everything in order.”
“I know you did.” I tightened my grip around her, my cock pricking to life. “Let’s go inside before we make a scene and we’re in the paper for a different reason altogether.”
“I’m ready to make the headlines for every single possible reason,” she said. “Quitting my job. Divorcing my husband. Seducing the Fairchild CEO. Airing my family’s dirty laundry. Filling Eli’s office with inflated balloons.”
“Don’t forget public indecency,” I said, slipping a hand beneath the hem of her romper. “Which of course will lead to conceiving our first child right here on the sidewalk. Did you really fill that looner’s office with balloons?””
She laughed into my shoulder. “I did. Two hundred of them.”
Something in her bare face was so refreshing, so freeing, that just looking at her cracked me wide open. I led her by the hand toward the building.Ourbuilding. Inside the lobby, our footsteps echoed through the cool, musty air.
“You’re glowing,” I told her, bringing her knuckles to my lips.
“That’s what jumping off a metaphorical cliff will do to you, I suppose,” she said with a cheesy grin. She looked like she’d just gotten back from a monthlong getaway in Mexico. Sunkissed. Brimming with life.Free.“Better than any facial.”
“You’re tanner than before.”
“I’ve been testing out the rooftop patio on a new place I’m having renovated.” She sent me a cryptic smile. “Maybe you’ve seen it before. I can personally attest it has room for a helipad and everything.”
“One that Eli doesn’t know about, I assume?”
Her face fell, but only briefly. She traced invisible patterns over the lapel of my suit coat as she spoke. “I’m sorry for Eli. I’m sorry for choosing him, for marrying him. I’m sorry that he brought all of this to your doorstep."
"Babe. It’s not your fault.” I brushed my lips against her forehead. “You thought you were doing the right thing all those years ago. Nobody can fault you for that. And when it comes to you, I’m glad to battle the evil, level-ten boss because it’ll feel all that much better when he finally gets defeated.”
She smoothed her palms over the flat planes of my chest. “We both have to battle some evil bosses, huh?”