NINE
MEADOW
“I…ah…” I can’t find words. All night I was pissed about him having a girlfriend, but now he doesn’t. Better yet, he never did. Does that change things? Before yesterday, I told myself I wouldn't go down this path again. Then one day with Heath and here I am.
“That’s not a no, and I’m not going to let you come up with a million reasons to give me one,” he says and then he’s kissing me and taking the choice away.
I should push him back, but instead I grip the front of his shirt. His hand slides into my hair, pulling my head back to deepen the kiss. My lips part the second his tongue slides along the seam, and I moan.
“Fuck, you taste so good.”
“It's a toaster strudel. The icing.” He smiles at my dumb response. Jeez, I couldn’t have just taken the compliment?
“It’s you. I jacked off last night thinking about your mouth.”
“Heath!”
“That’s right, naughty girl. Say my name.” Then he’s kissing me again, and this time the kiss is deeper.
Why is him calling me a naughty girl so damn hot? I was never naughty. I’m the antithesis of naughty, but the idea of being naughty for Heath makes my panties wet.
His arm wraps around my waist, and I’m hugged flush against his broad frame. I moan when his cock digs into my stomach and feel how turned on he is. Heat floods my body, and it’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. A fire is coming to life inside of me as fear comes barreling in right behind it.
“Meadow?” Heath lifts his mouth from mine, and my body goes rigid.
“No more yogurt for breakfast,” Craig says, and I jump back from Heath. At least I try to, but I don’t get far because he keeps one hand firmly on my hip. “Oh shit.” Craig’s eyes bounce between the two of us, and I can tell he’s super uncomfortable. Craig knows how big a deal it is to our boss to land this firm as a full-time client.
“It’s fine, Craig. Mr. Phillips knows that Heath and I…” I search for the right word. “Have a relationship.” Sure, that works. It doesn’t mean he’s my boyfriend, but our families are close.
“It’s none of my business.” He puts his hands up defensively, and I want to tell him that his bathroom issues aren’t ours either, but I leave it.
“We should get to work. There’s a lot to be done.” I try to step away from Heath again, and his fingers flex one last time before he releases me. “The access codes.”
From the expression on Heath’s face, the access codes are the last thing he wants to give me right now. As for me, I need them. It will give me a second to think over what the hell is happening with Heath and me before he gets me alone, and, after that kiss, I know what’s coming.
Heath and I always had that in common. We’re both driven, but it’s not only that. When I was younger, I actually made a list of all the reasons Heath was the man for me. The list was silly because it listed the same things we enjoyed like movies and foods, but most of all he had a way of calming me. That went right out the window after that dreadful night of my confession. If he had a list back then, I wasn’t on it. What’s changed and why now?
“I’ll key them in for you,” he says as he types them into my laptop.
“Thanks.” I slip past him and get to work.
My lips don’t stop tingling, and anytime I have a moment where I’m not focusing on the numbers in front of me, my mind drifts right to Heath. Yesterday hurt. He brought up so many feelings I’ve spent years trying to suppress. The problem is that I’m only hiding them because I can’t move past them. Now he has me wondering if I ever really tried to move on.
The relief of hearing him say that the blonde wasn’t his girlfriend almost took my breath away. Therein lies the problem. What happens to me if or when this all goes to hell? It shattered me years ago, and I hadn’t known his kisses then. I wasn’t aware of how good his body felt against mine. With each touch I’ll fall deeper and deeper, and now I’m afraid of not being able to get out.
The blonde from last night might not be his girlfriend, but I’m sure there have been some along the way. All the while I couldn't get over him. I hated myself for wondering why he didn’t want me.
“I’m going to grab some lunch.” Craig pushes back from his chair and stretches.
“Stay clear of the dairy,” I offer without looking up from my screen.
“Will do,” he says before he strolls out of the conference room.
Heath hadn’t spent his morning in here as he did yesterday. A few times he popped in but then left, and if I'm honest, I was disappointed. Even though I knew it was for the best, I still hated to watch him go.
Not wanting to draw this out, I head for Heath’s office, and the same woman from yesterday is sitting at the desk outside it.
“You can go right in,” she tells me before I make it to her.