The Workaholic Down the Hall

by Katharine Sadler

  May tossed it on top of the jeans. “Go take a shower and put that outfit on,” she said. “I'll be waiting here.”

  I looked at her baggy jeans and over-sized sweater. May always dressed in a bohemian style, but I figured she'd want a more sophisticated look for a night out. “Aren't you going to change?”

  “Nah,” she said. She waved me toward the shower. “Hurry up, we don't have all night.”

  I went to the bathroom and closed the door, not because she was bossing me around but because I had baby spit-up in my hair and I smelled like baby wipes. Since Sophie had come into my life, showers had become a treasured luxury.

  When I emerged from the bathroom, dressed and clean and feeling more like myself, I found May waiting for me with my make-up spread out all over my bed. She looked up and frowned. “What are you going to do with your hair?”

  I shrugged. “I'll just pull it up into a bun after it dries.”

  She shook her head, stood, and shoved me back into the bathroom. “Where's your hair dryer?”

  “May, if we're going to go out, let's go. If it gets any later, I'll fall asleep on you.”

  “This will just take a few minutes.” She leaned close, her face next to mine in the mirror's reflection. “I went camping once for a week. No shower. No make-up. No flush toilet. When I got home it felt so good to shower and get all prettied up. I imagine what you're feeling as a new mom isn't much different.”

  I rolled my eyes, but she wasn't completely wrong. I did like the idea of getting pretty, of having some me time. “Fine, but if you take too long, I'm going to bed.”

  May did take too long, but it was kind of soothing, the heat of the hair dryer and her gentle hands as she brushed and flat-ironed my hair. It was almost like having a little nap and it was nice to just enjoy a moment of peace when no one needed anything from me.

  “Perfect,” she finally said. “Now, let's do your make-up.”

  I sighed, but didn't argue. My hair looked amazing and I was getting excited about this night out. She let me put on my own make-up, which didn't take long. Though I had dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, I just slapped on foundation, curled my lashes, and put on lip gloss.

  “Can we go now?” I asked, when I was done.

  May looked me up and down and smiled. “Yep. I approve. Let's go.”

  “Aren't you going to put on make-up or anything?”

  She shrugged. “We can stop by my place on the way.”

  I kissed Sophie goodbye, thanked Nora again, promising not to be out too late, and followed May to her car. I picked up my pace as soon as the cold air hit my warm skin and hopped into the car, shivering as she started it and turned on the seat warmers.

  She drove us into town, speeding right past her house. “I thought you were going to stop.”

  “Nah,” she said. “This is all about you. I look good enough to be your wing woman, don't I?”

  “You look beautiful,” I said. “You always…Wait, my wing woman? I'm not looking to pick up any men tonight.”

  May smiled serenely. “I'm not suggesting you go home with anyone, but there's a lot to be said for flirting and being appreciated.”

  I sighed. I didn't want to flirt with anyone, didn't want to spend time with any man other than Noah. I missed him with an ache that bordered on the physical and it was taking everything I had not to call him and tell him I'd changed my mind. I could take him up on his ill-timed and ill-considered proposal, even if it wasn't entirely right for me. At least I'd have him in my life. I shook my head, I just couldn't do that to him. Or to me. “I'm afraid I'm pathetically in love with your brother.”

  “That is pathetic,” May said, making a face. “Considering what a turd he's been.”

  “He hasn't, though. He's been there for me and Sophie, he's moved his whole life here for us. You said you had a plan, does getting me out of the house and dressed up have anything to do with it?”

  “Maybe. I just thought it might be good for you to remember that you're a fun, gorgeous, brilliant, confident woman. You can't face Noah again until you've remembered that.” She parked outside a dance club, the whole place thumping with music. “Come on, let's go have some fun.”

  The bar was packed, the music was loud, and anticipation and excitement and maybe a bit of lust filled the air. I loved to dance, to go out and meet people, to flirt and laugh, and excitement rushed through me and wiped out any fatigue of the heart or body I'd been feeling.

  “It looked to me like you have a fridge full of breast milk,” May said before we got too far inside. “You're free to drink, right?”

  I was free to drink, but I hated the idea of going home to Sophie and not being one hundred percent sober if she needed me. Plus, the way I was feeling, I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop at just one or two drinks. “No alcohol for me tonight.” Luckily, I wasn't one of those people who needed booze to let loose and have fun.

  May nodded and pointed to the bar. “I'm getting a drink. I'll find you on the dance floor.”

  I didn't need to be told twice. One of my favorite songs, with a deep bass and a bouncy tune, was playing and I was more than ready to shake it. I wove my way through the crowd on the dance floor until I found a somewhat clear space.

  I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. I relished the sound of the music, the happy press of bodies, and the freedom. I loved being a mom, I adored Sophie, but I often lost myself for moments, sometimes days, when I was with her, and being on that dance floor felt a bit like remembering who I was.

  I began to move and I smiled as I opened my eyes and saw the people around me moving, some serious, some silly, some trying to look sexy and some searching for a partner. Half the fun of dancing in a club was people watching. I danced through three songs before I felt warm hands on my hips. I twisted to look over my shoulder, ready to tell the guy to get lost, and saw Noah's face, his eyebrows high in question, his expression wary.

  I smiled, glad he was there and glad we didn't have to discuss the proposal, that he didn't look mad or upset. I faced forward and leaned into him, moving with him. I'd never danced with Noah before, when I'd gone out dancing in the past, it had been with casual friends from work or college. If I had to guess I'd say Noah hadn't spent much time on a dance floor. He had no rhythm at all, but he tried and he held me close, his arms tight around me.

  When the next song started, a faster song, I smiled up at him. Instead of letting me go so we could dance to the faster beat, he grinned, his hands slipping down until they rested on my ass and held on tighter. We danced until my thighs burned, we were both sweaty, and my throat was dry.

  Noah and I got bottled waters and found an empty, dark corner to stand in and catch our breath. I expected Noah to give me some space, maybe try to talk to me about everything, but instead, he moved closer, one hand on my hip, his face in my neck. “I'm Noah,” he said in a low, husky voice.

  I smiled, understanding immediately what he was doing. Everything about our romantic relationship had been backwards and he was reversing the course, starting over. “I'm Aubrey,” I said, my voice a bit gaspy as he pressed a kiss to a spot behind my ear that sent waves of sensation and lust over my body. “I don't usually pick up guys in bars, it's not a good way to start a relationship.”

  He pressed into me and tightened his grip on my hip, like he had no intention of ever letting me go. “Maybe not for most people, but it's going to work for us.”

  I melted into him. “You seem pretty sure of that.”

  “I'm absolutely certain,” he said. “Do you want to get out of here, come back to my place?”

  “Actually…” I felt oddly nervous, like I really had just met him in this bar and he wasn't going to like what I was about to say. “I've got a baby at home.”

  He tensed and pulled away from me a bit. “You probably want to get home to her.”

  “I do,” I said. “But I'd love it if you came home with me.”

  He relaxed. “That would be amazin
g. You want to go now, or do you want to dance some more?”

  I could probably dance all night with him, but his body pressed against mine was making me want to get him naked and in my bed. “Let's go home.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Epilogue

  8 months later

  Noah

  Aubrey's hair was in a messy bun on top of her head, revealing the creamy skin of her neck. I wanted to step up behind her and press a kiss to that smooth, perfect flesh, but we were in public, at Cody and Carrie's wedding reception, and Aubrey was chatting and laughing with May and Dilly, Carrie's other two bridesmaids.

  Every time I saw Aubrey with other people, being her social, happy self, I was struck with amazement that she was my fiancée, that she was going home with me. I was also reminded of what an idiot I'd been for not asking her out the first time I saw her, for not grabbing her and never letting go.

  Over the past eight months, we'd gotten dressed up and gone out on an adult date at least once every week. I'd sent Aubrey flowers, even though I lived with her, and bought her gifts. I'd wooed her romantically and I'd gotten to know her as a sexy, brilliant woman, an amazing mother, and the only person I ever wanted forever.

  I watched her laughing with her friends and I waited. “What are you doing watching the women like a creeper?” Oscar asked, stepping up next to me. Unexpectedly, he and I had become good friends.

  “Don't act superior, salt man. I've seen you checking out Dilly all night. Why don't you go over and talk to her?”

  I could have sworn Oscar's cheeks pinked. I'd suspected for a while that he had a thing for Dilly, but I hadn't called him out on it until that moment. “I doubt her date would appreciate that,” he said.

  As if on cue, Dilly's date, a tall, lean man with graying hair, who looked at least ten years older than her, stepped up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I blew a zerbert. “Please. You can take him.”

  Oscar rolled his eyes. “Right. Because all the women want a man who beats up their date and drags them back to his cave.”

  I shook my head, watching my friend wince as Dilly's date spun her and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. “Just don't screw up and wait too long to tell her how you feel, like I did.”

  He sighed. “She'd have to be single long enough for that to happen. I'm going to get a drink, you want one?”

  “No, thanks.” May had left Aubrey's side, pulled away to dance by another wedding guest I didn't recognize. I walked quickly up to Aubrey before anyone else caught her attention. I grabbed her hips and pressed a quick kiss to the back of her neck, pulling her against me. “I've been watching you all night,” I said in a low voice. “You are the sexiest woman I've ever seen.”

  She spun to face me, a huge smile on her face. “Sorry,” she said. “I'm sure you're a really nice guy, but I'm engaged.” She glanced down at her belly, still flat, our second child only a tiny bit bigger than a wonderful idea. “And I'm pregnant.”

  I didn't let her go. “Your fiancé’s an idiot if he's not right next to you. I happen to think pregnancy looks amazing on you.”

  Her smile widened. “You might be right. I suppose I could sneak away for a few minutes if you're up for a quickie in the bathroom.”

  “I'm up for anything with you, gorgeous.” I took her hand and led her inside. Carrie and Cody had rented out Nora's Inn for the weekend for out of town friends and anyone who wanted to crash there after having a few too many at the wedding. I knew just the place for our tryst. I pulled Aubrey upstairs and to the bedroom at the end of the hall.

  “We can't do this here,” she said. “How will I explain to your mother that an empty room needs to be cleaned?”

  I shrugged. “Who can say what happened? Maybe one of the guests was drunk and slept in the wrong room.”

  She nodded. “Okay, that's believable.” I led her to the bed and made short work of getting her undressed and under me. She sighed and moaned, her sounds driving me as crazy as they always did. I gripped her wrists tight in one hand and drove into her, fast and hard.

  “Yes,” she moaned. “God, I've missed this.”

  That gave me pause. “We just did it this morning.”

  “That was so long ago,” she said, her voice breathy. “Why the hell did you stop?”

  I chuckled. God, I loved pregnancy hormones. I started moving again and we both reached our climaxes in record time.

  “We should get back to the party,” she said, as she snuggled in close to me. “Before someone comes looking for us.”

  I groaned, but she was right. There were too many damn members of my family and they were all too damn curious. I climbed out of bed, helped her up and we dressed quickly.

  “Do you think Sophie's okay?” she asked. Sophie had started walking early, just last week, and she was into everything. Plus, we'd had to hire a babysitter. After I'd moved in with Aubrey, we'd decided I should put off finding a job until I had my degree. Aubrey and I had arranged our schedules so at least one of us would be home with Sophie all the time. I knew Aubrey was nervous about our first babysitter.

  “I texted her before I brought you up here. Sophie's fine. She's sleeping.” I pulled up the text on my phone and showed her the picture of our sleeping daughter.

  Aubrey breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around me. “Thank you. You really are the sweetest, maybe we should get married.”

  “Good idea,” I said. “Let's set a date.”

  I'd asked Aubrey to marry me, for the second time, a month after she'd rejected me the first time. I'd been ready to get married immediately, but she was still nervous about rushing into things. I'd been living with her and Sophie for the past eight months and it felt like the right time to get married. As far as I was concerned, we were already a family in every way that mattered.

  “Okay,” she said. “But let's do it before I'm too round to have any fun.”

  That surprised me. “Next month?”

  “How about next weekend?”

  “Are you suggesting we elope to Vegas?”

  “Nope,” she said. “We'll have it here.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “What's going on?”

  She smiled. “Well, your mom wanted it to be a complete surprise, sort of like your proposal, but I thought you ought to at least have some say in the guest list and your tux.”

  My chest tightened and my throat felt sore. “You're serious? We're getting married next weekend?”

  She smiled, her eyes lit with happiness. “We're getting married next weekend.”

  I wrapped her up tight in my arms. “I don't care who's on the guest list or what my tux looks like as long as I'm marrying you.”

  TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Katharine Sadler lives with her husband in North Carolina. She’s been writing since she was ten and has wanted to be a writer even longer. When she’s not writing or otherwise gainfully occupied, she reads like it’s an addiction, exercises, skis whenever she gets the chance, and adds more books to her wish list.

  OTHER WORKS BY KATHARINE SADLER

  The Reapers (5 book series)

  The Reaping (Reapers 1)

  On a White Horse (Reapers 1.5)

  The Revolt (Reapers 2)

  The Rift (Reapers 3)

  Switch (Reapers 3.5)

  The Resonance (Reapers 4)

  The Resistance (Reapers 5)

  The Reapers Series Box Set

  Dying Dreams (Trilogy)

  Dying Dreams (Dying Dreams 1)

  Dying Innocence (Dying Dream
s 2)

  Fairy Files (6 book series)

  Fairy on the Rocks (Fairy Files 1)

  Pink Princess Fairytini (Fairy Files 2)

  Fairy with a Twist (Fairy Files 3)

  Wild Fairy Moonshine (Fairy Files 4)

  Bloody Fairy (Fairy Files 5)

  Fairy, Neat (Fairy Files 6)

  Remixed Fairy Tales (7 book series)

  Remington’s Tower (Remixed Fairy Tales 1)

  Francesca’s Slumber (Remixed Fairy Tales 2)

  Lizabell’s Gamble (Remixed Fairy Tales 3)

  Catalpa Creek (6 book series)

  The Deadbeat Next Door (Catalpa Creek 1)

  The Workaholic Down the Hall (Catalpa Creek 2)

  I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

  You can chat with me at:

  www.KatharineSadler.com

  www.Facebook.com/KatharineGSadler

  www.Twitter.com/KatharineSadler

  www.pinterest.com/AuthorKSadler

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you to my family for their unfailing support. And a big thank you to my husband/business manager for making sure I keep my priorities straight and keep writing and editing and publishing, even on the days I’d rather spend curled on the couch reading a good book. Thank you to my friend and beta reader Becky Kyslinger for letting me know when something isn’t working for her and giving me spot-on advice about how to improve the book. Thank you to www.CoverYourDreams.net for the gorgeous cover on this and all my books.