Both pairs of eyes cut to me.
“What’s the next step?” I asked Jerry. “Getting Bill to agree to six months?”
“Uh.” Jerry looked at us with an expression somewhere between confused, delighted, and reluctant. “Yep, that’s the next step.”
“It’s decided then,” David said.
“All right.” Jerry picked up the paperwork again. “Mind if I take a few more minutes with this?”
“Sure,” I said.
As he sat at my desk, David turned to block me from Jerry with his body. He placed his hands on my cheeks. “Thank you,” he said.
“I trust you.” I held his gaze. “Completely.”
His thumb moved over my cheek. “You don’t know what that means to me.”
I beamed at him.
“What’s that smile for?” he asked.
“It feels good to be . . . out in the open.”
“It feels amazing. I’m sorry I left you in bed this morning, but I wanted to finish up at work in time to drive you home tonight.”
I hesitated. “Actually, Davena’s husband—”
“Mack.”
“Yes . . . Mack. He called earlier and wants to go for dinner. I haven’t seen him since before everything happened.”
David smiled warmly. “That sounds nice.”
I wanted David to meet Mack, but after telling my friends, my office, and most importantly, my dad, the past couple weeks had been a lot. “I understand if you don’t want to come.”
David studied my face before responding. “I’d like to,” he said. “But won’t it be uncomfortable showing up with a man who isn’t your husband?”
I didn’t have the first clue what I’d say to Mack. He’d recently lost the love of his life—would he understand my choice to leave Bill? No playbook existed for this kind of thing. “It definitely will, but I’d like you to be there. I think you understand how important Mack is to me, how important Davena was. They’re my godparents.”
“Then I’d be honored to meet him,” David said. “What time should I pick you up here?”
“Dinner’s at seven-thirty, and I want to change first, but it’s close to the apartment.”
Jerry alerted us that he was finished, so I walked them back to the lobby. I’d hung my head on our way in, so this time, as we zigzagged through the office, I grasped David’s hand. He was my boyfriend, and that was what couples did. After a look of surprise from him, I was rewarded with his wonderfully perfect boyish grin—now, one of my favorite sights in the world.
At the elevator bank, Jerry averted his eyes as David swooped in for one last kiss. “See you tonight,” he said.
I left them in the elevator bank and returned to the lobby, where Serena and Jenny blockaded me from passing.
“We need details,” Jenny demanded.
“Like, now,” Serena added.
I sighed to hide my amusement. “You two are incurable gossips.”
“Is that how the story starts?” Jenny chided. “I didn’t think so. Spill.”
I crossed my arms and leaned a hip against Jenny’s desk. “As you may have figured out, Bill and I are getting a divorce.” I gestured over my shoulder. “And I’m dating David.”
“Get out,” Jenny said as Serena balked, “Shut up!”
“Well, which is it?” I teased. Finally, I allowed my smile to break through.
Jenny squealed, “How did this happen?”
I scratched my forehead. “It’s a long story.”
“He’s the most beautiful man in Chicago,” Serena gushed.
“Who is?” I heard and turned my head. Lisa had appeared in the doorway.
“Liv’s boyfriend,” Serena said.
“Uh, Bill?” she asked.
“No,” Jenny said, rolling her eyes. “She’s getting a divorce. We’re talking about her boyfriend.”
Lisa looked at me. “And that would be . . .?”
I raised my chin. “You remember David Dylan?”
Her mouth fell open. “From ‘Most Eligible’?”
I nodded.
“Yeah fucking right . . . David Dylan and you?” Her back went rod-straight as she looked over my shoulder. “I mean—”
Just for that comment, I decided to brag. “Yep,” I said loudly. “David Dylan and me. Me and, as Serena said, the hottest guy in Chicago. But, believe it or not, he’s also incredibly sweet, romantic, thoughtful, and just . . .” I sighed happily. “Just, like, so seriously amazing.”
“Go on,” came a deep voice behind me, followed by an amused chuckle.
Oh my God. I paled and turned around slowly. David stood at the door, taking in the scene. Jenny and Serena gasped. Lisa snickered. And David grinned—huge. “Jerry took your pen.” He held it out. “Asked me to return it.”
“Oh. Of course.” I smoothed my hand down my front and tried to play it cool as I walked to him and took the pen. It had to be the absolute most ridiculous reason ever to get caught gushing about your boyfriend. I mumbled a “thanks” and turned, but he grabbed my arm and spun me around into his body.
He held me there to plant a sweet kiss on my lips. “You, Olivia Germaine, are the one who’s seriously amazing,” he said loudly enough for everyone to hear, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. “And I love you.”
The two wilting sighs behind me harmonized with my own. David released me, but not before shooting Lisa an especially chilling glance that made even my stomach drop. I watched David return through the doors to where Jerry held the elevator for him. Hands in his pockets, David winked at me as the elevator doors closed.
When I turned back, all three women seemed on the verge of exploding.
“He loves you?” Jenny exclaimed. “You are so goddamn lucky.”
“I am,” I agreed.
“You aren’t lucky, Liv. You deserve it,” Serena said as if it were obvious. “He’s the one who’s lucky.”
I searched her face and found only sincerity. “Thank you, Serena. That’s really sweet.”
She smiled, and we giggled conspiratorially when we noticed Lisa had slunk away.
* * *
In the foyer of the apartment, as David and I waited for the elevator, his eyes scanned my pink, shimmering, long-sleeved shift dress with lace overlay. “Should I be worried about this Mack?” he joked.
I tightened my ponytail. “Why, is it too sexy?”
“It’s the perfect amount of sexy . . .” David bit his lip. “As long as I’m with you at all times.”
I laughed as I slipped into my coat. “Then my diabolical plan to keep you close is working.”
We opted to walk from the apartment to the restaurant where we were meeting Mack.
As we headed out into the night, David moved to the outside of the sidewalk. “Jerry advised me to lose Arnaud,” he said. “He thinks he’s full of shit and a liability.”
So I wasn’t the only one. I glanced at the sidewalk. “What’d you say?”
“I said no. I can’t fire a man at the top of his field based on an allegation. Arnaud has given me no reason to doubt him, and he says all his interactions with her were professional.” David stared forward. “Anyway, it did remind me that you said you didn’t like him a while back.”
I linked my elbow with his. “Right.”
“Well?” he prompted. “I’m asking what made you say that.”
“I really don’t want to get in the middle.” Did I? Even if I hadn’t met Arnaud, I’d be inclined to believe Clare. Maybe she was bitter over the way David had fired her, but both things could be true. I’d been hit on by a professor in college, and plenty of my friends had been propositioned by superiors. “He’s your friend. It’s not my business.”
“He’s my associate first,” David said. “And the people in my life affect you.”
That was true. I really didn’t like the idea of hanging around Arnaud in any kind of setting. Hiding my feelings to keep the peace was one of the mistakes I’d made with Bill, so I stopped walking
and turned to David. “Well, since you asked, I’ll be honest. Arnaud makes me very uncomfortable. When he looks at me, it’s like he’s undressing me with his eyes.”
David froze, staring at me. “Unfortunately, I’d bet a lot of men look at you that way,” he said. “Didn’t I?”
“Yes, but that was different. It never crossed my mind that you’d like taking advantage of me,” I said. “But Arnaud? I wouldn’t want to be alone with him.”
David rubbed at the lines between his eyebrows, clearly trying to process something that didn’t make sense to him. “Arnaud’s intense, and . . . sometimes people don’t get his humor because he’s not from here. That’s why I handle client relations.”
I shrugged and resumed walking. “Again, I don’t really want to get in the middle, David. But I don’t think it’s fair to write off those around you who are saying something isn’t right.”
After a moment, he blew out a sigh. “All right. I hear you. I’ll look into it further.”
“Thank you.” I didn’t want to bring down the mood, so I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled up at him. “Have I mentioned today that I love my new earrings? And that later, I intend to show you how much?”
That got me a grin. “Can’t wait.”
David stopped me as we approached the restaurant. “I’m going to wait at the bar and give you and Mack a chance to talk first. And if you change your mind about us meeting, come find me when you finish.”
“Thank you, honey.” I lifted my chin, and he kissed me quickly.
Mack took the news well. He’d suspected something had gone awry with Bill after our last conversation, where I’d broken down in tears in Mack’s arms. I explained that in addition to my despair over Davena, I’d spent the months after her funeral trying to convince myself I wasn’t in love with another man.
“I can tell you’re much lighter, Olivia,” Mack said and took my hand over the table for two he’d gotten near a window. “Much, much lighter. The difference is appalling, actually. You’re glowing.”
“I’m happy, Mack. And in love. Real love.” I blushed. “I’d like to think maybe even the kind you shared with Davena.”
He looked taken aback. “This is a side of you I’ve never seen. I should like to meet the man who’s brought this out in you.”
“Actually . . . he’s here,” I said, pushing some of my hair behind my ear. “He wants to meet you, but we weren’t sure how you’d react.”
“He’s here now?” Mack asked.
I glanced toward the front of the restaurant. “At the bar.”
Mack stood immediately and signaled for a waiter. “Bring him over, dear. I’ll get us a table with a place for him.”
“You’re sure?” I asked, getting up, too. When he nodded, I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for being supportive.”
I found David on a barstool with his back to me, whiskey in hand. When I touched his shoulder, he turned. I meant to peck him quickly on the lips, but when our mouths met, I lingered there for a moment. “Mmm,” I moaned. “Whiskey reminds me of our first night together. You tasted so—”
“Do not say another word,” David warned. “Or else I’ll meet your godfather with a hard-on.”
I exhaled a laugh and held out my hand. “Come on. It’s going well.”
We made our way over and Mack stood as I introduced them. They shook hands, and David expressed his regret over Davena’s death. I remembered then that David had been at the funeral, and I squeezed his hand.
As David slid out my chair for me, Mack said, “Liv’s a different woman. Thank you for that.”
“She deserves better than what she was getting,” David replied and sat.
Mack set his elbows on the table, his eyebrows high. “You don’t mince words, do you, David? Bill was all right. A bit of an ass if you ask me, though.”
My mouth dropped with shock as my eyes shot to Mack. He was almost always overly polite, although that didn’t mean he held back. “You really thought that?”
“Sorry, dear, but I didn’t care much for his disposition,” Mack said, unfurling his dinner napkin. “I wish Davena were here to see this. She was supportive, but we wondered several times what it was you saw in him.”
“Apparently, you’re not the only one,” I said with a deep inhale. “Surprisingly, others have expressed their support, too. Not everyone, but that’s understandable.”
“Your mother?” Mack asked astutely.
David put his hand on the back of my chair. “Not supportive,” he said.
Mack grimaced at me. “After her history with your father, I can see why this would upset her.”
“She’s more than upset,” I said, and David’s hand dropped to massage the back of my neck. “She’s practically disowned me.”
“If Leanore were a rational woman, I’d say once she sees you two together, her opinion will change,” Mack said, and looked to David. “Unfortunately, I think this will be a long battle.”
Would my mother ever even give us the opportunity to show her? I had a hard time envisioning it. Enough time had passed that if she wanted, she could have called to apologize for what she’d said. I tried to think of a time in my life when she’d apologized for anything. “I hope she comes around one day, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“She sounds like a complicated woman,” David said.
Mack laughed. “Yes. She’s always been headstrong, but complicated and difficult are also words frequently used to describe her.”
“Difficult, yes,” I agreed, and covered Mack’s hand. “Thankfully, I had Davena as a stand-in.”
As our dinner proceeded, David and Mack discovered some mutual business acquaintances. David listened intently about the foundation Mack had started in Davena’s name, offering his services should Mack be able to use them. At some point during the night, I remembered that I’d once asked David if things were ever going to get easier.
It seemed that they were.
* * *
Burrowing under the comforter to combat a particularly cold night, and feeling loose after the wine I’d had at dinner with Mack, I wondered what was taking David so long to join me. “Are you coming?” I sang, growing impatient.
“Where are you?” he called.
I pulled the comforter down a little so I could see him. All six-feet-four of him—long, lean, and gloriously naked. Even in my flannel pajamas, I shivered. “It’s so cold.”
I squealed when he jumped on the bed. He climbed under the sheets to cover me with his warmth, tucking my arms under his elbows and my legs between his.
“That’s perfect,” I exhaled, instantly cured. “Never leave.”
“Deal.”
I giggled when he bent his head and breathed hot air on my neck. I wanted to reach up and brush my hand through his soft hair, but he kept me securely pinned under his body. Up close, I could see every strand, and when I spotted something new, I grinned. “Are you getting gray hairs?”
“Probably,” he grumbled, “considering what you’ve put me through the last few months.”
I gaped at him, holding back a laugh. “You’re blaming me?”
He kissed the underside of my jaw. “That’s a resounding yes.”
“Well, that’s fine,” I said, “because I actually find it quite distinguished and very sexy. Like really, super sexy.”
“Super sexy, huh?” He moaned against my skin and continued trailing kisses wherever he could reach. Being restrained by his body, all I could do was squirm—and bite my bottom lip, which I instantly released since it was tender. I’d almost forgotten I’d made it bleed during our bedroom adventures the night before. “What’s with all the flannel?” he asked, rising onto his hands and knees, tenting the comforter.
“It’s winter, and you weren’t here to keep me warm,” I said defensively.
He began unbuttoning my pajama top, smiling like the scoundrel he was. His eyes grew hungry as he muttered to himself, “It’s like opening a present
.”
I sighed happily and let my lids fall shut as my nipples hardened, anticipating David’s mouth on them.
Until David’s voice boomed through the room. “Fuck.”
My eyes flew open. “What?” I followed his gaze to a dark purple bruise forming on my chest in the spot where he’d bitten me the day before.
He sat back, and the comforter slid off his back. David pushed up my shirt, then yanked down my pants. “What the fuck?” His fingers gently spread my thighs, and I moved up on my elbows to see what he was looking at. He ran his hands over my hip and ushered me onto my side. “You are covered,” he paused to inhale, “in bruises.”
Ah. I hadn’t even noticed, but it wasn’t all that surprising. David and I had been going at it hard ever since we’d returned from Dallas. “They’re no big deal,” I said. “I can’t even feel them.”
“I was too rough with you yesterday,” he said, staring at my legs.
“And I loved it,” I said, looking him in the eye so he wouldn’t get weird about this.
He raked a hand through his hair and looked away, clearly distraught.
“Hey,” I said, trying to catch his gaze. “Look at me. I’m fine.”
“Fine?” he asked, and I silently cursed myself for using what had apparently become a trigger word for us.
“Yes, I am,” I said. “And I’m not just saying that. Frankly, I’ve never been happier.”
It was an honest and big confession, but David didn’t even hear it. His jawline flexed as he muttered something about Bill.
I instantly recoiled. “David, the marks he left behind came from anger. This is completely different. Remember what you said about us? It’s all love.”
He blinked his eyes to me then. “I’m so sorry. Seeing what Mark and Bill did to you, I lost my mind.” He shook his head. “And now this? It won’t happen again. You have my word.”
Wait, what? That was the exact opposite answer I’d been hoping for. I scrambled to my knees and took his face in my hands. “You didn’t hurt me,” I said emphatically. “Sometimes we’re loving. Sometimes we’re rough. I would tell you if it was too much.”
Cityscape Affair Series: The Complete Box Set Page 83