She looked down, and then back at him, mouth twisted in amusement. She tilted off the bed for a second and came back up with something in her hand. She tugged her T-shirt on. “Now are you listening?”
She was too much fun. He nodded. “I was listening before.”
“Right.” Her pursed lips faded into a smile. “Since we already ruined the pillow talk, I need to know something. About the future.”
He pushed himself upright. “You’re talking about making plans?”
She ducked her head, suddenly intently focused on the stark white of the comforter. “No. I mean, yes, but it doesn’t have to be concrete or anything, just kind of a loose idea, and—”
“Stop.” He placed a finger under her chin and raised her face so he could look her in the eye. “I’m teasing. Tell me.”
She let out a tiny sigh, and the corners of her eyes tugged down, marring her smile. “We live several states apart. All this talk about lov—falling for each other, and still seeing each other, the details don’t quite add up. I mean, okay, so I’m a bit transient, especially if I don’t find a new job before my rent’s due again, but you’re a busy guy. You’re not going to have time to drop by whenever, and I can’t afford to travel like that.”
He wrapped his fingers around hers. He hated to admit, he hadn’t thought that far. All of his focus had been on not losing her now. “I’ll make time. And you will find a new job. If you’re interested in Atlanta…there are a lot of good companies out there.” He didn’t even know what he was trying to say. Something was stuck in the back of his head, but he couldn’t reach it. “I’ll visit on weekends until we can make it work. I promise. Okay?”
She nodded, but creases still lined her forehead. “Okay.”
He pulled her back toward him and lay down again, tugging her back to his chest. He wrapped an arm around her stomach. “You’ve been running full throttle all week. Get some sleep. When you’re rested, you’ll be able to think better.”
She nodded and pressed back into him. He held her tight until her breathing grew steady. The sound lulled away his tension and dragged his eyelids shut. They’d both think clearer once they’d slept.
****
A familiar chime echoed through Jared’s thoughts, jarring him into consciousness. The first thing he registered was the warm weight in his arms and her mumbles of protest.
He kissed her cheek as he sat up. “Phone. Go back to sleep.”
He could get used to this. Waking up next to her. Fuck, who was he kidding? He was already used to it. What was he going to do when she was gone tomorrow?
The clock on the nightstand said it was three, and the light peeking through the curtains confirmed yes, they’d slept into the afternoon.
He grabbed his phone and swiped Answer. “Yeah?”
“You still pissy and vengeful?” Tate asked.
“Uh…” Jared had to fumble through his memories to figure out what the question was linked to. That morning, arguing in Tate’s room, seemed like an eternity ago. His entire world had shifted since then, and his friends had no idea. “No, I’m so much better you wouldn’t believe it.”
“Right.” Hesitation dragged out Tate’s reply. “Or you started drinking early and without us.”
Jared laughed. The sensation felt natural and light drifting from his chest. “No. I’m actually good. What’s up?”
“V says you’re ignoring her. We doing something or not? Dinner? Cards? Celebrate not losing our shirts last night?”
Or celebrate losing them this morning. He glanced at Mikki. She had rolled onto her back and was watching him, eyes half open, full lips twisted in unspoken question.
He dragged his attention back to the phone conversation. “Yeah, dinner. We need to talk. Give me two hours. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Two? Because you need to blow dry your stunning locks? Fine, but you text V, so she stops bugging me.”
Jared said his goodbyes and sent Viv a quick message, assuring her he’d just been asleep and repeating the two hour time frame. He set the phone aside and focused all his attention on the woman now sitting next across from him.
“You’re okay with dinner, right?” Maybe he should have asked her first.
“With your friends?” Her expression had gone flat.
“Yes?”
She grinned. “Duh? Tate’s kind of cute, have you ever noticed that?”
“No, I hadn’t. And those rumors about college and experimentation aren’t true.”
“Too bad.” She gave him an exaggerated pout. “I’d love to hear the stories. Why do we need the extra time?”
He shifted his weight and crawled toward her. He traced his lips up the side of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent. “I want to get to know you a little more first. Or a lot more. If I have to put you on a plane tomorrow, I want to learn as much as possible about you tonight.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Mikki drained half her orange juice in a single swallow. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks, when she realized all eyes were on her, and she ducked her head.
“Dehydrated?” Vivian teased.
Possibly. Dinner the night before had been a blast. Mikki knew for sure now why Jared, Tate, and Vivian were such close friends. At the same time, they hadn’t left her out. Though for the fourth night in a row, she hadn’t gotten much sleep. The sex had been amazing every other night. However, last night they’d only talked. Connecting with Jared, learning about where he’d grown up, hearing stories about his past, had been even more incredible. The sleepless night had been worth it.
“It’s a desert, Viv.” Jared grabbed Mikki’s hand from where it rested on the bench between them and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s important to drink plenty of fluids.”
“Good excuse.” Tate wasn’t paying attention to them. He’d been scoping out waitresses since they’d arrived. “Maybe it’s more important not to deplete those fluids so quickly in this dry climate.”
“No, I don’t think that’s the solution.” Jared poked at his toast. “I’m almost certain of it.”
Mikki’s face flared red-hot. She was going to die of embarrassment, she knew it. It was one thing to let loose and experience life—she was still pretty happy with her decisions there—but she hadn’t expected her impulses to be the focus of breakfast conversation. Especially since she hadn’t indulged last night.
“Did you tell her yet?” The shift in Vivian’s tone drew Mikki’s attention.
“Nope.” Jared suddenly seemed more interested in his food than the conversation. “I told you, I have nothing to do with this.”
Her embarrassment skittered away, and Mikki gave her full attention to the woman across from her. “Tell me what?”
Vivian reached down, grabbed a manila folder from her briefcase, and handed it across the table. “Wait,” she said before Mikki could open it.
A glimmer of hope flared inside Mikki, but she suppressed it. This wasn’t the kind of thing she could afford to get her hopes up about.
“I should be allowed one more chance.” Vivian’s tone was serious and her expression neutral.
“Come on.” Tate turned back to the table and looked at Mikki. “Please, for the love of all that’s good, hear her out so she’ll just shut up already. I swear, if I have to hear one more time— Ow.” He rubbed his shin and glared at Vivian. “Kicking. Real mature.”
Vivian gave him a casual shrug and nodded at the folder. “There are some ground rules. Things you have to keep in mind that don’t really go in the contract, but are deal breakers.”
Mikki’s hope surged again. Contract? No. It couldn’t be. She couldn’t ignore the giddiness climbing inside, but she did manage to keep it from her voice. “Go on.”
“First rule.” Vivian ticked off on her finger. “I don’t care what title the person you’re screwing holds. You report to me, not him, so it earns you zero special treatment.”
It really was what she thought. Mikki’s fingers itched
to open the folder. They were going to make her an offer. She glanced at Jared, then back at Vivian, not daring to interrupt.
“Which also means.” Vivian ticked off another finger. “The two of you never work together, unless he needs you for collaboration.”
“What else?” Mikki didn’t care. She was ready to sign. This was her dream job. The one she would have taken in an instant if she’d been thinking six months ago.
“Nothing else.” Vivian nodded at the folder again. “Take your time, think about it. Keep in mind the moving expense has to be repaid if you leave us within the next twelve months. Though honestly, that’s just standard contract language. I’m not worried about it happening.”
Mikki was surprised her hands stayed steady as she opened the folder. Skriddie letterhead sat inside, offering her a touch more salary-wise than she’d made at NSS, and more than enough to move cross-country. She looked at Jared. “You knew about this?”
His smile made her insides melt. “I guessed. Tate’s right, she hasn’t shut up about hiring you since she figured out it might still be an option. I fought it every step of the way.”
“He begged me to take you on,” Vivian countered. “Groveled at my feet and told me he knew I’d never find someone so talented again.”
“You’re both so full of shit.” Tate reached across the table and flicked the folder. “They’re going to insist you take your time. You’re going to say you don’t need to. They’re going to say you really should. Tell them now you’re serious when you say yes.” He handed her a pen. “And let me enjoy my pancakes in peace?”
She took the pen without another word and signed on the appropriate line. She handed the pen back to Tate and the letter to Vivian. “I’m serious when I say yes.”
“Good.” Vivian tucked everything back into her briefcase. “It’s about time.”
“But I will need something from you.” Mikki felt like dancing. She might still; she hadn’t decided yet. She’d be living closer to Jared, and she’d be working for an actual respectable company. A tiny Yay! echoed in her thoughts. “The names of hotels near the office that will give me a corporate discount, so I have a place to crash until I find an apartment.”
Vivian waved the comment aside and took a long sip of coffee. “Details will be in your email by the end of the day. You just tell me what you prefer, and we’ll make the reservations.”
Jared pulled her closer and prompted her to shift her position enough she was half leaning into him. He rested his forehead on the back of her head. His warm breath glided over her neck when he spoke. “And I’m hoping you’ll leave a couple of weekends open for me. Or more than that.”
Her smile grew and she leaned more of her weight against his chest. “I don’t have any plans right now, so your chances are pretty good.”
****
Six months later
Mikki leaned back into Jared, the overstuffed sofa enveloping them both, and he draped an arm over her shoulder. They were all in his—their, he’d correct her in an instant if he knew what she was thinking—condo. She’d only moved in a month or so ago, after their relationship had reached the point where she wasn’t going home most nights anyway.
Vivian was tucked into one of the recliners, legs underneath her, sipping a margarita. Tate occupied a second chair, and Jared’s younger sister, Alyssia, rattled through something in the kitchen. After moving to the new town, Mikki had quickly learned this was a typical weekend for all of them if they weren’t traveling. Gathering at someone’s house, bullshitting, and just unwinding.
She never would have guessed she’d get used to that kind of routine. Never would have seen this kind of camaraderie with a group of people in her future. But now that she had it, she didn’t know if she could ever give it up. The one thing making tonight different was they were celebrating her birthday. She’d never had friends throw her a birthday party before. Turned out it was a lot of fun, especially the reminder they cared.
Empty and half-empty Chinese take-out boxes littered the coffee table in the middle of the living room. A box that had once contained cupcakes, but was now just filled with wrappers, sat to the side. She was impressed Jared hadn’t moved to clean it up yet, but she knew the clutter wouldn’t evade his need for order much longer.
Alyssia stopped at the edge of the living room, arms crossed, scowl marring her face. “I was sitting there.”
Tate reclined in the easy chair, arms open. “There’s still room.”
A low growl rolled through Jared’s chest, rumbling through Mikki’s back, and she bit back her smile. The first time she’d seen Tate and Alyssia interact—flirt, really—she’d worried Jared might burst a blood vessel. Since then, she’d learned it was all part of who they were.
“No thanks.” Alyssia didn’t move. “I know where you’ve been.”
“So do I.” The menacing tone in Jared’s voice might have held more threat if it wasn’t so familiar.
Tate shrugged and stood. “Had to try.” He gestured to the chair.
A smile twitched through Alyssia’s irritation, and seconds later she dropped into the now empty spot. She snagged Tate’s wrist before he could walk away, tugged, and let her hand drop.
He perched on the arm of the chair, a hint of smugness marring his expression.
Jared trailed his lips up Mikki’s neck and ended with a soft nip on her earlobe and a whisper. “I’ll be right back.” He extracted himself from behind her, and she couldn’t help the whisper of disappointment at losing his warmth, even temporarily.
Apparently the clutter’s lifespan was even shorter than she’d thought.
Alyssia made exaggerated retching noises. “Could you not paw at each other tonight? Just for once?”
“Are you ten?” There was only light-hearted teasing in Tate’s question.
Alyssia glared at his back. “I don’t know, you tell me.”
He glanced back at her, and his gaze traveled up and down her figure. “Nope. You’re definitely not a little girl.”
Mikki laughed at the antics. It had taken her a little while, but she’d finally figured out Tate flirted with everyone. And she adored spending time with Alyssia—the other woman was only a year older, and they had a lot of similar interests.
“For you.” Jared handed Mikki a gift bag with a rainbow of tissue paper poking out of the top.
Her eyebrows rose. “I said no gifts.”
He shrugged and kneeled in front of her. “I say otherwise.”
She tugged out some of the tissue paper, and then some more, curiosity growing as quickly as the pile of colorful wrapping next to her. “Is there even anything in here?”
He nodded. “Almost there.”
And then her fingers closed around something small and velvety. She pulled the box out, and her heart leaped into her throat before her brain finished telling her it was a jewelry box.
Jared covered her hands with his. “Mikki Elford. You’re everything I need in my life to balance me out. You compliment me, you make me think, and you keep me humble.” He pulled her hand back with his, raising the lid of the box.
A small gold band stared back, with a diamond solitaire glinting at her from the middle of a cushion of satin.
“I can’t imagine life without you. And I’ll always love you for showing me that what we have can actually exist. Will you marry me?”
A giddy bubble rose in her chest, and a squeak pushed past her lips. She didn’t have to hesitate to know the answer. “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”
He slid the ring on her finger and rose enough to rest a hand on the back of her neck. He kissed her hard, tongue sliding into her mouth, dancing around hers, teasing the barbell piercing.
When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t know what I would have done if you’d said no.”
She gave a small laugh. “I love you dearly and completely. Why would I say no?”
He brushed his lips across her knuckles. “To surprise me?”
>
“There are some things even I consider too sacred to be random about.” She tugged him to his feet, shifted enough for him to take his seat again, and leaned back into him.
Congratulations and teasing passed around the room, each new comment warming Mikki further. She couldn’t imagine anything less with this wonderful man. She raised his fingers, kissing the tips one at a time.
He slid his hand under hers, extending her fingers until the light glinted off the diamond. His words were warm on her neck and meant only for her ears. “I really do love you.”
She leaned farther into him, sinking into the familiar comfort. Yup, this was absolutely perfect. “I love you, too.”
THE END
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