“And if I am?” she asks. I pull up so I can clearly look her in the eye.

“Are you?”

She bites her lip, thinking about her response, and then finally shakes her head quickly. “No.”

“Okay then. When are we going to the office?”

“After you fuck me again.”

She grins naughtily and squeezes my ass, and just like that, I’m hard again.

“You know what those filthy words to do me.”

“No, what do they do?” she asks with wide, innocent eyes.

“This,” I whisper against her lips as I begin moving inside her again. “I’ll just keep reminding you until you figure it out.”

“Maybe I’ll stop using the dirty words.”

“Oh, I think we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

***

“Here.” I walk into Kate’s bedroom and hand her a glass of lemonade. She’s been working most of the afternoon, packing her things. Why I’m here watching, I have no idea. The only explanation I have is I’ve suddenly become a masochist.

Because this fucking hurts.

“Thanks.” She grins, kisses me quickly, then returns to neatly folding her sexier than fuck underwear and placing them in a suitcase.

“I haven’t seen these before.” I retrieve a pair of leopard print boy shorts from the bag and hold them up. “I like these. Put them on.”

“No.” She laughs and snatches them out of my hand, refolds, and returns them to the case, right after I pull a purple, lacy thong out.

“Wow. I haven’t seen this either.” It’s dangling from my index finger when she grabs it and glares at me as she folds and replaces it.

“Stop undoing everything I’m doing.”

“I just want to know why you’ve been withholding sexy underwear from me. You know how much I love it.”

“I haven’t been withholding it,” she laughs with a shake of the head, making her hair move about her shoulders.

My fingers itch to dive into that thick, soft hair.

So they do.

I comb my fingers through her hair and watch it fall back to her shoulders, then repeat the motion.

“I have a system,” she informs me primly. “And you’re messing it up.”

“I am?”

“Yes.”

She sighs and closes her eyes as my fingertips rub her scalp.

“That feels good.”

With her eyes closed, I retrieve a sexy red nightie from the suitcase.

“And who, exactly, were you planning to wear this for?”

She gasps and steals the scrap of lace from my hand.

“Seriously. Stop touching all of my underwear.”

“You don’t mind when I take it off of you, cher.”

“That’s different.” She sniffs, her nose in the air. “And I wasn’t planning on wearing it for anyone.”

“Wear it for me, before you go.” The request is quiet. Sincere. She watches my eyes solemnly as she sets it aside.

“I can do that.”

“You’re good at taking orders,” I comment with a grin. She narrows her eyes at me.

“I’m no one’s submissive.”

“Indeed,” I agree, and run a finger down her cheek. “But I like that if I make a request, you’re eager to comply.”

“Why do I do that?” she asks with a frown. “Is that what got me into trouble with my ex-husband? I was too easy?”

“You didn’t get into trouble with your ex-husband,” I say, and take her face in my hands, making her look at me. “He was an asshole who didn’t know a good thing when he had it. He doesn’t know how to treat a woman, Kate. And wanting to please people you love isn’t a bad thing, when it’s done sincerely.”

“Thanks,” she whispers.

“So, you’ll wear the sexier than fuck nightie?” I ask with a grin, lightening the mood again.

“We’ll see,” she says with a wink. “I don’t want you to think I’m a sure thing.”

“Oh, sugar, that ship has sailed.” I laugh and pull her in for a hug, delighted with her. “You make me laugh.”

“Do I make you want to pack things?” she asks, making my heart still at the reminder of her leaving. “Because I need to finish this and you’re distracting me.”

“You make me want to undress you,” I reply, but she backs out of my reach.

“Oh, no.” She points a finger at me and glares.

“You don’t scare me.”

“No hanky-panky. This has to get done.”

“Hanky-panky?” I ask with a laugh. “What, exactly, is hanky-panky?”

She giggles and backs further away. “You know what it is. I have to get this done, Eli. I don’t have time for shenanigans.”

“Oh, there will be shenanigans, cher.” I slowly saunter toward her. She’s run toward the balcony, caging herself in. “Admit it. You like the shenanigans.”

“No. I don’t.” She giggles.

God, I love her giggle.

“You also like it when I get you naked.”

“Stop it.” Now she stands firm, her hands on her hips, as though she’s a teacher and I’m an unruly student. “I’m serious, Eli. I have work to do.”

I grin. “So do I.”

Chapter Nineteen

Kate

“I never did ask you what happened with Asher.” I’m chatting on the phone with Lila. “I was too busy looking like a blow fish.”

“A lot happened with Asher,” she says.

“Was there sex?” I ask, and throw the last of my things in my carry-on bag.

“Oh, indeed, friend. There was lots of sex.”

“Was it good sex?” I grin and flop on the couch, wishing Lila was still here, rather than back in Denver.

“Maybe the best sex that has ever been had on this planet. Every time.”

“Every time?”

“Every. Time.”

“So, was there the exchange of phone numbers?”

There’s a pause, and I sit up straight, stare at my phone, then, “Seriously? Lila!”

“I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“Who said anything about a relationship? Just call him up now and again have the best sex on the planet.”

“Impossible,” Eli says as he walks through the door. “We have the best sex on the planet.”

I laugh and hold up my hand, signaling that I just need one more minute.