“Where would you go, if you could?”

He drags a fingertip along my forearm. “My vote would be Lennox.”

I smile. “Good choice.”

“But she always talks about going somewhere warm, where there’s no snow.”

“That sounds far.” A pang stirs in my chest.

“Don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere.”

I stretch my neck to kiss his jawline. “For what it’s worth, try to convince her to move to Lennox. That way we won’t have to figure out these three-hour drives.” Where will we even stay on those weekends? I guess I can book a hotel for us on my card. What kind of hotels are there in Poughkeepsie?

“I’ll do my best.” He dips his head to capture my mouth with his.

“You’re salty,” I murmur, running my tongue over his lips before flicking the ring.

He groans. “I love it when you do that.”

“What . . . this?” I twirl my tongue around the ring again.

His arm tightens around my body. “Yeah, that. Your tongue on anything, actually,” he says, his voice strained, his breathing turning ragged. I can always tell when Kyle is turned on, just by those two things.

I bite my lip as I feel the flush touch my cheeks. Kyle’s hooded gaze settles on mine as I reach down to run my hand over him once before slipping it beneath the waistband of his shorts and wrapping my fingers around him.

He inhales sharply and then lifts his hips to push his shorts down, before settling back. He presses his lips against my forehead as my hand sets to work, reveling in the feel of his velvety skin and the way he naturally reacts to me.

I did this for Trevor, but I didn’t enjoy it a tenth as much as I enjoy doing it for Kyle now. Though, Trevor was angling for more than my hand every time. He deserved a damn medal for how hard he tried. I always said no and he ended up pouting.

But the idea of my mouth on Kyle—any part of him—stirs my blood.

I pull myself up and onto my elbow.

“What’s wrong?” Kyle asks, his fingers skating over my arm.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just want to try something. Okay?”

He frowns curiously. “Okay.”

I pull my hair over one shoulder and then shift my body and lean down to take him into my mouth.

Kyle hisses.

I smile sheepishly at him. “I’ve never done this before, so—”

“Don’t worry, you’re good. Just keep going. Please,” he begs in a whisper.

Chapter 21

NOW

Kyle’s intense gaze lingers on me as I approach the security desk on Monday morning. We said goodbye last night just before ten P.M., after gorging on pizza and hearing about Jeremy’s recent exploits. Kyle walked me to the taxi and left me with a searing kiss, only to then text me well into the night.

It’s been exactly ten hours and seven minutes since his lips last touched mine, and I’m anxious to feel them on me again. In fact it’s all I can think about.

I’m an addict and Kyle is my drug of choice.

“Hello? You wanted my ID?” the man in front of Kyle says, waving his driver’s license in the air, irritation in his voice.

Kyle clears his throat as he collects it. “Uh . . . yeah, sorry. Who are you here to see again?” His eyes flash to me before refocusing on the visitor, his lips curling in a small smile.

“Good morning, Miss Calloway,” Gus greets, half his attention on the underground parking entrance monitor. “You sure are sparkling this morning.”

“I am?” I glance down to take in my forest-green silk blouse and black pencil skirt. It’s then that I realize I’m grinning like a fool, and I feel my cheeks begin to flush.

Gus reaches across the desk to hit a button. On the monitor, the arm lifts, allowing the car through. “Good weekend, I take it?”

“It was amazing, actually. Best one I’ve had in years,” I say, loud enough for Kyle to hear. Like, thirteen years.

“I’ll bet,” Gus murmurs knowingly.

“And you? How was your weekend?”

He shrugs. “The usual. Grandkids, church, poker. Not at the same time.”

“Sounds relaxing.” I steal another glance at Kyle. He’s busy photocopying the visitor’s ID, and there are two other people waiting behind that guy. I won’t get a chance to talk to him this morning, I realize with disappointment. I definitely won’t get a chance to kiss him.

“Renée, David’s new assistant, is already in. Mark took her upstairs.” Gus peels the lid off his paper coffee cup to finish the last drops. “Fifty bucks says she runs for the hills by the end of the week.”

“I’d take that bet if I felt comfortable taking your money, Gus. I think she’s going to work out just fine.”

“If you say so,” he murmurs, his voice dripping with doubt.

“Have a great day.” I swipe my badge, stealing one last glance at Kyle.

The green light flashes, allowing me through.

“That was some dress, by the way,” Gus calls out.

I turn back to give him a questioning look.

“That silvery number you had on this past Saturday. You know, while you were sittin’ in my chair, stuffing your face with one of those big, juicy Alejandro burgers you keep giving me so much grief about.”

“How did you . . .” My words fade as I peer up at the security camera that’s trained on the lobby.

“Sometimes I like to skim the surveillance tapes from the weekend shifts, especially when I’ve got a newbie working. Want to make sure they’re not doing something they’re not supposed to be doin’.”

Kyle’s eyes flash to mine and I see the “oh shit” look of panic in them.

“Well, it’s a good thing Kyle is proving to be such a good employee,” I say evenly.

Gus makes a sound, something that seems like agreement but could also be otherwise. “Also explains why my chair was all out of whack. Took me twenty minutes to get it sorted this morning.”

“Oh, sorry. You know . . . long legs and all.”

He chuckles. “Have a good day, Miss Calloway. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone your secret.” Big brown eyes flash to me and he waits a few beats. “About Alejandro’s.”

I know for a fact he’s not talking about the burger.

Mark trails me into my office.

“Your morning reports are in the blue folder on the left. I’ve already summarized the market stats and the PowerPoint deck for your ten A.M. is finished . . .” He goes on and on, briefing me on everything he’s done to help me prepare for another long, grueling week ahead.

“Thank you. As always, you’re on top of things.” Whereas I am not. I plan on hiding in my office and reviewing the rest of this construction proposal from KDZ. “Oh, I need a contact at our corporate cell phone company. Whoever manages Calloway’s contract. Not the account handler but the executive at the top of that chain. And I need that number and name ASAP.” I’m hoping Kyle’s right and Tripp is stupid enough to have incriminating text conversations on his company phone.

Mark nods, his brow furrowed with determination.