happened. You didn’t text.” She leapt from the stool and tackled me, throwing her arms around my neck.
My eyes didn’t leave Slime Bag. “Sorry, baby, my flight was late and my cell service has been shit since I landed. Happy to see me?” I finally glanced down at her and tossed her a crooked grin, my pulse accelerating when I registered the magnitude of her excitement. She was just as thrilled to see me, and that kick started the damn swelling sensation in my chest that had lodged itself there ever since I made her mine. No other woman brought that machine to life. Only Kate and her soulful eyes, daring mouth, and strong will.
Slime Bag here, on the other hand, was prompting other kinds of swelling in my chest—a concoction of fresh, hot anger and the searing pang of irrational jealousy. Fuck, this woman made me crazy. “I missed you,” I whispered into her ear, pressing my lips to her temple before bringing my gaze back to Slime Bag. I extended a hand out of courtesy, keeping the other planted firmly on Kate’s back. “The fiancé. And you are?”
Slime Bag cleared his throat and had the decency to look nervous. That’s right, fucker. Hands off my girl. “Will. Friend of Kate’s.”
“We work together,” Kate said, her tone friendly but cautious. She loosened her embrace to pull back and introduce us. “Will’s great with the kids.”
“Nah, you’re better,” he said, laughing casually. “A natural. It’s a shame you’re leaving us to be some great novelist. Sure you won’t change your mind?”
Kate sent him a grateful grin, dropping a hand to thread her fingers through mine. “I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about helping others learn to read, but it’s time I write something for them to read instead.”
“Aw, I’m sure there’s something I can do to convince you to stay.” He released a cocky smirk, eyes resting shamelessly on her lips as he spoke. “Who will I bug in the morning when I’m out of milk or sugar?”
What the hell? It was time to remind him of his need to feel nervous. “Sounds to me like she’s a woman on a mission.” I tightened my grip around her waist, pulling her close to my side. “And when Kate knows what she wants, there’s no changing her mind.” I glanced down at her, inwardly amused by the pursing of her lips and the flex of her jaw as she worked to hold her tongue. I could see the fire lurking in those irises.
“You have a point, there. She’s certainly driven.”
“That she is.”
“That I am.”
Will sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, Ryan, it was a pleasure. Kate, I better get home. I’ll return that pan to you tomorrow morning. I just need it to make Portia dinner tonight, and then it’s all yours.”
“Sounds good, Will. Good luck with the pasta. Don’t forget the mint leaves.”
“Take care,” I said sternly, watching him turn for the door.
He stopped and swung around. “Oh, Ryan, good luck with that tabloid mess. You know, the latest gossip about your baby’s momma?” He chuckled. “The crazy shit the media comes up with, huh? Just saw it in the news this morning. Man, I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”
My nails bit into Kate’s back and my shoulders went rigid. “Oh, I doubt that very much.”
“Okay, time to go,” Kate said, locking elbows with me, moving to push me in the other direction. Will smirked and shook his head before waltzing away, and I let Kate guide me across the room, toward the rear doors.
“Where are we going? Exit’s that way.”
“I’m aware of that. This is the back entrance.”
“Hey, slow down.” I stopped her when we reached the door, studying her face. “You look phenomenal.” My eyes traveled down the length of her body, taking in her strappy heels. “Kiss me, will you?”
“No. I’m going home, and I’m going to hope to God Will gets to his apartment before we get there so I don’t have to face him after the dick measuring
My eyes didn’t leave Slime Bag. “Sorry, baby, my flight was late and my cell service has been shit since I landed. Happy to see me?” I finally glanced down at her and tossed her a crooked grin, my pulse accelerating when I registered the magnitude of her excitement. She was just as thrilled to see me, and that kick started the damn swelling sensation in my chest that had lodged itself there ever since I made her mine. No other woman brought that machine to life. Only Kate and her soulful eyes, daring mouth, and strong will.
Slime Bag here, on the other hand, was prompting other kinds of swelling in my chest—a concoction of fresh, hot anger and the searing pang of irrational jealousy. Fuck, this woman made me crazy. “I missed you,” I whispered into her ear, pressing my lips to her temple before bringing my gaze back to Slime Bag. I extended a hand out of courtesy, keeping the other planted firmly on Kate’s back. “The fiancé. And you are?”
Slime Bag cleared his throat and had the decency to look nervous. That’s right, fucker. Hands off my girl. “Will. Friend of Kate’s.”
“We work together,” Kate said, her tone friendly but cautious. She loosened her embrace to pull back and introduce us. “Will’s great with the kids.”
“Nah, you’re better,” he said, laughing casually. “A natural. It’s a shame you’re leaving us to be some great novelist. Sure you won’t change your mind?”
Kate sent him a grateful grin, dropping a hand to thread her fingers through mine. “I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about helping others learn to read, but it’s time I write something for them to read instead.”
“Aw, I’m sure there’s something I can do to convince you to stay.” He released a cocky smirk, eyes resting shamelessly on her lips as he spoke. “Who will I bug in the morning when I’m out of milk or sugar?”
What the hell? It was time to remind him of his need to feel nervous. “Sounds to me like she’s a woman on a mission.” I tightened my grip around her waist, pulling her close to my side. “And when Kate knows what she wants, there’s no changing her mind.” I glanced down at her, inwardly amused by the pursing of her lips and the flex of her jaw as she worked to hold her tongue. I could see the fire lurking in those irises.
“You have a point, there. She’s certainly driven.”
“That she is.”
“That I am.”
Will sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, Ryan, it was a pleasure. Kate, I better get home. I’ll return that pan to you tomorrow morning. I just need it to make Portia dinner tonight, and then it’s all yours.”
“Sounds good, Will. Good luck with the pasta. Don’t forget the mint leaves.”
“Take care,” I said sternly, watching him turn for the door.
He stopped and swung around. “Oh, Ryan, good luck with that tabloid mess. You know, the latest gossip about your baby’s momma?” He chuckled. “The crazy shit the media comes up with, huh? Just saw it in the news this morning. Man, I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”
My nails bit into Kate’s back and my shoulders went rigid. “Oh, I doubt that very much.”
“Okay, time to go,” Kate said, locking elbows with me, moving to push me in the other direction. Will smirked and shook his head before waltzing away, and I let Kate guide me across the room, toward the rear doors.
“Where are we going? Exit’s that way.”
“I’m aware of that. This is the back entrance.”
“Hey, slow down.” I stopped her when we reached the door, studying her face. “You look phenomenal.” My eyes traveled down the length of her body, taking in her strappy heels. “Kiss me, will you?”
“No. I’m going home, and I’m going to hope to God Will gets to his apartment before we get there so I don’t have to face him after the dick measuring
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