“Thank you,” I breathed out, noting his office door was closed.
He moved behind his desk and grabbed a chart, sifting through it with one eye, the other trained on me.
“Dinner later? Still on?” My voice had the tiniest shake in it as I asked. I was beginning to think he’d forgotten.
“Yes,” he said, leaning into the front of his desk, whispering for no reason. After all, we were alone.
“I was wondering if my hotel works? They can cater a dinner in my room, and there’s less headache with going out and being recognized.”
“Does it mean we can take a break from Frank?”
“That too.”
“Settled. Do I need to do anything specific to enter your fortress?”
Some would think it was mean, but I knew differently. Cal joked and made light of the incessant circumstances of my life—ones that often didn’t make sense to outsiders—to set me at ease. “If you call me from the lobby, I will send Frank down. Then we can say goodbye to him for the evening.”
Cal walked around the desk and slid his arm around my waist. I glanced behind me and looked at the door again.
“It’s closed,” he reminded me before putting his lips on my forehead and saying, “See you later.” He snatched the file back off his desk, winked, and joked, “I got a few women waiting for me.”
I was still laughing when Frank showed up to walk me to our car. He knew better than to ask, but that didn’t stop him from side-eyeing me.
Whatever, Frank, whatever…
A grown woman was allowed to have a crush.
There was one quick, swift knock on the door, and Frank used his key card to enter. The men walked in, Cal following my security detail in dark jeans and a taupe Henley. His hair was still damp as if he just took a shower, and he wore a wide grin on his face.
“Have a good evening. I’ll be right down the hall.” Frank, doing his job, spoke before exiting the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
“Thanks for having me,” Cal said, approaching me.
I stood behind the arm to the love seat, bracing my thighs into the furniture to keep from swooning. For someone who didn’t get in deep with men, I was in way over my head. A small niggle in the back of my mind started to worry me. “Thanks for coming.” I echoed his sentiment.
He was next to me, taking my hand, turning me to face him. “Hi,” he said softly before his lips met mine.
My mouth responded instantly, and I wasn’t sure when this went from a little fun with my brother’s surrogate’s doctor to a full-blown lust-driven situation.
Breaking free, Cal continued to look into my eyes. “This is nice. Not worrying about the public eye.”
I nodded, trying to half turn my body. “Sadly, it’s my world.”
“Hey, don’t do that. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
I believed him.Sorta.
“It’s a fine line,” I spoke, our fingers tangling. “Understanding my reality, living it, and mocking it. With so many people claiming to know every angle of me. Especially those who haven’t ever met me. I find it hard to believe when someone tries to get it. I mean really get it.”
“I’m trying,” was all he said in response. He didn’t overexplain or make excuses; I liked that.
“Drink?” I asked him, trying to move on from the moment.
“Yes,” he said, making his way to the wet bar in the corner of the hotel suite.
This room was made for long-term stay, set up like an apartment, but with all the amenities of a five-star hotel.
“Let me get them,” Cal insisted.
