“Stay a second,” I tell him. I don’t like shoving him off me while his heart is still thudding against mine. I stroke his hair and kiss the top of his head, thanking the gods of video conferencing that my team won’t be able to smell me. A sleekbun and a black top and I can be on that call in five minutes. That leaves me five more minutes with him.
We’re silent as the sweat cools between us, and Benny’s limbs grow heavy on mine. “I’m stopping by my parents’ today,” he says. “And Mags is closing the kitchen, so I’ll probably be home by eight. You want to eat together after your call, or will that be too late?”
“Depends,” I murmur into the thick waves of his hair. “Who’s cooking?”
He chuckles. “Your choice. I’ve been working on a new recipe, and I’d love a guinea pig.”
“Deal,” I say. “Your place, my palate.”
“Your mouth,” he growls, kissing me again. Then he rolls off the bed, slides the condom off, and wanders into my bathroom to toss it out. I watch his bare ass as he goes, his cock still hard. His thighs are thick and hairy, and I feel a grin cross my face as I watch him. He dresses in a miraculously short amount of time and then holds out his hand to me. “Come on, gorgeous. Unless you’re planning on takin’ that call from bed?”
I grab his hand, and he kisses the tip of my nose after I climb out of bed.
“Lock the door behind me,” he calls out, releasing me and heading for the front door.
I grab the sheet, which is halfway on the floor anyway, wrap it around myself, then stand behind the door while Benny lets himself out and walks to his condo next door. He looks back at me, gives me a feral grin, and then goes inside his place.
As soon as he shuts his door, I lock mine, drop the sheet, and run for the bathroom. I check the time. I have like five minutes to make myself look like I didn’t just have two orgasms. Easy peasy.
I throw on a work top and fix my hair, then while I brush my teeth, I pull up the agenda for the call. Odd, but there isno agenda. Just a “status chat” with the strategic team back in Chicago. I shrug. I can provide status reports without any prep, so I hope this is a short but sweet call.
I’d really like to shower sooner rather than later. Not that I’m anxious to get the scent of Benny’s sweat off my skin, but if tonight goes like the last few nights have, I won’t have to wait long to taste and smell him again.
I grab my laptop and set up at the kitchen counter with the morning light over the river illuminating my face. I look happy. And I’m sure it’s more than just the orgasms from Benny. Everything in my life right now is going perfectly. I have a man in my bed who gets me, people in my life who love me, and work that thrills me.
Things are perfect.
I fire up the laptop with a grin on my face, but it dies as soon as I see Alexandra’s face.
“What’s going on?” I ask, without even saying good morning. “You all look like someone shit in your coffee. What’s happened?”
“How are things in Star Falls, Willow?” Alexandra, my administrative assistant, is the only one who isn’t muted. “I’m giving everyone a moment to get oriented before I open the meeting to Theresa.”
“Theresa?” I ask.
Theresa Ginetti and her sister Rosemarie are the founders of Culinary Capital, the daughters of the Papa Gino’s pizza franchise. They are hands-on owners, but having one of them attend a routine status call isnotnormal.
Something is going on.
Something big.
“Yes. Theresa,” Alexandra says softly. “She’ll be joining us today.”
Before I ping Alex with a private chat message and ask her what the hell is up, the Zoom room comes into view as all the attendees are let in. In total, there are seven people on camera, including me.
“Good morning, Willow.” Theresa addresses me by name first, then checks in with each of the staff members on the call.
It takes a moment or two for her to greet each of us, but it’s a habit she’s gotten into, and it’s one I appreciate. We’re a small company in terms of staff, and having the founders know each of us by name, know exactly what we’re doing, is the kind of business that sets us apart from our competitors. Even though I’m itching to know why we’re all here—an all-hands meeting with no agenda, by the looks of it—I’m not sensing any bad-bad vibes.
I think about texting Alex, but her eyes look glued to the camera, like she has no idea what’s up either. She looks even more scared than I feel.
Theresa quickly puts the questions in the air to rest. “So,” she says, her face strained by a tense smile. “I have some news that I wanted to deliver myself.”
My stomach sinks.
I don’t know what kind of not-good news Theresa would deliver herself, but I rest my hands on the cool marble counter and brace myself.
An image of Benny flashes in my mind. I wonder if he’ll be free after this call. I’m going to want to talk to someone, work through whatever this is, and even though this thing between us is new and has an expiration date, I already feel like he’s someone I can talk to.
