“What do you think?”
“Answer it.”
“Maybe.” He motioned for me to come closer to his desk. “Back to the topic at hand, how would you like me to send my future requests?”
“I want you to hold off on sending any of them,” I said. “Like, do I need to map out the words I’m saying to make them clearer?”
“Not at all.” His smile widened. “But you can tell me a better way of saying ‘I need to fuck you’ or ‘Come and let me eat your pussy’ via company email, because… that’s all those personal alerts mean.”
“Oh…”
“Since you’re here early.” He pushed aside a stack of papers. “Get up here and lean back for me.”
THIRTY-FOUR
HARRISON
The hours required to get Sweet Seasons ready to go public were brutal and unforgiving, and everyone—even me—could feel the stress pulsating through the building.
After watching ten different interns pass out at their desks, I did something I’d sworn I never would.
I gave everyone full weekends off.
No more mandatory Saturdays.
Just for now…
In the midst of the chaos, Andrea and I carved out our own escape. We found each other whenever we could—wherever we could.
I bent her over the boardroom table after midnight strategy sessions, the city lights spilling across her bare skin.
She dropped to her knees for me in the elevator between floors. More than once, we disappeared into the dim hallway shadows and tangled together before anyone noticed we were gone.
Little by little, her presence seeped into my life beyond the office. She stopped being just my CFO.
She spent nights at my place. I went on condo tours with her while she searched. And before I knew it, we were sharing a town car every day.
I was spending more time with her than anyone else in my world—and somehow, it still wasn’t enough.
I wasn’t sure it ever would be.
THIRTY-FIVE
ANDREA
For the first Saturday off under Harrison, I gave myself something I hadn’t had in months—a night that was actually mine.
Desperate for something stronger than caffeine, I followed Everly and Lisa into our favorite bar and stalled at the doorway.
The only sign of life was the bartender wiping down a table and his girlfriend waving at us to come in.
“Wow,” I said. “It’s dead in here tonight.”
“It’s empty on purpose.” Everly smiled. “We rented it so we could have it all to ourselves to celebrate.”
“Celebratewhat?”
“You, of course.”
