He laughed too, gripped by fierce joy. “No regrets.”
“None,” she agreed. When she shivered again, he shifted to the side to pull the covers over them.
“Something’s been driving me crazy,” he said as she burrowed her head into his neck. “I’m dying to know.”
“Anything,” she asked sleepily.
“What does the BUILD stand for in Beaucoeur BUILD?”
Her yawn ended in a seal bark of a laugh that had her clapping a hand over her mouth. And in that moment he toppled back into love with her. Fully, no holding back in love. That undignified laugh was all it took to make him completely hers again.
“Would you believe that nobody’s ever asked me that?” she asked.
“Nope,” he said, nuzzling her neck and drowning in his love for her.
“They haven’t, and I’m glad because”—her voice dropped to a low, conspiratorial tone—“it doesn’t stand for a damn thing.”
“No way.” Her confession cut through his surging emotions, and he pulled back in surprise.
She giggled. “I just liked the sound of it but never could come up with a good acronym. So if anybody asks, just tell them it’s proprietary information and you legally can’t share it.”
He smoothed a lock of her hair, and she lifted a hand to trace the fox tattoo. It was her favorite postsex pastime, and he was addicted to the way her fingers on his inner arm summoned goose bumps to his skin.
“For you, Dutch, anything.” And then he held her close and watched her fall asleep.
TWENTY-EIGHT
“You really brought me back to the scene of the crime, huh?”
Faith sipped her gin fizz and glanced around the crowded rooftop bar. The unseasonably mild November weather had lured all of white-collar Beaucoeur out to Olive Twist tonight, and the strategically placed heat lamps were keeping the space warm enough for everyone to enjoy their drinks outside, possibly for the last time that year.
Leo’s eyes were even warmer than the lamps when they landed on her. “I have recently been accused of being soft.”
“Who would say that?” She gasped and rested a hand at the base of her throat. “You’re a big strong man. Nothing soft about you. There’s even a storage closet nearby where you could prove it to me.”
He growled and grabbed her hand. “Don’t tempt me.” He pressed a quick kiss to her knuckles before releasing her.
She bit her lip as she studied him, not sure how she’d gotten lucky enough to call this man hers not once, but twice.
“Closets aren’t really my preference, especially when I can sex you up in a nice soft bed in front of Griff the dragon.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled, and her heart took flight. She’d always loved being the person who made him laugh, and this time around, his lightness felt even harder won. He was serious about work, about his grant recipients, about hiking, about his family and friends. He was even serious when he was fucking her, all focused determination and mind-blowing stamina. But her favorite parts of their time together were moments like yesterday morning when he’d collapsed on top of her in a sweaty heap and laughed as they came down from their shared orgasm high. She wanted those carefree smiles for herself, and she wanted them forever.
The crinkles deepened as he twined his fingers through hers on top of the snowy-white tablecloth. “Faith, I’d like—”
An outraged gasp interrupted their moment of happiness, and her head whipped up to see Leo’s boss glaring down at them.
“So it’s true,” he sneered. “Youareinvolved with one of your grant recipients.”
Carlisle Lockhart was puffed up like a fleshy pink frog, his neck folds quivering above his tightly buttoned collar. She yanked her hand away, and when Leo cast her a panicky glance, she saw it. Saw in his eyes what he was going to do before he did it.
“No!” He shot to his feet. “It’s not like that. This isn’t…”
“Isn’t what?” Carlisle snapped.
Sweat appeared at Leo’s hairline. “It’s nothing inappropriate. It’s just—”
“This is a clear violation of foundation policy.” Carlisle’s nose twitched as if he smelled something bad. “I knew there was something off when I saw you together at the gala, and when Darla told me where you’d gone after our meeting this afternoon, I guessed what I’d find.”
