Familiar with me after years of my presence in this building, the security guard downstairs didn’t give me a second look before confirming that he hadn’t seen her leave for the night yet and handing me a visitor’s pass to get to her office. My relief didn’t last long. If she’s still here and hasn’t thought to check her phone, that means she’s too deep into her work.
It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I worry. She’s always been the type of person who dives into their workheadfirst, but she can get lost in her task list and refuse to come up for air until she sees everything checked off. That’s who she is, and I accept it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try and help her break the surface whenever I can.
I pass empty offices and closed doors. It smells like paperwork and burnt coffee in here the way it always does, even after hours. Downtown Vancouver twinkles on the other side of the floor-to-ceiling windows, reminding me that the sun’s nearly set already.
We won our game five to four, and I declined Beck’s invite to celebrate at his place. He had a killer game, and I know the rest of the guys will make sure he knows it. I play tomorrow, but the last thing I want to do is rest right now.
Aubrey’s door is closed when I reach it. The blinds are closed, hiding her from view. I rap my knuckles to the door and wait, but after a few breaths, nothing happens. When I twist the handle and it moves easily, I push the door open. The computer monitor beams brightly, illuminating the otherwise dark room and casting a glow over Aubrey’s hunched body.
An invisible hand wraps around my heart and squeezes. Her head is on a stack of papers, and there’s a pen poised in her still fingers. The soft sound of her even breathing hits me hard in the stomach as my mouth quirks into a soft smile. Without thinking twice about it, I cross the room.
She doesn’t move a muscle while I grab her heavy purse from the ground and set it on the other side of the desk. Her heels are lying sideways beneath her desk, leaving her feet bare on the cold floor. I pick them up and shove them into her purse before opening the small cabinet by the bathroom door and grabbing the slip-on sandals she keeps inside.
I reach for the button on the back of the computer monitor to turn it off but pause when I see the email still left open. It’s areminder from Rowena about the upcoming gala. The same one that she still doesn’t have a date for. Or, I guess, she does.
Me.
Even though we haven’t talked about it yet, I know that I want to be the one she takes. The mere thought of her taking anyone else has my eyes narrowing on the screen. I press the button and watch the screen go black.
Before waking her, I pull my phone out and send a text to Asher letting him know that I found her and that he can take my car back to his place so I can drive hers home. He replies instantly.
See you tomorrow, Finn.
I tuck it back into my pocket and look down at Aubrey. Her hair has fanned out across her desk, looking like ink spilled across the endless sheets of paperwork. I take the strands into my fist and move them over her back, exposing her soft cheeks and parted lips. Her nose is pushed awkwardly, and I swallow a chuckle at seeing her look so innocent. Like we’ve gone back in time and I’m catching her napping during a boring social studies movie.
Gently, I trail my hand down her curved spine and bring it back up before murmuring, “Aubrey. You can’t sleep here, baby. It’s time to go home.”
Her tongue pokes out of her mouth and runs along her bottom lip. I keep rubbing her back as she wakes up and groans, instantly reaching for her neck.
“Finn?”
I hum. “You had me worried, Bree.”
She jolts upward, forcing my hand to drop. Still half-asleep, she spins her chair around and stares up at me with glassy eyes. “Shit! Lunch. I bailed on you and didn’t even call. I meant to. I was going to call when Lydia left, and then Rowena came in and we got started on the affidavi?—”
“Hey, it’s okay,” I soothe, bending to stroke her jaw. “I was just worried something had happened.”
“Kevin showed up to his visitation drunk. Today was such a clusterfuck of paperwork and phone calls. I’m so sorry that I didn’t even get a text off. This isn’t how I wanted to start things.”
Shaking my head, I place a hand on her waist and help her out of her chair. She stands with her back to the desk and stares up at me, her bottom lip wobbling. It’s enough to destroy me on a good day, let alone when my emotions are running high and I’m just so damn glad to see her.
“Don’t apologize to me. All I want is to take you home and make sure you eat something. Does that sound okay?”
“God yes.” She nods, exhaling softly. With her heels off, I have a few more inches on her, so when she goes to kiss me, I drop my head to help eliminate the distance.
Her lips meet mine gently, cautiously. It’s not enough. I thread my fingers through her knotted hair and tilt her head back as I deepen the kiss, tasting her deeper. After missing her all day, this is exactly what I needed.
“I should have called you here when I didn’t hear from you,” I murmur, palming her waist over the loose fabric of her blouse.
“You will next time.”
37
The batter getsanother hit off me, and the ball flies high before it’s caught in left field.
I crack my neck and roll my shoulders. Inhaling, I look around the pitch and focus on steadying myself before I blow this game. Aubrey’s here, and she’s watching me shit the bed right now.
I’ve played plenty of terrible games in front of her, but this is the first time she’s here as my girlfriend. The number on her back is the same one she always wears, but it holds a heavier meaning today. It marks her as mine.
