I take her in, sitting there with pizza and comfy clothes, the whole city at her back, and think about the boardroom and power plays. I love it that they are underestimating her. She’s going to be so damn sexy to watch.
“It’ll be interesting. Damn, I can’t wait.” I say, and I mean it.
I know one thing is for sure. I’d pay good money to watch her clean house of all the idiots who chose not to support her.
For a moment, this feels like a completely normal life. Like, maybe we could make this work between us.
23
Silvie
Morning lightnow fills the windows of my home office, all glass, and my laptop’s open, reports stacked next to me in rows, numbers and projections lined up on my desk like little financial soldiers. I’ve been awake for quite a while. I probably slept for maybe three hours. Time goes by quickly when your brain won’t turn off. I’m not nervous, I’m excited. I’ve worked so hard for this. Today is my day.
I look up and find Cal leaning in the doorway looking sexy as hell with his hair messed up, watching me. “You’re up early,” he says.
I laugh softly. “Bold of you to assume I slept.”
He frowns, crossing the room. “You need your sleep, Silvie.”
“I can sleep on our way home tonight,” I say.
He stops in front of my desk, taking in my organized chaos. “How can I help?”
“Nothing to help with.” I shrug, closing my laptop. “I just couldn’t sleep. Had a lot of ideas churning.”
He leans down and kisses me, slow, and says, part joking, “If you don’t listen to me, I’ll tell Birdie. She’ll make sure you’re not staying up all night.”
I shudder. “You wouldn’t.”
His eyes are on mine. “I would.”
I scoff. “You know she’ll have my ass.”
“She absolutely would,” he says, serious. “And I happen to like your ass. So, let’s keep it safe and rested.”
I laugh, rubbing my tired eyes. “Fine.”
He glances in the direction of the kitchen. “I saw you have breakfast food. Let me make us something while you get ready.”
I nod and reach for my phone to check the time. “I have time for a quick soak in the tub.”
I don’t tell him this, but I need it for my nerves. I’m starting to get nervous.
“Good,” he says. “You get ready, I’ll cook. It’s going to be a great day. You’ll see.”
The confidence in his voice settles me in ways I didn’t know I could be grounded. He’s done that since we met, and somehow it feels way less daunting to have him here by my side.
He kisses me again and saunters off. I watch him go and take in all of his tattoos and sigh. In the bathroom, I turn on the tub and pour in my favorite salts and oils, filling the water with bubbles, and lavender and eucalyptus fill the air.
I open the door, still standing in my pajamas, and Cal stands there, with messy hair and holding a mug of coffee and my water bottle, probably filled.
“Thank you,” I say as I set them on the edge of the tub.
“No, problem,” he says easily. “I’ll bring you a plate when it’s done if you want to eat in here.”
I wrinkle my nose. “But I want to eat with you.”
“Okay,” he says, smiling, and disappears down the hall.
