A proud smile breaks out across my face. “Of course you did—because you’re beautiful inside and out, and that’s why I’m falling so fucking hard for you.”
Mouth agape, Drew stares at me for the longest moment before I nod once and kiss away all of the stress from today.
“Will …” she purrs against my mouth. “Rule two in my revised list: The client cannot catch feelings for his publicist, no matter how amazing she might be.”
“Tough,” I argue, moving my lips over hers. Goddamn, she feels so fucking good. “I’m falling fast, and no one can stop me. I don’t want to be stopped until I’m on my knees, begging you to be my girlfriend.”
A delighted giggle rises up her throat, and I swallow it down like the simp that I’ve become.
“Y-you want to date me?”
I cup the back of her head in my palm and deepen the kiss, showing her how serious I am about us with my tongue. “Close your laptop and take my hand. Come back to my place and sleep with me. I don’t want your answer until the delicious ache between your thighs renders you powerless to resist me anymore. You belong with me, Drew.”
Her hands fall to my black training top, and I could scream at myself for halting her before she removes it.
“You don’t want the second time we fuck to be here. You’re too professional for that, and there’s no way I can take my time with you either.”
Her lack of protest confirms I’m right as she dips her fingers beneath my collar and finds the gold compass.
“I think it’s high time you told me when and why you got this. You weren’t wearing it last Christmas, and I refuse to go home with you until you tell me more.”
I drop my chin to look at the pendant as Drew twists it around in her fingers.
“Do you believe in fate?”
Inquisitive blue eyes continue studying the compass. “I guess. I’ve never really had an experience that’s caused me to feel strongly either way, but the older I get, the more I agree that everything happens for a reason.”
Reaching behind my neck, I unclasp the chain for the first time since I saw it in a jeweler’s window the day before my twenty-second birthday.
I hand it to Drew. She might as well keep it since it’s always belonged to her.
It wasn’t expensive, and I wasn’t out shopping, but I was instantly drawn to the store window. The second I saw it, I wasn’t leaving without it.
“You have to promise me you won’t laugh when I tell you this,” I say.
Drew tips her head from side to side. “I’ll try my best.”
“Brat,” I softly scold, going in for another kiss. “Back in February, I saw a tarot reader.”
Drew’s shocked face almost makes me laugh. “Seriously? Of all the things I expected you to say, that was not it.”
I kiss her again. “I love it when I keep your smart-ass guessing.”
She frowns and plays with my compass again. “Did the reader give you this?”
“No,” I reply, taking the chain from her hand and securing it around my girl’s neck.
“What are you doing, Will?”
I take a step back to appreciate how fucking beautiful it looks on her. “Gifting it to you because it’s only ever been yours.” Pulling my phone from my pocket, I open the camera and take a photo of her wearing it, determined that, in the future, the image will feature as my screen saver.
I set my phone down on the desk, and Drew shakes her head, voice a little wobbly as she says, “I don’t understand. What has the tarot reader got to do with your chain, and why does it belong to me?”
I just smile, knowing that I’ll likely tell her the whole story one day. “Patience, Baby. When the time is right, I’ll explain everything. Tonight isn’t that night.”
She opens her mouth, but I silence her with my tongue, whimpering when I lace my fingers through hers.
“If you don’t walk this cute butt out of here in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder and carry you to my car. Your choice.”
