I give him a lopsided smile. I know he can’t. He knows he can’t. And yet maybe he wants to. That should be enough. The want. But it’s not.
And the intent doesn’t matter anyway.
The streetlamp outside flicks on and the light pours through the window where the voice-control blackout roller shades have yet been commanded to cover. It’s a reminder of my flight and the time it takes to get through security at SeaTac Airport.
I reach up and squeeze West’s smooth hand. “Can you really get the time off work?”
His lips twitch. Like he didn’t think I’d call him on his bullshit. “No. But you know I want to.”
“I do.” I push up on my toes and kiss him lightly on his perfect cupid’s bow lips.
But his greedy hand slides to the back of my neck with increased force and he lengthens our kiss. His mouth moves over mine with determination, his tongue darting out to pry open my lips. He’s eager to make me stay.
And it nearly works.
My head goes dizzy, and I hook my fingers into the top of his belt holding up his slacks.
He tugs my bottom lip with his teeth and pulls away to whisper, “Stay. Leave tomorrow.” His hot breath combined with the scent of his musky cologne make my head swim. “Alexa, close blinds,” he commands, and they slide down. Teasing the hollow of my neck with a trail of kisses, he tells me, “I’ll take the rest of the night off.”
The reminder of his work turns me off instantly. I love West. I do. But when it comes to work, I will always be second place.
“Mama, I’m ready,” Charlotte calls from the hallway as she gallops like a horse into our bedroom, flipping on the bright overhead light as she does.
I step back from West, giving his chest a pat. “Me too, Charlie.” I sling my purse over my shoulder and grip the handle of my suitcase again. “We’ll be back in a week,” I say, gazing at West’s creased brow before giving him one last quick kiss.
“I already miss my girls. A week is too long,” he whines, and I decide a grown man in a power suit whining is surprisingly sweet. It softens him.We’vesoftened him. West’s brother told me so. Said if it weren’t for Charlie and I coming into his life a year ago, West would’ve surely been named Seattle’s most eligible bachelor. He’s probably happy because he’s now been given that title in some circles. Including Seattle’sBusiness Tycoonmagazine.
“It’s just a week. That’s only seven days,” Charlie tells West, pushing her reddish-brown hair out of her face.
My lips quirk into a smile. West crouches and Charlie runs into his awaiting arms. He wraps her up in a big hug and he squeezes her, rocking side to side. “How’d you get to be so smart?”
“I’m smart like you,” she says, and her response lights up his expression.
“Nah, you’re smart like your mama.” He shoots me a wink then releases her and stands, propping his hands on his hips. “You take care of her, okay?”
“I can’t take care of her. I’m only six.” She giggles.
“Fine. You two girls take care of each other. Deal?” He holds out his pinky finger and she hooks her little one with his.
“Deal.”
“All right, c’mon, Charlie, we gotta go.” I nudge her in the back, ushering her toward the hall.
“Wait, Rosie,” he calls, and I turn.
“West,” I say on a sigh. It really is sweet. Charlie and I haven’t been anywhere without him since we started dating a year ago, though he’s gone on several business trips without us. We’ve just never been the ones doing the leaving. I’ve never had a reason to. Until now. “We can’t miss our flight.”
“If you need me, just say the word and I’m there.”
Part of me believes him. For this relationship to work, I have to.
“Thank you.”
“I love you,” he says.
“We love you too.” I flash him a smile and shuffle out of the bedroom.
Outside, the city lights reflect off wet asphalt, and the scent of rain on a warm summer’s day fills my nose. It’s something I’m still getting used to after growing up in California.
