Her eyes slowly open then blink away the last of her dream. “We fell asleep?”
“We did.”
I look around for my shirt, the ghost of last night’s memories visibly growing in my pants. I pull the blanket up, hoping she won’t notice that too.
That awful buzzing is still going. “Your phone’s going off.”
“Huh?” She darts up, grabbing it from the table. “Shit, it’s almost ten. I’m late.”
“Ten? Fuck, I’m supposed to be in a meeting.”
“I’m exaggerating a little. It’s nine-forty,” Bri says, rubbing myback. “You should shower. You smell like everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. Like the bagel but . . . bad.” Always lightening the mood when I’m most anxious. She nudges me to get up. “I have to go on my walks. Want to have brunch after your meeting?”
“Definitely. Wait, no.” How could I forget the dreaded secret I’ve been sitting on? “I—I’m meeting with that client, then I have to take them out to dinner. I won’t be back until late.”
“Latelate?”
“Maybe.”
Her lips curve into a frown. “I’ll miss you.”
Now I’m sure my face is red.
She has no idea how little I want to see them today. The garbage who dares to call himself her ex probably won’t be there, but even the thought of seeing him in passing gives me chills. How am I supposed to look at him and not think of Bri, imagine her kiss, her legs wrapped around my waist, and the soft moans she hummed against my lips. How am I supposed to get last night out of my head?
“I’ll miss you too. Steal you some cake or wine?”Why did I bring up wine?
“Now you’re talking dirty to me?”
Visions of last night flash before my eyes when I blink. I stand, gaining some distance from her gravity and the urge to kiss her again.
“Do you remember anything from last night?” she asks, and I can’t tell if she’s feeling me out or if she really can’t remember.
“Most of it,” I answer hesitantly. “Do you?”
She smirks. “Only all of it.”
“That was . . .” I don’t know what to say.
“It was,” she agrees with humor. I’m not sure what that means. “This conversation will be better with cake. Go shower.”
A conversation. Hopefully that’s not all we’ll have later.
~
After my meeting to prep with Sai, I braved the subway and managed to arrive at the Finance Bros Corp offices with ten minutes to spare. Today will be the day they sign. It has to be.
My meeting with the department head, Brett, has been pushed back six different times. I took a late lunch break at the café on the ground level and still made it back before their meeting was over. If I didn’t need this account to stay here with Bri, I would have bailed and called Sai to explain how I’ve given up. They’re probably running me in circles thinking I’m the nerd they used to bully in school. Bullies or not, I’m relieved I won’t have to look at David’s face.
Finally, the heads come out of their meeting straight over to me.
“Sorry about that. The markets are unpredictable right now. Everything changes by the second. Gotta stay on your toes,” Brett explains, sounding excited that the same system keeping people from affording groceries is currently making him wealthier than before.
“No problem. Are you ready to go over our latest proposal?”
