Page 82 of Destroyed With You

His head tilts to that side with an intensity familiar to me from those long years ago. “Baby,” he says. “What exactly are you saying?”

“That I love you,” I tell him. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Oh, Christ, darlin’, I love you, too.”

“I know,” I start to say, but he cuts off the words with a kiss, his mouth claiming mine as he gently pushes me back on the bed, then tugs on the sash to open the robe. “I want you,” he whispers.

“And you have me,” I say.

We share a smile before he kisses me, starting at my lips and working all the way down my body. We make love slowly and sweetly, and nothing at all like last night. But it’s wonderful and it’s perfect.

Most of all, it feels like coming home.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Despite the horrific circumstances under which I’m meeting the team at Stark Security, I can’t seem to get rid of the grin that keeps demanding to touch my lips. A decidedly sensual smile that has been threatening to light up my entire body all morning.

“You’re glowing,” Winston murmurs as we enter the SSA.

“If I look unprofessional, I blame you.”

“I can live with that.” He tugs me to a stop, hooks an arm around my waist, and then kisses me as Damien Stark walk by, as gorgeous in person as he is in the press and on social media. He’s with his wife, a stunning former beauty queen who now runs some sort of tech company, and another blonde I don’t recognize.

“Winston! Not in front of everyone.” I’m not sure whether to laugh or smack him. All I know is that I couldn’t have survived the horror of finding out the truth about Collins without him. Honestly, I’m not sure I could stand to be without him, period.

“It’s okay,” he teases. “I told them we’re married. Besides, hardly anyone is here.”

He’s right about that. I glance around the contemporary office space in The Domino, a business park in Santa Monica that was designed by Damien Stark’s half-brother, Jackson Steele. Other than the Starks and Nikki’s friend and the folks already gathered in the glassed-in conference room, the office is empty. Winston told me that it’s Ryan’s policy that unless being in the office is essential, any work that needs to happen on a weekend at the SSA is supposed to be handled virtually.

“Well, in that case.” I rise up on my toes to kiss his cheek. “Enough flirting.” I draw in a breath, letting myself think about why we’re here. “We have a meeting.”

I see the compassion when he meets my eyes. “We do.”

“I’m okay,” I tell him. “I was a mess last night, but you made it better.”

He says nothing, but takes my hand as we go to the conference room. Emma’s deep in conversation with Anderson Seagrave, who looks up at me and smiles. I return the grin, then come to both of them. “Uncle Andy,” I say, laughing as I bend to give him a hug.

“It’s good to see you,” he says, “despite the difficult circumstnaces.”

“You, too,” I say, shooting Emma a quick smile as well.

Ryan is seated and talking to Renly as I return to my side of the table and Winston.

Nikki and the blonde have disappeared. I glance around and see them at one of the computer consoles in the main office area, Nikki standing behind the other woman and pointing at something on the screen.

“Software installation.”

I turn to find Damien Stark standing behind me. That’s all he’s doing, and yet he has a complete air of command, and when he extends his hand and smiles in greeting, I can’t help but feel as though I’ve passed some sort of test.

“Um, installation?”

“My wife, Nikki, and the one with the curlier hair is Abby Jones, her partner.”

“Did you say Abby Jones?” Renly stands up at the table, his head angled to peer around us and into the room past the glass. “Did she grow up around here?”

Damien frowns. “I think so—wait, yes. She grew up in Santa Clarita.”

Renly leans back, an odd smile on his face. “Well, what do you know…”