Page 70 of A Song for You

For the next few weeks, my sole focus needs to be on making every detail of the ball perfect. And when I have time, I’ll work on ideas for the Christmas list. I’m just opening the door to the building, ready to greet the security guard on duty, when a familiar voice echoes through the space. “Cat, wait!”

I turn, brow furrowed and head tilted, to my handsome and very out of breath boyfriend.

“Miss me already, baby?” I purr, closing the door and giving Jay a thorough once-over.

He’s in a navy blue suit with a light blue shirt that is the exact shade of his eyes. A hum escapes my throat at the sight of him.

At the sound, the smirk he normally sports falls into place. “Always, Kitten. I always miss you.”

My hair flies in my face as a gust of wind whooshes past us. With one finger, Jay slides it back into place, then drags his thumb down my cheek, landing at my jaw as he inspects me. “God, you’re gorgeous.”

“Not here, Jay,” I mutter, biting back a smile.

“I know,” he whispers, pulling his hand back.

We haven’t exactly discussed the parameters of our relationship, but I think we both know it can’t be public yet. Not if we stand a shot of making this work. He’s my brother’s best friend, and my brothers are nothing if not dramatic. We might as well settle into this and see where it leads before we dive into that disaster. He hands me the coffee I hadn’t even noticed he had. “Your coffee. Pumpkin spice, just the way you like it.” He says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver device. “And your iPod.”

“Thank you,” I say, bringing the paper cup to my lips. He’s right. It’s exactly how I like it. “You didn’t have to do this.”

He smiles as if he can’t even hold it back. Wide and easy. “I know, but I wanted to. Have a good day, Kitten.”

The urge to grab a hold of his suit jacket and pull him in for a kiss, or even just a hug, is intense. He walks by me instead and grabs the hand closest to him where it hangs at my side, squeezing as he looks me in the eye, and then he’s gone.

I sigh, momentarily floating in a love-drunk haze.

Renewed and energized by the delicious coffee and affection, I head to the door for the second time. This time, the security guard opens it for me. “Good morning, Ms. Bouvier.”

“Thanks, Tim. How was your weekend?”

He smiles as he follows me to the check-in desk, and I slide my card across the reader. “It was great. How about yours?”

Flashes of my time with Jay cycle through my head. The sex club, Jay’s hands, the pool, the library, brunch, shopping, his smiles. “It was epic.”

He arches a brow and puts his hands on his hips. “Epic, eh?”

I smile. “Epic. Have a good one.”

I slip my headphones into my ears and press Play on the iPod, knowing that Jay won’t disappoint with today’s choice. Sure enough, I step into the elevator, laughing as Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” blasts into my ears.

“You didn’t come back this weekend. Does that mean things went well with Jay?” Sophie asks, brows waggling, when I prop myself up against her desk.

“It was great. How was your weekend?” I grin behind my coffee cup. The last time I saw her, she was staring at Dexter like she wanted to fuck him in public.

She takes a sip of her coffee and smiles. “Dexter wants to take me away next weekend.”

“Things are getting serious, then?”

She spins to face me fully. “He wants to meet my parents,” she whisper-shouts. “My dad is gonna flip!”

I laugh. “Because he’s closer in age to him, or because he’s a photographer for a fashion magazine?”

Sophie hides her face in her hands. “Both.” She groans and drags her hands down her face. “Shit. I didn’t even think about the career thing. My dad keeps his mouth shut about my choice of careers, but I know he wishes I’d gone to medical school like him. So dating a magazine photographer? This is so not what he’ll want. And the age thing…” She drifts off as she stares, unseeing, at her computer monitor. Then she turns back to me, clasping her hands in her lap. “But I really like him. And not just because he’s hot and the sex is hot and everything is just so fucking hot.”

We both laugh.

“Like, I really like him, Cat. Am I crazy?”

I shrug. “If you are, then so am I.” I straighten and tug on the hem of my top to smooth it out. “But right now, we have a project to work on. Let’s get that list together.”