Dropping The Ball - A New Year’s Billionaire Romance - Weston Parker Page 0,91
her arms around my neck, the helmet still in one of her hands. “Let’s get inside, shall we?”
“We shall.” I picked her up, swung her over my shoulder, and laughed when she banged on my back. “I can’t help it. You bring out the caveman in me.”
Her laughter rang out, making my heart soar. “I think I like it.”
I carried her all the way into my kitchen, a flash of nerves making a comeback before I could squash them again. “So, uh, this is it.”
“I like it, even if it is upside down.”
“Shit.” I set her back down on her feet, holding my breath as I watched her take a look around. “Happy you don’t have to spend much time here?”
“I’d be happy to spend time wherever you are.” She slid her hands onto my shoulders and cupped both sides of my throat in her small, warm hands, her eyes intent on mine. “I’d move in here any day as long as it was with you.”
“Speaking of moving in together, should I call and tell Bart he’s been replaced? Where was he today anyway?” I hadn’t even thought about it before.
She grinned, peering up at me from beneath her thick lashes with a mischievous look on her face. “He was there. Backstage. I’m pretty sure he left when he figured out you weren’t going anywhere without me.”
“Good.” I kissed her again before digging my phone out of my pocket. “Let me give him a quick call. He needs to clear his shit out of my room tonight.”
“Your room?” The mischief burned away until her gaze was smoldering. “I was thinking you might want to move to the one down the hall.”
I arched a brow at her, my heart hammering when I figured it out. “You mean yours?”
“Ours.” Bringing her hands to my chest, she gave me a light push before turning around. “Go phone your friend, caveman. I’ll see what I can rummage up for dinner.”
The last thing I wanted was to stop touching her right now, but if I didn’t, I wasn’t going to get through the call with Bart without stripping her down. Still sucks.
I hit his number while walking to my window, then looked at the stunning view of a brick wall on the other side of the alley as I waited for him to answer. It didn’t take him very long, and I could hear the grin in his voice when it came through the line.
“If you’re calling to tell me to get my stuff out of your girl’s apartment, I’m already doing it.”
“Glad to be back on the job.”
“I’m glad to have you back on the job. I need a fucking break.” He laughed before growing serious again. “With everything that happened, we never got to have that talk about you and her seeing each other while you’re guarding her.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, rolling my head from side to side. “I know. I never meant to break the rules. Especially not after the way you stuck up for me on the last job. It’s just… Rylee.”
“If I thought any differently, I’d have fired you the moment I started suspecting. I knew there was something about her.” He paused. “You’re happy?”
“As a fucking clam.” My fingers twitched, longing to get back to touching her. “She’s it for me, man.”
“I thought so,” he muttered, adding more loudly, “I’ll work something out for you. We’ll talk at our next meeting? Just don’t fuck it up again.”
“I won’t. I’ve got to go. Just wanted to make sure you knew she was with me so you wouldn’t worry.”
“Someone’s in a hurry,” he said, chuckling. “Remember to use protection, bro. Don’t be so rushed that you force yourself to be rushing to the hospital nine months from now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the pep talk and the vote of confidence. Good night, Bart.”
A huge weight lifted from my chest. Not only were Rylee and me okay again, but Bart really was behind our relationship. I’d had a feeling he was the last time we talked about it, but that had been the same night she’d collapsed. It’d been there in the back of my mind these last few days that even if we made up, Bart might change his mind and pull me off her detail anyway.
It was a massive relief to know it really wouldn’t be happening. The grin I wore dropped like a rock when I turned around to find Rylee sitting naked on my