always okay, Deacon.”
His hand moved to mine on the table, and he interlocked our fingers. “I hope that I didn’t jeopardize anything important at your job.”
Yeah, a few things. “No.”
“Have you talked to Kline about your raise?”
I shook my head. “After this…I’m not sure if I should.”
“You really think he’d find out about it?”
Matt and Anna would never rat me out. It was the first time I’d blown off work for an illegitimate reason in…forever. My clients would forgive me too since it was so unlike me. “I just feel guilty asking for more money when I shirked my responsibilities to take care of my boyfriend’s son.”
“I’m still a client, right? Maybe you can see it as prioritizing one task over another.”
“Maybe. But I could have sent a nanny.”
“I don’t want someone I’ve never met looking after my child. That’s reasonable.”
“Yeah…”
“Ask him. Even if he knew everything, you still deserve that raise.”
I pulled my hand away from his and sighed. “Ugh, I’m so nervous. What if he fires me instead?”
“Not going to happen.”
“But it might piss him off, make him think I’m blackmailing him…”
“Baby, that’s not what blackmail means.”
“Whatever,” I said quickly. “I just got my job back, and everything is going well. I’m afraid to jeopardize it.”
“I understand. But he should have given you raises a long time ago—and he knows it. He’s a cheapskate.”
“I don’t know about that…”
“I do,” he said. “Talk to him.”
“I…I’ll think about it.”
Deacon finally let it go. “I’m gonna shower and get to bed. I’m exhausted.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Maybe when I get out of the shower…you’ll be wearing something?”
The smile that spread over my lips was uncontrollable. The blush that followed made me flush with heat. “I thought you said you were tired…”
He got to his feet then moved his hand to my neck, forcing me to tilt my chin up so he could stare into my face. Then he leaned down and kissed me, a seductive kiss with tongue right off the bat. “I’m never too tired for that.”
At lunchtime, I walked into the skyscraper, took the elevator to the right floor, and then checked in with the receptionist at the front. “Hi…” My confidence was gone because I felt so sick to my stomach. The nerves were so strong, I almost chickened out and bailed on the idea.
She stared at me, her eyebrow raised. “Do you have an appointment or…?”
“Actually, I’m a personal friend of David’s. Was wondering if I could talk to him for a sec?”
“Umm.” She turned behind her and looked at the offices in the building. “I think he’s about to go to lunch right now.”
At that very moment, he stepped out of his office and locked the door behind him. In a black suit with a fancy watch on his wrist, he’d definitely moved up in life since the last time we saw each other.
And he wore a wedding band.
I thought that would hurt—but it didn’t.
He looked at his phone while he walked to the main desk and slid it into his pocket as he greeted the receptionist. “Joan, I’m going to lunch—” The words died in his throat when he saw me, so shocked that he was quiet for at least five seconds. “Cleo…what are you doing here?” He was visibly uncomfortable by my presence, like he assumed my intentions were questionable.
“I’m sorry to catch you off guard like this, David.” My voice was shaky and all over the place. “I-I just wanted to talk to you…if you have some time.”
“Uh…” He glanced at Joan then back at me. “Yeah…I guess.” He moved forward and out of the office toward the elevator.
I walked beside him in heels, my usual pencil skirt, and a black coat to keep me warm. “Where were you going to eat?”
“There’s a café in the lobby.” The doors opened and he stepped inside.
I joined him.
Then the doors shut—and it was a tense ride to the bottom.
He didn’t look at me or make small talk.
Maybe I should have texted him first. I just didn’t want to get him in trouble with the woman in his life…his wife.
The doors opened, and we walked to the café.
I went first, ordered a salad wrap and an iced tea, and took a seat at a table in the corner.
He joined me a moment later, his face ghostly pale. “So, Cleo…what’s up?” He didn’t move for his food or drink his water. He probably didn’t even have an appetite after I caught him off guard.
“I’m really sorry to just show