Setting the food on the kitchen island, we both sat down in view of the television, eating Italian dishes from the local restaurant down the street. “How’d you know I liked fettuccini?” I asked after chewing a mouthful. It was creamy and delicious, the garlic a perfect amount to not overpower the other flavors.“Women always like fettuccini,” he murmured, digging into his plate of lasagna.I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Says who?”“Every female I’ve ever met.”I rolled my eyes. “It’s not my favorite Italian food,” I sighed dramatically. “It’s better than egg salad, though, right?” he teased.I nudged his arm with my elbow, and he curled his lips into a smile. He always made fun of my egg salad sandwiches. ‘They’re high in protein, okay? Keeps me full longer.”“So is my salty semen.”I nearly spit out my food, and he laughed at my reaction.He was so fun when it was just the two of us. You’d never know how quick witted he was by his grumpy demeanor and arrogant presence in the offi
MackInstead of pacing around my home angrily, I bribed my kickboxing trainer to give me a last-minute late-night session. I was uncontrollably wired and pissed off from Kelsey’s invasive questions. We’d never become inquisitive about our personal lives, never prodded or demanded information, and she was standing too close to a line I wasn’t ready to let her cross.“You know, I was about to put my PJ’s on,” Ronnie, my kickboxing trainer, grumbled after instructing me on a warmup exercise. “I should charge you double.”My frown remained in place while I pounded the speed bag. “There’s still time to negotiate.”He shook his head and grinned. “What’s got you all in a tizzy tonight?”My hands kept moving while I bounced. “I’m not in a tizzy.”He raised his brow while he wrapped tape around his wrists. “The only time any of my clients call me after nine is because they are floored about something and are afraid to go to bed. You don’t have to tell me what it is, but let’s beat your negativ
KelseyI hadn’t communicated with Mack outside of a few lame texts in three days. He was beyond angry with me, or Gary, or who knows what. It would remain a mystery until he was ready to open up about whatever was bothering him.I did feel bad when I got home Monday night. I’d asked a lot of questions before he lost his patience. I practically cornered him about his family, and I knew better than to push him. We both had kept that side of our lives to ourselves, and I needed to respect that. But him being withdrawn the past few days was unsettling. It was Wednesday, and I debated all morning if I should go to his office and apologize in person. A half hour before it was time to leave, I made up my mind and wandered to his floor, finding Ashley on her cellphone in his reception. I furrowed my brows. There’s no way Mack would allow that type of behavior at work. If he caught her, she’d get an earful.She waved at me when I came to the table, saying goodbye to whoever she was talking t
Being Mindy, she had a trendy boutique on her radar for a new bathing suit. I didn’t make a fuss, and was pleasantly surprised with their selection, and their prices weren’t bad, either.“I’m thinking tastefully, sleek, and only a touch sexy,” Mindy sighed, plucking through the rack of swimsuits. “Is a two piece acceptable for a weekend with your boss?”I lifted a brow. “Depends on your coverup. You don’t want to come off as, too much, if you know what I mean.”She nodded, wiggling her nose at one of the swimsuits she pulled out. It was hot pink and had a mesh stripe across the stomach. “I don’t want to ruin my tan lines.”“I’m planning on staying in the shade most of the day.”Mindy scowled. “Must be nice having a permanent tan. I’d kill for your skin tone. My Irish ancestors do not enjoy kisses from the sun.”I checked myself out in
I sighed. He wasn’t wrong, Kelsey was amazing, but I was still flustered by her prodding about my father. “Maybe Mindy is just really good at keeping secrets from you.”Cody laughed. Even I didn’t believe those words coming out of my mouth. “If Mindy knew you and Kelsey still had a relationship, she’d spill. What do you say? We surprise the ladies with our presence tomorrow night? Spend the next day on the water with the lovely Sneed’s speed boat, pontoon boat, jet skis, whatever expensive toys they have.”“They don’t have jet skis anymore,” I said quickly, standing from the couch. My chest began to tighten in the way it had been the past week. I chugged the rest of my drink as if it would bury the restricted feeling.Cody slowly stood, rubbing the back of his neck. “Right. I forgot.” He was quiet for a moment, standing in the living room waiting for me to say something. I only kept my
Gary set both of our bags in the main room. The high ceilings made the space open and inviting, but at the same time, felt cozy and comfortable. The wall facing the lake was pure windows, and adjacent to the windows was a fireplace with similar charcoal bricks to the outside of the house. “Pick a room, and once you’re ready, join us out back on the terrace. It can get a little chilly once the sun goes down, so bring a jacket.”“Thanks, Gary. We’ll see you soon,” Mindy waved as he closed the door, then sent me a bright smile. “How cool is this place?!”“It’s definitely not what I expected,” I grinned back. “But I’m not disappointed.”Mindy giggled and grabbed my arms. “Come on, let’s pick our rooms!”I traveled down one hallway while Mindy went the opposite way to find her own room. I peeked in one room that had bunk beds and a full, themed more for a younger crow
Thankfully, Mindy missed Portia’s wink and snorted. “Are we talking about the same person?”Portia frowned, but empathy was in her eyes. “I know he can be a tough egg,” she held her hand toward me. “Kelsey would know, she was the longest secretary he’d ever had.” Her head turned to me. “You must have seen his nicer side, at some point while you were directly working with him.”I bit my lip, discomfort causing me to fidget in my seat. I had seen the sweet side to Mack, but no one here was supposed to know that. Not wanting to appear overly interested, I picked at my nail. “He has his moments.”“Kelsey always tries to find the good in people,” Mindy grumbled. “She won’t say a bad thing about anyone. I, on the other hand, think he treats his employees like they’re all idiots.”Gary let out a laugh. “That he does. He has high expectations. He’s a gr
MackMy restless sleep was gifted with a beautiful photo of my naughty vixen. A calm washed over me when I swiped open her message at 5:00AM, revealing a hazy-eyed, sultry stare, wearing a top that did her breasts the justice they deserved. I doubted she’d be awake, especially if she spent the evening at the lake house. Portia and Gary’s pantry was stocked with the finest wines, liquors, and beers. Their signature cocktails were heavy handed, especially when it came to refills.There’s still time to make another appointment. Maybe she’d be willing to catch a flight with me for the rest of the weekend.Hopping out of bed, I had a new round of energy, ready to tackle the day. Kelsey and I were okay, and I was eager to continue our secret love life.After my morning routine run and exercises, I showered and prepared to meet my mother. I grabbed her a bouquet of flowers filled with Lily’s, her favorite kind, at least that was what my f