Free Fight With Me by Kristen Proby Page B

bathroom, please?”
    “Of course, help yourself. He gestures to the door that leads into his private bathroom and I walk inside and clean myself up.
    “Well, looks like we’ve got about ten minutes left of this lunch meeting, Mr. McKenna.” I saunter back into his office and find him standing at his window, arms crossed, gazing out at the view of the Sound and the Space Needle. I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around him, pressing a kiss to his back.
    He covers my hands with his own and we stand there for a long moment until I finally ask, “What’s wrong?”
    “Absolutely nothing.” He turns to me and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. “That was a nice surprise.”
    “If you keep sexting me the way you do, I’ll give you a nice surprise every day.” I wink at him and he grins delightedly at me.
    “How’s your day so far, baby?”
    “Long. Yours?”
    “The same. Better now, though.” He kisses me and sits in his chair, pulling me back into his lap. “I’m going to be in meetings the rest of the day, so I won’t see you until tomorrow.”
    I wrap my arms around his shoulders and bury my face in his neck. “Okay.”
    “Come to my place after work. You can stay with me tonight.” He’s rubbing my low back in a rhythmic circle and I want to purr.
    “You have a late meeting, remember?”
    “I want to come home to you.”
    I lean back and search his sincere eyes. I don’t want to tell him no. Last night without him was horrible.
    “I don’t want to sleep without you,” he whispers. How can I resist him?
    “Okay,” I whisper back and bury my face in his neck again, enjoying these last few minutes with him before we have to go back to work. “I’ll be there.”
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
    Today is my birthday.
    I fire up my computer to get the work day started when there is a knock on my door.
    “Come in,” I call out.
    Mrs. Glover comes breezing efficiently into my office, carrying a large bouquet of colorful mixed flowers.  “These just came for you, Jules.”
    “Oh, thank you!”  She places them on my desk and leaves my office, shutting the door behind her.  I greedily pull the small white card out of the bouquet and open it, praying they’re from Nate.
    They aren’t.
    Happy Birthday, baby sister.  Have a good day.  Love, Will
    He’s sweet.  Will is the closest to me in age.  I pick up my phone and send him a text to thank him for the flowers then get back to work.
    An hour later, there is another knock and Mrs. Glover comes back into the room carrying a large bouquet of pink roses.  “I think you should just leave your door open today, Miss Montgomery.”  Her tone is dry and full of humor and I laugh.
    “Good idea.”
    I read the card, knowing these are from Natalie.  She always sends me pink roses.
    Happy Birthday, best friend.  We love you, Nat, Luke and Baby
    Oh, that makes me cry.  I love them too.  I fuss over the pretty blooms and set the bouquet on the window sill behind me.
    By noon I have six bouquets of flowers spread all over my office, with wonderful, sweetly written cards from my family.
    None from Nate.
    Maybe he’ll bring me something tonight.   I shrug.  We’ve really only been seeing each other for four days.  He’s not required to get me anything.
    At twelve thirty, Nate comes walking through my door, looking every inch the successful business man in his black suit and red tie.  I hold my smile in when I glance up at him, and I can tell he’s doing the same.
    “Do you have a moment, Miss Montgomery?”
    “Of course.”  He closes the door behind him, and I’ve never been so thankful that I don’t have any windows out to the main part of the building.
    “Hi,” he murmurs and looks around my office.
    “Hi,” I respond, rising from my desk and coming around to him.  He gathers me in his arms and kisses me deeply, then pulls back and runs his fingers down my cheek.
    “How is the birthday girl?” he asks.
    “I’m good.