“Yes. Yes. I do.”
“Let’s go.” He takes my hand and leads me toward the exit.
“Don’t you want to tell someone you’re leaving?”
“I’ll text them from the cab… Shit. The hotel room might be a disaster.”
I laugh. “Oh, it was. I went to the hotel first and got the room key, since my name was on the reservation. I called housekeeping to take care of it as soon as I walked in.”
“God, I love you. You think of everything. I love everything about you.”
“Declan,” I say without breaking stride. “I’m still taking another job. I can’t work for you when I feel this way.”
“I know. It sucks. I’ll never find another assistant as good as you. But I understand.”
“I will help you find another assistant.”
“Damn right you will. And train her.”
“And train you.”
“Good luck with that. But first, please elaborate as to how you feel.”
“Madly in love with you.”
“Right.”
“Deliriously attracted to you.”
“Excellent.”
Declan gets his coat from the coat check, but I continue talking anyway.
“Unable to keep my hands off you.”
“Great to hear.”
“Moved beyond words by your generosity and thoughtfulness.”
“Well, that’s a first.”
“I know you got Cindy that karaoke machine. I know you gave my landlady a new coat.”
He tries to frown, but he can’t stop smiling. “I was just bribing them, you know that.”
“Nope. You’ve got a big heart, Declan Cannavale. And I’m going to tell everyone.”
“Then I’ll have to sue you for defamation of character.”
“I’ll tell everyone you watched Love Actually with my family and that you cried.”
“Pssh. I was crying from trying so hard not to laugh at how cheesy it was.”
“Nope. You weren’t. I’m gonna show you and the world just how sweet you are. Everyone will know you’re full of crap every time you try to act like a cocky asshole.”
“Okay, that’s enough out of you, Coop.” He gets me to stop talking in the most wonderful way.
And we don’t stop kissing for more than a few seconds, all the way back to the hotel room.
He removes his coat and drops it to the floor as soon as we’re inside the door, but I slowly unzip mine, stepping away from him so he can stop and get a good look at the dress I’m wearing. It’s a black sleeveless gown with a plunging neckline and a slit that goes all the way to my upper thigh. It’s one of the many sale items I’ve purchased online over the years, just in case I ever got invited to one of those masquerade balls that people always seem to go to in dirty romance novels.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
“Piper packed my suitcase for me. She seems to be under the impression that Cleveland is on a very fancy, sexy tropical island. She only threw in sleeveless dresses, four-inch heels, and lingerie. No stockings.”
“I really love that kid. When’s her birthday? I’m going to buy her a car.”
“Wait till you see what’s underneath this thing.” I lift the straps and let them fall from my shoulders, shimmying out of the dress and then turning around slowly so Declan can get the full picture of me in a scalloped lace bodice teddy and strappy heels.
He slides his hand down the side of his face and says, “I’m going to buy her a house” as he tackles me and we both land on the bed. “How do I get you out of this thing without ripping it apart?”
“There are snaps down there.”
“That might be my favorite thing you’ve said to me so far tonight.” He finds the snaps down there. “I just need to tell you one more thing with words, and then I’m going to tell you everything I have ever wanted to say to you with my mouth and my tongue and my fingers and my cock.”
“Go on…”
He massages my hips and kisses the inside of my thigh and then says, “I need you to know that I might not always be in a good mood, and sometimes it might seem like I’m more focused on work than anything else. But I will always, always love you more than anything. Okay?”
“Okay. I get you now, Declan. I get you.” I interlace my fingers with his.
“Also, I didn’t mean it when I said I wouldn’t write you a letter of recommendation about your fake girlfriend skills. You were top-notch.”
“Well, thank you, but that’s the kind of thing you can go ahead and tell me with your mouth and your tongue and your fingers and your cock.”
I can feel that mouth smiling against my skin.
“Yes, ma’am. You’re the boss of me.”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
* * *
Declan had a lot to say to me with his mouth and tongue and fingers and cock last night. I let him relieve himself of his Catholic guilt all over me, again and again, and forgave him for his very minor sins, again and again. And I smacked him on the butt just once, for Bex and Piper.
We managed to get about five hours of sleep. I was able to buy a pair of stockings from the hotel gift shop and borrow a cardigan from Casey. So, for the wedding I look like a very tired but satisfied high-class prostitute who doesn’t want to catch a cold. Declan looks so handsome in his tux; I burst into tears as soon as I saw him. I no longer feel conflicted about whether or not to kiss or slap his gorgeous face when he gets me all riled up. I will always, always kiss him. But I will also always say whatever I have to, to put him in his place.
I already have three meetings scheduled with possible future employers for next week, and according to the recruiter, they are all very eager to
