She giggles. “Lots of things…”
Her words trail off and that only excites me more. “Care to elaborate? I hope it’s kinky. You know I like it when you’re like that.”
As she opens her mouth to speak, her eyes widen as she glances over my shoulder. I turn to find a guy wearing a yellow, polo shirt and pressed khakis at my left. The shirt nearly matches the color of his perfectly styled hair. He reminds me of Hailey’s perfectly plastic Ken doll only with glasses.
“Hey, Aubrey. I didn’t know you frequented this place,” Ken doll says while completely overlooking the fact that I’m sitting right here.
Kitten sits a little straighter in her chair. “It’s one of my favorites. Isaac, this is my…” She gestures to me but trails off unsure of what to call me.
Things click. This is Isaac, as in her douche bag of a boss that grates on her nerves. I stick my hand out to the dude. “Boyfriend. Riff. What’s up, bro.”
I’m not sure whose eyebrows raise higher, Kitten or Issac’s when I proclaim our relationship status for the first time to a stranger. I want people to know she’s taken. Might as well start with her boss, because I can see the way he’s looking at her. This fucker needs to know to keep his dick in his pants.
He grips my hand and gives it a firm shake. “Good to meet you. I actually work at Center Stage. I’ve had a hand in helping out with your charity project alongside Lanie Vance. I didn’t know you knew Aubrey personally.”
His eyes flick over to Aubrey’s face and she merely shrugs under his gaze like she’s been caught in something. “It never came up.”
Isaac’s eyes never leave her and instantly I feel a surge to protect what’s mine come over me. I need to get rid of this joker before I lose my cool. “Okay, well, good to meet you. She’ll see you at work then.”
Aubrey flinches at the sudden short tone of my voice and then turns back to her boss with an apologetic smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Isaac.”
Isaac stands there for a moment like he’s debating something before he nods. “Tomorrow it is, then.”
The minute he walks away Aubrey turns towards me with a frown. “Why did you do that?”
I lean in further towards her. “Because I saw the way that Ken doll looked at you. I want him to know up front that he can’t have you.”
She squares her shoulders. “I’m perfectly capable of handling things on my own, and don’t call him that.”
“What? A Ken doll?”
“Yes!” she snaps. “It’s rude.”
I lean in. “Have you not seen the guy? He looks Barbie’s fake fucking boyfriend. Too perfect to be real.”
She rolls her eyes. “He does not, besides he won’t try anything if he knows I’m with someone. He’s not that type of man.”
I shake my head. “Sometimes guys need a little more deterrent than a polite no from a woman for the message to sink in that she’s not interested. Take us for example. That first night in the hall, your mouth said no, but your body said yes. I’m keeping things clear in this case. You’re mine, Kitten. You said so yourself. Now it’s time the world knew.”
Admitting my feelings about claiming her out loud makes me seem a little cavemanish but I don’t give a shit. I want her. The thought of another man thinking about fucking her is enough to drive me over the edge.
I wait for her to be pissed and tell me that I don’t own her and all that crap that I’ve seen women spout when their men try to control them, but Aubrey does quite the opposite. She smiles.
“I hope you know that goes two ways.” She eyes me carefully. “If we’re exclusive then that means no other women for you.”
I lean back in the chair and lick my lips. “Kitten, there’s no other woman on this planet that can compete with you, so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”
Her smile grows wider and I can’t wait to prove to her that I am worthy of her trust because, after all, isn’t that the foundation to a good relationship?
AUBREY
I watch Zach throw the last of his things in a duffel bag. “I can’t believe you have to go back already.”
My heart sinks at the thought of not being with him every day. Believe it or not, in a week I’ve grown used to having him here all the time.
He walks around the bed and pulls me up by both hands. “Come with me.”
I throw my arms around his neck and squeeze against him. “I can’t. I have my job here and all.”
He sighs and rests his forehead against mine. “I know. I wish you’d quit and come on the road with me. I like having you with me.”
“That would be better than anything in the world, but I’ve worked so hard for this degree and it’s the best company in the field. I can’t give that up.”
He nods. “I know, but it doesn’t make the pain of leaving you here hurt any less.”
I rub the back of his head and the stubble scratches my fingertips. “I feel the same way. But like you said, we’re only an airplane ride apart. Maybe I can come to you on weekends or something.”
“I’ll take whatever you can give me.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine.
A crushing weight sits on my chest knowing this will be the last kiss I get from him in a while. I close my eyes, but it doesn’t stop the burn that’s taking them over. Squeezing them tighter doesn’t work either. It merely forces a tear out of the corner of my eye.