Page 107 of Betrayed By Love

“I don’t want to split your attention. I’ve done so all week.”

“Then we can order in. What would you like?”

“Barbeque.”

Foster smiles. “From Monster Barbeque?”

“Yes. I have a hankering for their ribs.”

“Then ribs you shall have. Might I borrow your phone since mine is off limits tonight?”

I press my lips to his scruffy face, lingering as I inhale his scent. “It’s in my purse.”

“I’ll order, and Peters can pick it up.”

“Why don’t you order, and you pick it up?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’d like to take a bath, a well-needed bath.”

“Take one after dinner.”

“I want to take one now.”

“Very well. I’ll order dinner, change, and have Peters take me to Monster. Is that satisfactory?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Foster buries his nose against my hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “You need to keep me in check. Speak up when I’m a jerk.”

“I won’t forget what you just said. I’ll do it.”

“Good, now I need your phone, Mrs. Black.”

I reluctantly rise off his lap and head to the foyer to get my fallen purse. A couple of minutes later, he is ordering a massive meal from Monster Barbeque.

“Why did you order so much food?”

He smiles sheepishly. “I didn’t eat lunch. I’ve been surviving on coffee and breath mints all day.”

I shake my head, exasperated. “You can’t do that. Maybe if you ate lunch with me this week, you wouldn’t be starving.”

“Next week, I promise.”

“What about tomorrow?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I would much prefer to spend it with you, but I have a lunch meeting.”

“Then take me with you.”

“I think you would be bored.”

“But I would be a nice distraction.”

“Too nice a distraction. I should go downstairs since Peters can’t reach me on my phone.”

As Foster leaves for the elevator, I catch up to turn and pin him against the doors.

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