Page 92 of Words We Didn't Say

6:00 a.m.

I groaned. Sleep-in over. A mountain of work waited for me at the office. I needed to drag my backside out of bed—my very naked and verycoldbackside, courtesy of the sheet thief beside me.

“Quit wriggling,” a muffled voice grumbled. “I’m being cuddled here.”

The pillow lifted. I was greeted by a tumble of dark hair and chocolate eyes crinkled by a sleepy grin. My smile back wasautomatic. A pleasure. How was Eden always so lovely? Palming her hip, I urged her soft skin to press closer and bent down for a kiss—

Eden slapped a hand over her mouth. Wide eyes stared up at me.

“Move your hand,” I said. She refused with a shake of her head. Impatient, I grazed my nose along her cheek. “I want to kiss you.”

Her fingers inched apart. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!”

“I don’t care about your morning breath.” It was all in her imagination, anyway. I nibbled her neck, loving the way she squirmed. “I want to make you messy again before I head to work.”

Eden’s eyes shifted to the clock on the nightstand. Her brows drooped.

I could read her like a book. She was thinking, “This early?”

Could she read my face as easily to see I was thinking, “This late?”

Frustrated, I rolled away and flopped onto the pillow, a sullen glare pointed at the ceiling. Priorities were blurring. I’d been spending more and more time with Eden and even more time distracted from work. My billable hours were plummeting. The money I was bringing in was still well beyond the minimum, but for me, low.

The lowest it had been in two years.

Eden propped herself on her elbow. The tangled ends of her dark hair tickled my cheek before her lips did. “Zach?”

“Mmm?”

“When you become a partner at your firm, will it make you happy?”

I stared at the ceiling. Would it make me happy? Waking up next to Eden, sneaking my palm over her belly, and letting it linger while I listened to her adorable snores melted my anxiety.She made me happy. I dreaded walking into work, and my stomach roiled at the thought of turning on my computer or opening another email. I’d been on this hamster wheel for a long time. Twelve years. I was exhausted, but…

“I’ve been working towards becoming a partner since I graduated from university,” I said. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted.” I reached up to touch her cheek. “Well, it used to be.”

Eden smiled. “What changes when you become a partner? Will you get to work less?” She kissed my neck with enough of a lick to drag a sigh out of me. “Maybe sneak in a few mornings so we can snuggle in late?”

“Yeah, I think so. I’ll have more say in how the firm’s run and how we treat people.” The first thing I planned to do was give Sue a raise. “I’ll finally get proper recognition in my field. I’ll actually be someone worthwhile—”

The gentle press of Eden’s index finger stopped my words.

“Hey, none of that.” She frowned. “You’re worthwhile. You’re more than your job.”

“I know it won’t make sense to someone like you.”

“It makes perfect sense. We’ve walked the same road; I just climbed to the top of my ladder a little earlier than you did. But that’s cool because I can give you a hand up the last few rungs.”

“Behind every great man is a great woman?”

She smirked. “You seriously think I plan on standing behind you?”

“Charging out in front?”

“Nah, let’s go one better. Side by side. We’re going to be the ultimate power couple.”

“No, Denny Dee.”

Her face fell.

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