Page 75 of Game Change

And my good mood dies. “I don’t want a relationship in secret,” I say. That’s the one thing I will fight her on.

“Not secret. I don’t want that either, but I want privacy in the office. I don’t want to announce it at work yet, but outside of Kincaid Architecture, we’re together. You might get sick of me in a couple of weeks, though.”

I kiss the side of her neck. “That’s never going to happen, but okay. Our relationship is no one’s business, but I won't deny it if we get found out. And we come public to the office in thirty days or when we’re outed. Whichever comes first.”

“Deal.” She picks up her champagne flute, and I do the same. We clink. “To me and my boyfriend,” she says with a laugh.

“I love the sound of that. Come here.” I cup her face and kiss her on the mouth. It’s not a deep kiss, but it’s intimate and sensual. “Let’s get through this damn dinner and go home.”

My office door swings open, and Heath barges in like a man on a mission. To my disappointment, there’s no coffee in his hand for me. It’s barely eight-thirty in the morning, but I’m exhausted from spending the night with my girlfriend. After dinner, we returned to my place, but we went to bed instead of watching a movie and spent the next few hours loving each other before falling asleep in a sweaty mess. We woke up less than an hour ago and showered together.

“You won’t believe this, but someone stole my chocolates,” Heath says. I don’t bother hiding my eye-roll. “Don’t roll your eyes. Those chocolates are imported from Belgium, and some greedy person just swiped them from my desk. Why take imported, high-end chocolate when a Hershey bar would do?” He huffs as if some missing chocolate is the worst thing in life.

“Can you get me some coffee?” I ask. “And check your email. I don’t really give a damn about your chocolates right now, Heath.”

“I bet you Ice Princess took them.” He crosses his arms, and I look at him for the first time. He’s in a navy blue cardigan over a white button-down shirt and dark blue pants. He doesn’t look terrible today.

“Her name is Brynne Barber, not Ice Princess,” I say, ready to defend my girlfriend. “And why would she take your candy?”

“Candy? Chocolates made by hand bythepremier chocolatier from The City of Brussels cannot be reduced to just candy,” he scoffs. “Uncle Colin the First got them for me for Christmas. Every month for the next year, I’ll get a different—”

“Then you’ll get more soon,” I say, cutting him off. “Get my coffee and go check your email.” I gesture for him to leave my office.

“Why on earth are you so tired?” he asks. Instead of leaving, he comes closer. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.” He stretches and makes a loud groaning noise. “This storm was the best thing to happen to me. I exfoliated my pores and conditioned my cuticles. I gave myself a facial and walked around the house in nothing but my cashmere robe. It was wonderful for my mental health.” He looks down at his hands. Then he runs them along my face. “See? Softer than a baby’s butt. This is exactly how that cashmere robe felt on my bare ass.”

“Can you please go get my coffee?” I knock his hand away. I hate to admit it, but his hand is very smooth.

“Hmph,” he says before he walks out, leaving me alone for now.

My computer dings and a new email from Raven Bennett comes through. Before I could open it, my office phone rings.

“Well, this is a first,” I say into the receiver.

“It’s me. Your girlfriend,” she whispers.

“My beautiful, smart, and sexy girlfriend,” I whisper back. “I miss you. Come to my office and sit on my lap. By the way, Heath’s on a mission for the person who took his chocolates.”

“The reason for my call, Mr. Kincaid, is to invite you to my place for dinner tonight. I will cook for you, and then I want you to spend the night inmybed. And I don’t give a damn about Heath or his disgusting chocolates. I took great pleasure in putting them in your garbage disposal.”

“Well, I like the sound of that. I accept.”

“Okay, I have to get to work, and since you’re the boss, you should know I’m leaving early today so I can get ready for my boyfriend later.”

“Well, you have my permission to leave early.”

“Don’t get too full of yourself, Kincaid. The day I ask you for permission to do anything is the day that aliens invade my body.”

“The only thing allowed to invade your body is my dick. You got that, Ms. Barber?”

“Don’t you start making claims on my body,” she warns.

“Say it.”

“Say what?”

“That I’m the only one who can have those lips and that pussy. Not to mention that ass.”

“Oh, no. I’m not one of those types of women. I’ll never say that, so get used to it, Kincaid.”

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