Page 35 of Midnight Wishes

‘Arms on the windowsill.’

‘You actually broughtme food?’

Sarah shrugged as she tucked the front of her shirt back into her jeans. ‘I figured you might not have eaten today.’

‘That’s…that’s really thoughtful. Thank you.’ Alex failed miserably at controlling the crack in his voice, hinting at too much emotion. Apart from Maggie—who was paid well to do it—he couldn’t remember the last time someone had bothered to take care of him like that.

Sarah stiffened. ‘It’s really not a big deal. I needed a cover story.’

After filling his office with the prettiest, neediest sounds, her voice was back to aloof. She sauntered to his desk as she spoke. ‘You seemed like a sushi type.’

He was. She’d gone to his favourite place, too. The one he frequented for lunch on the rare days his brain and his schedule aligned so he could look after himself.

‘I have thirty minutes before my meeting. Eat with me.’

‘I didn’t get enough for two.’ Flicking her eyes over him, she continued, ‘I probably didn’t get enough for one, considering you’re the size of a mountain. How many calories do you need a day?’

A grin stretched Alex’s tired face. Each time she made a similar comment, it delighted him more, knowing that despite her attempts at derision, his body was taking up as much of her mental space as it was physical. ‘I wasn’t going to eat until I got home anyway. Whatever I get will be an improvement to the situation. And let’s not pretend you don’t love how big I am, Princess.’

She flipped him off at that, and he caught her wrist mid-air to pull her down onto his lap. When she squirmed, trying to get up, he snaked an arm around her waist. ‘Sit. Eat.’

‘Can I at least get my own chair instead of you pawing at me?’

‘No.’ He was in heaven, all her soft curves pressed deliciously against him. If being annoying was the way to be close to her, he’d do it.

‘I’m heavy. You’ll be uncomfortable in like two minutes.’

There seemed a strange dichotomy in how she saw her body. The way she moved through the world suggested confidence. That she knew how stunning she was and how to use it. But then she would say things like that, and make him wonder who the piece of shit was who hadn’t been able to handle the woman on top of him.

‘It’s not the first time you’ve been on top of me this week. I think I’ll manage. And I’m pretty sure I lift more than your weight most times I work out.’

‘Always bragging.’ Sarah rummaged in the bag and drew out a container and a pair of chopsticks. ‘Just for that, I’m taking the spicy tuna rolls.’

Alex laughed, and something in his brain snagged on the idea that it had been months since he’d sat in that chair and felt solight. Searching through the remaining options to distract himself, he found his favourite. She couldn’t have known. She’d probably just selected five popular dishes at random. Still. It felt significant. ‘I prefer nigiri anyway. But I am not at all surprised you like something with a bite.’

In every sense.

Something he’d been thrilled to discover the day he’d scraped his teeth over her thigh and she’d clenched around his fingers.

Minutes passed in silence as they ate, and for once, Alex didn’t feel the need to fill them.

Chapter 19

SARAH

sex | EDEN

When she’d wokenup that morning,get railed on the windowsill of Alex’s officehadn’t been on Sarah’s bingo card.

Curl up on Alex’s lap and share dinner with himwould have been even lower on her list of possibilities.

But somehow, despite his approximately zero percent body fat, leaning into his chest was absurdly comfortable.

Her eyes swept over the arm wrapped lazily around her hips, holding her to his body. ‘What does that one mean?’

Alex followed her gaze to his left forearm, to the tattoo she’d been captivated by since she’d first seen hints of it. A swirl of black ink that formed a loop at the top, crossed over itself, and ended in two tails curving inwards, set atop a rainbow blur of watercolours.

‘It’s a troll cross. Historically it was to ward off trolls and other evil, but in a modern sense, it’s supposed to keep negativity at bay.’

---