Page 12 of Wolfish Heart
We eat breakfast in the kitchen, then I help Zoe check the office, adjusting the curtains and blinds until the right amount of morning light is coming in to complement the side lamps.
I come over to kiss the top of her head again. “I’m going to go work from my bedroom. Text me if you need anything. Other than that, I will not come in this room or even this side of the house until you tell me we’re all clear.”
She grabs my hand and squeezes tightly. “Thank you for understanding. I’m so sorry to kick you out of your own office.”
“I’m already thinking of this as your office, baby.”
I hate that she looks worried. “Are you able to work in your bedroom?” she frets. “I don’t want you to get behind because of me.”
I smile, waving dismissively. “I have a whack of virtual assistants for a lot of the day-to-day stuff. Plus, there are five of us running this company. One of us can take a slow day now and then.”
I expect her to smile, but instead, Zoe’s face falls. “What is it, baby? If you’re nervous about the videos?—”
“No, I just realized that…you know. If I stay here in Old Hemlock Valley, eventually I’ll meet all your brothers. What if they don’t like me?”
“Oh baby, I know for afactthey will like you.” I gently brush her hair from her eyes. “Maybe I can introduce you to them one at a time? Less overwhelming that way?”
“That sounds like a very good plan.”
Tipping her chin up with my finger, I give her a feather-soft kiss, being careful not to mess up her lipstick. It’s getting more and more difficult to keep myself from caressing her all over and pulling her lush, curvy body against mine.
“Sometime in the next few days we’ll have a chat about how long you’re staying here. I hope you know that if it was up to me, it’d be forever.”
Her lovely gray eyes are wide as she leans back and straightens up, and her soft smile is strained.
“Enough. Just focus on one thing at a time, baby.” My finger taps the script on the teleprompter off to the side. “Don’t forget to breathe, and smile about ten percent more than feels natural.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
I take my laptop up to my bedroom. I motor through a bunch of unimportant emails while delegating smaller tasks to my assistants, but there’s a heavy cloud forming in the back of my mind.
I know it’s super early in this relationship, far too soon to expect Zoe to just up and change all her life plans for me. But even though I have no right to expect it, I want to feel like we’re permanent already.
We belong together forever. I’m positive.
8
ZOE
Istare at the playback in disbelief. I did it! I completed the first round of videos in one day! And, unbelievably, I’m relatively happy with them.
I start uploading everything to Mom’s server, then take a few deep breaths, trying to shift the discomfort beginning to take hold. Mom, perfectionist that she is, is going to analyze them to pieces. Was I personable enough? Was my tone warm enough?
I lean back and roll my stiff shoulders. As I look out the expansive windows to the beautiful forest just beyond the lawn, everything slowly relaxes.
No wonder I feel good about the videos. I have the world’s hottest man as a cheerleader in my corner. How could I fail knowing that Kaden believes in me 100%? He’s larger than life. It’s not just his unbelievable house or the way everyone in town treats him, and itcertainlyhas nothing to do with his obvious wealth. Kaden has a big spirit and an incredible energy. He’s a gorgeous wave of positivity…not to mention the sexiest man I’ve ever met.
My fingers drum on the desk. He’s already helped me so much, I have to find a way to repay him.
The videos finish uploading, and I email Mom the link with a brief note to please send me any comments before I start the next round tomorrow. I don’t expect to keep up the same rate at which I churned them out today, but I might be able to finish them all in a couple of weeks.
Then I send Kaden a text.
Hey there, big guy. May I please take you out to dinner?
Kaden: Are you *gasp* asking me out on a date?
I am! Anywhere in town, your choice. Go crazy.
