Since I had skipped heading to the headquarters due to excessive drinking the day prior, I understood I had to spend my Saturday stuck in my workroom at the headquarters, finishing the five projects we were in the middle of developing.

Although we’d been communicating through text messaging all throughout the day, I didn’t manage to part from work until past midnight. Starved and exhausted, I entered the compound with the thought of going through leftovers while Gisele sat on my lap as she gave me a rundown of her day. Earlier, she had mentioned having a fun, quiet night, but since it was rather late, I doubted we’d have anything except a quick shag before passing out cold. Tomorrow held the same schedule for me. I had to meet with my sparring partner early in the morning before heading back out to the headquarters.

Getting out of the car, I had barely pressed the alarm button when Johnson, part of the security, came to greet me with a good evening. I bid him the same.

“Miss Weber asked me to inform you to meet her in the pool area, sir.”

Nodding in acknowledgment, I quietly thanked him as I trod towards the main entrance of the house. Upon entering the threshold, my ears were instantaneously welcomed by the soft calming notes of Miles Davis. My cock jolted awake, quite prepared for what the minx had in mind for tonight. Without ado, I hastily made way towards the wide-open French doors leading to the pool area.

The double chaise canopy had some of the curtains drawn, leaving only one section open. Varying sizes of black rimmed glass lanterns glowed with pillar candles strung and hanging around the teak wood in all four sections of the curtained canopy. Food was in silver dishes on the other side, and my stomach involuntarily grumbled in protest.

My wife was absorbed in her Meade LX200 telescope situated on a tripod at the foot of the bed as she tweaked the lenses while she waited for the lunar eclipse in the sky above. I made a mental note to specifically order her a million dollar one situated somewhere in the house so she could see more of the universe than her twenty thousand dollar one. She deserved to have the very best, and I could start with the little things she adored to do during her free time.

I should’ve guessed. I had forgotten how she and Peter used to do this as their bonding activity when she had been younger.

When I quietly approached her hunched form, she didn’t realize I was there until my arms wrapped around her torso before kissing her soft cheek. “Why are you out here alone, kitten?”

“Baby!” she shrieked as she spun around and solely focused on me, bringing her luscious mouth against mine then wrapping her arms and legs around my body. “You’re home.”

I was…I definitely, irrefutably was home.

“You didn’t invite the girls?” Cupping and gripping her ample arse cheeks, I beamed at my blushing woman.

She snickered. “They’re out partying at some party somewhere.”

I groaned as I bit her lip, quite grateful my wife didn’t decide to join her pretty, reliable but oh so crazy best friends. “What about Ginny. She seemed the type to like this sort of geeky fun?”

“Are you saying I’m a geek?” She arched her brow as she shifted her groin to rub against the emboldened hardness stuck in between her thighs.

“I’ll say whatever the hell you want me to say,” I sighed as I tried not to surrender to my body’s wishes. “All day…all I could think about was having you in the headquarters, working alongside me…so I could indulge in all the wicked things I want to do with you. I don’t have to wait to bury myself inside this body. I can bend you over any time, any place, any way I want…”

“Uh-uh…It’s a nice thought, but your wicked fantasies have to wait until summer or when I’m ready to take on extra work on top of my already-stacked schoolwork and projects.”

My hand smacked her round, supple cheek. “I’m a patient man…I can wait however long a time you need.”

She cackled, showing me her cute dimple. “Not only are you gorgeous, but you’re also delusional. Patience is not in your DNA, babe.” She teasingly patted my cheek before kissing my lips then beginning to unlatch her luscious body off mine. “I hope you’re hungry. Quentin kind of overdid himself preparing tonight.”

“I’m famished. I’m sure I can manage,” I mumbled as I popped a buttered baby potato into my mouth.

“Well, go feed the tummy while I wait for the eclipse. It should be happening very soon…” She winked at me before she continued, sitting with her legs crossed as her focus zeroed in on the lens. She was wearing one of my shirts and minuscule silk shorts, her hair tied haphazardly atop her head like a blonde crown.

I grinned, studying her careless free spirit. Although she took time and effort to look good, she also had these blasé moments. I liked this side of her better.

Pouring the wine, I slipped off my shoes as I comfortably relaxed against the bed before I placed one of the silver platters filled with barbeque ribs, baby potatoes, and grilled zucchinis next to me. Peering at the night sky, I carefully sipped on my wine before poking her butt with my big toe. “I missed you…”

“I’ve missed you back,” she quipped back without peeling her eyes away from the lens.

“Gisele?”

“Hm…”

“I think…” I paused, needing a moment to gather my thoughts, quite heady at the thought of what I was about to say next. “Well, I believe—I’m almost sure…that I’m falling in love with you, kitten.”

This time, she pulled away but didn’t immediately turn around to face me. She took her time before letting out a haggard breath, as if trying to comprehend the weight of my confession. Ever so casually, she crawled towards me. She sat on her heels as she gazed down, reaching out to cup my face. The intensity in her gray eyes took my breath away. “I love you, but you have to understand there’s no need to butter me up after what happened yesterday, Jared. We’re past it. I’m fine. You don’t have to say these things—”

My forefinger pressed against her succulent lips, hushing her completely. Deeply boring my eyes into hers, I took hold of her hand before bringing it to my lips, kissing it softly, lovingly. “I’m telling you how I feel. No more secrets, remember?”

“I don’t know what to say…” she nervously said before grimacing. “I mean, it might not be true. You’re not fully sure, so your feelings might change later on.”