Page 55 of Because of Blake

He swallows hard. “I’m waiting for the courage to ask you if I’m dropping you off at home.”

“Why do you need courage for that?” I crane my neck to look at him, but he keeps his gaze straight through the windshield.

“Because I don’t want your answer to be ‘yes.’”

“Why not?”

He licks his lips and his eyelids lower. “Because it’s not even five o’clock, and I’m not ready to leave you for the day.”

“You’re not sick of me yet?” I reach over, laying my hand on his thigh and squeezing.

He turns to me, locking his smoldering brown eyes on mine, and my stomach flips. “Never.”

“Well, I do have work tomorrow. Don’t you?”

“Yeah, but I’m not going to bed for a few hours. There’s still plenty of daylight left. Do you have a reason to go home? Like, something you need to do there?”

I shake my head. “No, I’ll probably lay around and read or something. Why? Do you want me to come over again?”

Blake turns to me with pleading eyes. “I do, as long asyou’renot sick of me.”

“Not by a long shot.”

Chapter seventeen

ThursdayafternoonI’msittingat my desk when my phone chimes, a million butterflies rushing through me upon seeing Blake’s name.

BLAKE:Hey, what are you doing?

ME:Working. You?

BLAKE:Wondering when you go to lunch?

I glance at the time. It’s 10:47 a.m.

ME:I’ll go between 12 and 1230. Why?

BLAKE:Because I’m coming to get you.

My brow furrows.

ME:Aren’t you working?

BLAKE:Our next job fell thru so I’ve got the afternoon off.

Strange. Why wouldn’t they move another job up? I shrug it off since it’s beneficial to me at the moment.

ME:Ok. Text me when you get here and I’ll come out.

BLAKE:Ok.

The next hour and twenty minutes are excruciating. I’m so excited to see Blake, my stomach is flipping, but that makes it difficult to concentrate on my work. My production isn’t nearly up to par as normal. That’s why when my phone chimes at 12:11 p.m., I all but jump from my chair.

BLAKE:I’m here, but can I come in to use the bathroom? It was a long drive.

I giggle and hit reply, telling him to check in at the front desk first. Since I have an extra minute, I finish the affidavit I was working on and file it. I clock out, sling my purse over my shoulder, and have to use all my self-control to not skip through the office.

All the warmth pulsing through me freezes over, though, as I reach the corner to the foyer and hear Abbey giggling. I peek around the corner to find Abbey, all dolled up as usual, flipping her hair and laying her hand on Blake’s arm.