“Were you ever going to tell me today is your birthday?”
Her eyes widened. “How did you know?”
“A little birdie told me. Happy birthday, beautiful.”
She gave me a sweet, shy smile, seeming embarrassed. “Thank you.”
“This is just the start of Roe day.”
“The start, huh?”
I nodded. “I have a lot in store for my favorite birthday girl.”
I had every intention of showering Roe with the love I felt, even if I wasn’t able to give her the words. With that in mind, I was taking my girl out for a night on the town. It was only the second date alone we’d had in the month and a half we’d been together.
I had to do the math over again, because that short time couldn’t be right. However, it was.
But first, I was going to start with her presents.
Once we were out of the pool and back upstairs with a swim-tired Kinsey. I grabbed a pillow from my bed, laying her down on my couch and wedging her in before covering her with a blanket. Roe appeared bemused by my actions. But her tiny smile and the sparkle that I could see in her eyes gave me hope.
“I’ve got something for you,” I said casually as I stood and picked up the packages from the kitchen counter and slid the wrapped gifts across to Roe where she stood at the dining table.
“What’s this?”
“Presents for my birthday girl. It’s your day, and I plan to spoil you rotten.”
“Spoil me, huh?”
I nodded, watching as she fought with the paper.
She pulled the box from the paper and blinked at it before opening it to verify the contents, as if she had to inspect that it was real. “You bought me a new phone?”
“Yours is cracked, and I’m honestly shocked it still works.”
I’d watched Kinsey more than once slap the phone from her hand, sending it to the floor.
“Thank you, Thane!” She walked around the counter and threw her arms around me, peppering my cheek with kisses.
I didn’t want to let her go as I enjoyed basking in her unreserved affection. “There’s more.”
She pulled back, a twinkle of excitement in her eye. “More?” She grinned and dove into the bag. Out came a small wrapped package, and her eyes widened as she looked at the bracelets inside.
She glanced at me, then back to the stack, pulling one up and reading the edge.
“Kinsey,” she whispered and smiled. The rest were more generic sayings, but ones that reminded me of her—beautiful, strong, love. And then the one that meant the most to me—you are my everything.
Tears filled her eyes as her thumb ran along the words on the last one. Her eyes met mine, and I reached out to brush a fallen tear from her cheek.
I wanted to say it. It was the perfect time. Just as I was about to, my phone went off and a groan left me.
After hitting ignore on the unknown number, I pulled another small package out.
“What’s this?”
“From Kinsey.”
She rolled her eyes and smiled before ripping the paper open. More bracelets to help regrow her stolen collection. A mix of gems, wire-like, crystal flowers—a dozen varieties so that hopefully she would find something she liked.
“They’re so beautiful.”
“Kinsey has great taste. She knows what her momma likes.” I took her hand in mine and kissed each one of her fingers. “Happy birthday, Roe.”
I love you.
She took my face in her hands and pressed her lips to mine. “Thank you for a wonderful birthday and all my beautiful presents.”
“You’re more than welcome. And now that I know today is your birthday, I’ll be better prepared for next year.”
“Next year, huh? Think you’ll be stuck with me that long?”
“Roe, I’m planning to keep you. I’m not stuck with you. And I want forever. You’re never getting rid of me.”
The light in her faded, her eyes glistening before she turned from me. They weren’t just words, and I needed her to understand that.
I stared down at my pretty new phone with its perfect screen and bit my lip. Kinsey had already tried to slap it down, but Thane included a ring that attached to the sturdy case that would help keep it in my hand and from breaking if it did hit the floor.
“Next week I’m not going to be your assistant,” I said as we drove to work.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“You make terrible coffee,” he said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. “I just get your coffee. I don’t make it.”
“And yet somehow I didn’t have a problem before you. Interesting. Maybe you’re poisoning my morning brew.”
“And rob myself of all the mind-blowing orgasms?”
His face scrunched up. “Are you kidding, and which item are you kidding about?”
I shook my head. “I’m serious. You’ve given me more orgasms than all guys before you combined.”
“How many guys are we talking about?”
“Not nearly as many women as you have under your belt.”
I looked out the window, watching as the city crawled by. There was a knot in my stomach, a bothersome pain that tugged at my heart. It’d been there ever since we bumped into his ex, Liv.
He’d never mentioned her since, and as far as I could tell, she’d never called.
But what if she had?
Thane threaded his fingers with mine and pulled my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. “Something is bothering you.”
I swallowed hard. There was a lot bothering me, but the biggest was the fear of next week. “What happens when the punishment is over?” I asked, trying for levity.
He shook his head. “It’s not a punishment.”
“Still, what happens?”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean? You go back to Marketing and I stalk the fuck out of you, sending you dirty texts enticing you to go to ‘lunch’ with me.”
That seemed to be the correct response, because the knot loosened. It wasn’t gone, but I didn’t feel nauseous.
“That doesn’t sound too bad. I’ll be happy not to have to answer your phone anymore.” That was the complete truth, and it made him chuckle.
“And when the workday is over, we’ll have dinner together and I’ll have my way with you when Kinsey is in bed.”
“That could work.”
“What were you thinking would happen?” he asked as we pulled into the parking garage.
I shook my head, not wanting to expose my doubts about our relationship lasting past the week.
“It’s nothing.”
The car came to a stop in his spot and a sigh left him. “It’s something, but I’ll let you have this one. Know this, though—just because you won’t be outside my door anymore doesn’t mean you’ll be out of my mind. You’re not someone I’m just going to forget because you’re not in my constant line of sight.”
“It’s stupid, I know,” I said as I exited the car.
He came around and pulled me to him.
“I’m going to miss you, too,” he said with a sigh as he held me close. “I hate it, but I can’t hog you. It was temporary, and now it’s time to go back to your real job and not having me piss you off.”