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Without explanation, I bend to kiss her. The moment I capture her lips, I want more. Tilting her head back, I deepen the kiss until I hear the sound of hoots and whistles from the others.
Nardi’s hand flattens against my chest and she pushes me away. I let her, straightening to my full height.
“I knew it!” Asad yells from across the room. “I knew you two were dating!”
Dr. Young looks absolutely shocked.
Sara smiles from ear to ear.
Nardi ducks in embarrassment and I figure that kiss should keep her nice and distracted for a few minutes. By then, everyone will have a task to do and she won’t feel the need to interrupt us.
I get to work on the booth as Nardi instructed and she reluctantly coaches me through the set up. After I’m done, Nardi decides she wants to decorate the entrance, so I drag a chair next to the auditorium door.
“I can stand,” Nardi protests.
“Sit when you’re feeling tired,” I instruct her.
“I should be the one tellingyouthat.” She gives me another side eye but doesn’t argue and I continue with my work. There’s a lot to be done but none of it is heavy labor, and I’m careful to pace myself as I go.
Caterers arrive after we’ve logged in a solid hour of work and excitement sweeps through the auditorium.
“When did you have time to order food?” Nardi asks, staring at the tables being set up.
Waffles, pancakes, French toast, eggs and an assortment of other breakfast foods rest on heated silver trays. Everyone’s already lining up and Asad is at the very front.
“I didn’t.” I nod at Sara from across the room.
My assistant nods back.
Tiny lines inscribe into the space between Nardi’s eyebrows. “I thought you said you couldn’t hire a crew because businesses don’t open before sunrise?”
“Yes, but bakers are in their kitchens at two or three a.m.” I smirk at her puzzled expression and then jut my chin at the table. “Would you like me to get something for you to eat?”
“I’m not an invalid. I can get my own plate,” she grumbles. “You do too much, Cullen.”
I smile as Nardi stalks past me to join the line.
If only I could do more than this for her. There’s not enough time to shower her with all the gifts she deserves.
My heart sinks at the thought.
More time.
The one thing I want.
The one thing I can’t have.
As Nardi approaches the line and finds her place at the back, the engineers wave her forward and gesture for her to go ahead of them.
“It’s alright,” Nardi says, staying at the back.
“You go first.”
“Cullen will kill us if we let his girlfriend eat last.”
“Take my place, Nardi.”
That last instruction comes from Asad who generously offers for Nardi to step in front of him. I smile at the way they take care of her.