Page 23 of A Daddy for Christmas 3: Nova
“Anyway, I reached out to them to get their thoughts on my trying to apply to work for Koa and Ethan, and not only do they think it’s a good idea, but they reached out for me to see if they had any positions open. Since I worked on their project and met them both personally during my internship time, it’s even better than a letter of reference, though they are willing to write me one anyway if there are any positions open, and if not, the folks I interned for are going to ask them to reach out and see if anyone they know has any job openings. I just, I really love it here; that’swhy Maui was the only place on my mind when it was time to book my vacation.”
“I-I…” Stammering, I could only stand there and blink over at him as he grinned at me until I finally remembered to turn off the water and pass him a towel so he could dry his hands. “You’re serious? You’re actually considering moving here.”
“If I can land a job that will allow me to afford it, I am,” he replied. “I have some savings put away. Quite a bit, actually, since I never have time to do anything. I’d be able to rent a place and get the kitties settled in. Having visited with Koa and Ethan, I know that their business model is family first and that people are rarely in the office after three. I’d actually be able to have a life, one I’d love for you to be a part of.”
“When were you going to tell me this?” I asked as I turned on the burner and placed the pan on it.
“When I had an answer, only you said what you said, and I couldn’t hold it back any longer, because I felt the same way, and I—I just—you’re different. You make me think about a future beyond work. When we’re together and that stupid phone is in its lovely little box, I feel like a person, with dreams and hopes and feelings and wishes, and maybe it won’t work out between us, which will suck, because I will cry and I will probably avoid any beach with someone surfing off it, but I want to take that chance.”
“So do I. And yeah, it will suck if we can’t make it work between us but getting that chance would mean everything to me. I know it’s not a done deal yet, but I hope you don’t mind me sending up a few pleas to the universe that everything works out, and you find yourself with new employment come the new year.”
“Go for it; I’ve already started trying to sway the universe to my side,” he replied.
I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and got back to work on lunch, while he rummaged around in the recycle bin to see ifthere was anything with a lid that would work for the sea glass we’d found.
“Ah-ha, this is perfect,” he declared as he triumphantly held up the lid to the peanut butter jar I’d tossed in there the other morning.
“There you go,” I replied.
“There are a couple others too; we can make different-sized bases with them,” he said as he retrieved them and carried them out to the mudroom, and no, I could not tear my eyes off his ass while he did it, either.
It was a good thing I hadn’t been holding a knife. Rocked by a flood of amazing emotions and possibilities, I whistled along with the smart speaker while I cooked and even broke out the good China, instead of the paper plates, when the food was ready. By good China, I meant the thrift store set of actual dishes I’d picked up a few years back but rarely used because it was just me, so I didn’t see the point.
Despite it being the middle of the afternoon, I lit a candle on the table outside once I’d set our plates down and smiled through the window at Nova in the mudroom.
“I’ll be right out,” he called before the water turned on so he could wash his hands.
It was a beautiful 83-degree afternoon with a light breeze occasionally blowing and no storms on the forecast for the rest of the week. We had a couple of Arizona Green Teas to go with our meal, and I had the best company in the world, seated across from me, a bright smile on his face.
“Do you, um, think you’d be up for a movie tonight?” he asked. “I was thinking that after all of our beachcombing and crafting, it might be fun to put something on, curl up together on your couch, and see if we can un-pause the fun we were having earlier.”
“I’d be up for that in every way imaginable,” I replied, deliberately drawing out the last three words until he smirked across the table at me.
“Every way, huh?” he asked. “Does that include naked with me in your lap?”
He stunned me with his brazenness, in the best possible way. I loved that he knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it, and he never tried to play the shy or coy card to get me to ask a bunch of pointed questions in order to clarify things.
“Hell yeah,” I replied. “I doubt there’s anything you could ask for that I’d balk at.”
“Really?”
“Let’s just say that there are very few things that I draw the line at, and you don’t strike me as the sort to drift in those directions, though I could be wrong. You naked in my lap, or anywhere else in the house, would definitely not be something I’d turn down, especially if I got to be naked too.”
“It wouldn’t be fun if you weren’t,” he replied.
“No, no, it wouldn’t,” I said as he winked at me.
The fact that he was already taking steps to get himself out from under what was clearly becoming a toxic work situation for him showed me that he wasn’t afraid to take action when something wasn’t working for him. Yet, I’d sensed layers of vulnerability in him that maybe he didn’t show because he was too busy proving he could handle everything his job had been shoveling onto his shoulders for the past few years. Hell, I’d held him in my arms when he cried, glad he hadn’t tried to hide his feelings from me that day. I’d felt the vulnerability in those shaking shoulders as well as the tension I’d tried to help massage away. He’d been wound up so tight it was like night and day from the man who’d gasped and oohed and excitedly dug in the sand every time one of our metal detectors had sounded their alarms. I hoped the universe came through on a new job forhim, one that would allow us to continue getting to know one another, because there was something truly special about Nova, and sometimes I felt like I’d been waiting for him all my life.
Chapter 11
(Nova)
My hotel room had become a place to keep my stuff and sleep, which was perfectly fine with me. Meeting up with Robbie each day had become the focal point of my vacation, along with the anticipation of each new experience he’d treated me to. Naked cuddling and kissing on his couch with the movie we’d chosen mostly watching us had been the best way to spend the evenings, along with falling asleep curled against his chest, the throw blanket tugged off the back of the couch and wrapped around us. Last night I’d woken to Piper curled up in a nest of blankets beside us, the volume on the television down so low I’d barely been able to make out what the characters had been saying. When I’d sat up further, intent on wiggling away so I could run to the bathroom, I saw Robbie watching me, a soft,serene smile on his face. He’d kissed the tip of my nose before turning me loose, and I swear that spot tingled for at least ten minutes afterward, a reminder of that tender moment we’d shared.
He'd taken me back to the hotel not long after, though I’d nearly protested. Only the fact that I’d brought no spare clothes along had stopped me, but today, I’d packed some, just in case the opportunity arose to sleep over.
As soon as I saw his truck pulling up to the front of the hotel, I jumped up off the bench I’d been sitting on and raced to the passenger’s door, bouncing in my seat as I got situated and put my seatbelt on.