Page 70 of By Invitation Only

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Booker

My eyes were starting to cross. I’d been preparing discovery requests all afternoon, and those things are a pain in the arse. At this point, I didn’t care if my clients already knew all the info we were requesting. I wanted it all: bank records, mortgage statements, pensions, airline miles—basically everything financial. I also prepared special interrogatory requests asking for the opposing party to produce details of monthly living expenses, all monthly income, employment information, real estate, etcetera. Even though we had basic forms already prepared that needed to be tweaked to fit the cases we were working on, I still made sure I asked foreverything.

I was also the last person to leave the office.

The office had cleared out six or so hours earlier. I’d worked sixteen hours. All I wanted to do was see Peyton. I didn’t know how much energy I’d have when I got to her place, but I didn’t want to sleep alone. I needed the comfort of her body pressed against mine. I needed to smell her skin. I needed to taste her skin.I needed her.

I sent her a text before I exited the garage:

Me:I’m on my way.

A few seconds later, she replied:

Peyton:I’m awake.

I smiled. I figured she’d be fast asleep, but since she was awake, it led me to believe she was waiting up for me.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the garage of her building, found a guest parking spot and then rode the lift up to her floor. As I passed Sam’s door, I glared, wondering if he’d said anything to her. What would he say? “I heard you last night getting your brains fucked out.” Or “Next time, love, call me and I’ll rock your world.”

No—just no.

I knocked softly on the door, trying not to wake Peyton’s neighbors. A few seconds later, the door swung open, but there was no Peyton.

“Hello?” I said to the empty doorway.

“Just come in,” she whispered.

I stepped in, and the door closed behind me. I turned, seeing Peyton standing there in nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’d work twenty-four hours straight if it meant this.

“Gorgeous.” I smiled.

She grinned back. “You said to be naked.”

Shit,it felt like days ago that I’d spoken with her on the phone. “I did,” I remembered.

“And you’re just staring at me.”

“I am.”

“Are you going to strip or what?”

I wanted to take all my clothes off, lift Peyton and fuck her against her front door. “Not tonight.”

She blinked. “What?”

I cupped her cheek with my hand. “I didn’t come over to fuck you.”

She blinked again. “You didn’t?”

I shook my head. “No, I came to be with you. I’m beyond tired.”

“Why did you want me naked then?”

“I always want to see you naked. I’m a man. But honestly, I said that before I realized I was going to work past midnight.”

“Oh. Well, are you hungry?”