Page 55 of Only for the Season

“Focus returns. That’s all this is. Probably.” ~ Jeremy

Jeremy

Iwhistle as I dry my hair after my shower. My body is completely sated. My limbs feel loose and lumber. I’m well rested. I don’t have a headache for the first time in weeks. And I’m starving. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way.

It’s probably why I pushed Parker to agree to continue our affair until I leave for California. Parker understands my boundaries. She won’t try to trick me or trap me. She’s too genuine to play those games.

My stomach rumbles, reminding me of my hunger and I snatch the plate of cookies Parker ran to the kitchen for last night. I settle in front of my computer and get to work.

A hum of excitement buzzes underneath my skin. Welcome, inspiration, my old friend. I’ve missed you.

Lines of code fly from my fingers. The cookies and coffee are forgotten as theSynqapp begins to form. No longer is the app a product of my imagination. This productivity and communication app is coming into shape.

My phone buzzes on the table and Abba’sMoney, Money, Moneybegins to play. I hit ignore. Eli can wait.

I barely have a chance to return to my work when the phone rings again. This time,The Imperial Marchplays to indicate it’s Eli calling again.

Crap. It must be important.

“What?” I bark at the phone.

Eli laughs. “You forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

“We have a board meeting. You were supposed to meet me at my house thirty minutes ago.”

I check my diary and swear when I realize he’s right. “Sorry, I missed it.”

He chuckles. “You didn’t miss it. I gave you the wrong time on purpose. I knew you’d be busy developing the app.”

He doesn’t realize how wrong he is. Until this morning, I could barely remember what coding was, let alone how to do it. But inspiration hit me hard when Parker shimmered her sexy ass out of here this morning.

Parker. I wonder if I can sneak a few kisses from her. She’s downstairs baking now. I can smell chocolate and sugar, and coffee.

My stomach rumbles again. I notice the plate of cookies is untouched. I forgot all about eating when I started working.

All the tension in my body releases. I haven’t lost it. I can still develop software the same way I did in our dorm room a decade ago.

“Okay,” I say to Eli. “What time is the actual board meeting?”

“In an hour. Don’t make me come into town and drag you out of your place.”

“I’m on my way.” I end the call and slam my computer shut. An hour gives me plenty of time to visit Parker.

“Hey, you,” Parker greets when I enter the kitchen. She draws a hand over her forehead, leaving a trail of flour in her wake.

I chuckle. “Hey, yourself.”

I brush the flour off her forehead before pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

“Sorry. I can’t touch you.” She wiggles her hands. They’re covered in dough and flour.

I step closer until she’s crowded against the prep table. “I prefer it when you can’t touch me.”

Her eyes narrow. “And I prefer it when I can touch you.”

I tweak her nose. “Don’t lie. You love it when I’m in charge.”