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thirty

Skylar

I’m sitting in my office when I vaguely notice someone standing in the entryway.

I don’t immediately look up, but when I do, I see him.

My man. Chase Thorne was standing there with his sexy smile, and the sexual pheromones wafting off of him are making my pulse race.

He steps into the office and I stand up, round my desk, and approach him.

Readying myself to lean up on my tiptoes and kiss him, but am surprised when he gives me the cheek and hugs me loosely instead.

“Ethan is right behind me,” he whispers, and I look up in surprise and see my brother enter the space a moment later.

Suddenly, my office is too small and I’m about to begin hyperventilating.

I move to my brother and give him a hug, in which he quirks an eyebrow at me in confusion. We don’t hug. We haven’t hugged since my second year of college. And suddenly, I’m all for the hugs.

“Um, hi.” He greets me.

“This is a surprise. What are the two of you doing here? At my work. Together?”

“We have a meeting,” Chase says simply.

I look between them in confusion, then return to my desk, pull up my calendar, and see that I have a meeting in the conference room in twenty minutes.

“Developmental meeting?” I look at Chase.

“I need to integrate myself into the community more. I’m going to ask for what developments have been made, and introductions to your agencies to see if we can host something, like a kick-off.”

“Oh, okay. Let me get some notes together. Both of you are going to be in the meeting?” I look between them.

“Nah, if you don’t mind, I was going to hang out in your office and make some phone calls,” Ethan says.

“Then why did you come? You have your own office.”

“Yeah, well, Chase and I were together, and I figured I should just poke my head in and say hi.” He shrugs.

“Well, hi.” I awkwardly wave.

Twenty minutes later, he’s seated next to me at the conference table, with his leg against mine.

The conversation is productive, and Chase seems to be pleased with the information provided to him.

By the end of the meeting, I had enough action items to keep me busy for the rest of the day.

Lingering in the conference room together, I turn to him, sit on the table, and smile.

“A heads up that you’re bringing my brother would have been great.”

“I had no time. He showed up at my place as I was leaving and just came along with me for the ride. He’s attached to my hip.”

“Do you think he knows? Is that why he wanted to come?” I ask, as he shakes his head in return.

“He hasn’t acted differently. He knows that I’m seeing someone, though. But I told him I wasn’t ready to announce it to the world just yet. He’s dating someone, too. So, I kind of reverberated what he said to me.”

“Oh, is he now?” My attention perks up.

“He was pretty avoidant about talking about it.”

“Maybe since he’s in a relationship, if he did find out about us, he would be more relaxed, you know, since he’s getting laid and all,” I joke.

“I wish. You know how he gets. We should probably get back. Hopefully, he’s not making a mess of my desk.”

I spent the rest of my day on the phone trying to set up an event for Chase and one of the agencies I work with for his outreach plans. When speaking to our grants department, we found some wiggle room with some discretionary funds to pull into a new line item and set up a community launch party.

My brother wanted to meet up for dinner, but I sent him a last-minute text because I had ordered food and ate at the office while I prepared my calendar.

I had no more energy to deal with other humans.

By the time I arrived back at my place, all I wanted to do was to pour myself a glass of wine and watch some mindless television. Then perhaps pass out on the couch.

Chase had an afternoon game tomorrow, so he stayed home. And over the past few weeks since we’ve started dating, we’ve been so wrapped up in one another that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to sleep alone in a bed.

I was clicking through channel after channel when my phone vibrated beside me.

Is it weird that I miss you?

I saw you earlier today.

Yeah, but the most I got to touch you was under the table, and just my leg against yours. Clearly, not enough.

Are you needy in relationships?

I’m not sure. This would be one of the first relationships that I’ve had in a while.

How long is a while?

No Idea. I haven’t kept track.

What are you doing?

Lying in bed, eating a popsicle.Drinking some lemonade.

I laugh. I look at the time, it’s almost ten at night.

What are you doing?

Wine and TV

Are you going to be able to get out of work tomorrow and come to my game?

Not if you want me to work magic and get this event thing organized.

Tell your work that going to the Terrors game is work-related.

But that would be a lie.

But would it? I’m a donor. You’re schmoozing a client.

If we want to roll out this event, trust me. Every second counts.

Fine. Fine. Can I come over tomorrow night?