Page 98 of Sugar

Easton

I need a better work-life balance.

Or any work-life balance.

Unlike a lot of lawyers who’d made partner or ran their own firm the size of Wells Law, I didn’t make my employees work the insane hours while I kept normal business ones. Everyone had longer days—it was the nature of the business—but I was there right along with them. I also made sure to balance it out with extra time off, long weekends, and flexibility when needed toprevent burnout. I just didn’t extend that same consideration to myself.

Usually, I didn’t want or need it. But for weeks, I’d been ending my day much earlier than usual to take Maddie out. When I couldn’t get away, I had her come to me.

She was a distraction.

One I enjoyed.

With a five-minute break between meetings, I should’ve been checking emails or preparing for the next one. Instead, I grabbed my cell and opened my texts.

Her smiling face hit me in the dick and gut, and I held the image down to save it like a stalker.

Christ, she’s fucking pretty.

I stared at it for far too long before swiping the photo away to read her messages.

Oh fuck no.

My first instinct was to say no to canceling because I was a selfish bastard. I didn’t, though. If seeing her with Greer and Wren hadn’t already shown they were close, hearing Maddie talk about them would’ve made it abundantly clear. If she was backing out of plans, there was a reason for it, and I didn’t want to put her in a stressful spot.

I wanted to use it to my advantage.

Me: Only because you sent me that beautiful picture, Madeline. You can make it up to me a different time.

My thoughts drifted to the ways I wanted her to do that. None were an option, but my hardened dick didn’t get that message.

Standing, I adjusted so it was stretched up my stomach and pinned in place by my waistband. It was uncomfortable as hell, but it was that or let it lead the next meeting for me. I was about to return to the conference room when my phone vibrated.

Guppy: Of course, just tell me how.

Guppy: And thank you for understanding.

Her messages didn’t help my hard-on or my distractibility.

How big of a prick would I be to change my mind?

Chapter 20

Triple Ds

MADDIE

Iwas drunk.

I was happy about that. Getting drunk was pretty much the point of being at a bar. The problem was that the higher my alcohol consumption, the more elevated my loneliness.

It was an unfamiliar emotion. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been lonely. I wasn’t the kind of person who always had to be dating someone. I had friends and family. Hell, I never blinked at going to parties or get-togethers on my own because I made new friends wherever I went. But right then, I didn’t want to make new friends.

I wanted Easton.

Missing him went against the rules I’d set for myself, but the vodka had knocked down those walls. The little ache that’d been in my chest all day after canceling on him had grown into a chasm.

Not that my loved-up friends were making me feel like a third wheel.