Page 54 of The Benefits of Love (As I Am 2)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Zach

Returning to the office after spending anight with Laura sucked.

Not because of the comments Kevin threw my way for showing up late, and not because of the emails Ihad to read and reply to. Kevin and Christopher, my favorite associate, handled most of my work on my day off.

Thesuckedpart of the day revolved around not being with Laura. Icouldn’ttake today off either.

The British hotel guy, Pete Powell, and his younger brothers, Jonah and Maxwell, took up my entire schedule for the coming weeks. The three of them planned on restructuring the business. Alot of executive heads were about to roll, after which they would’ve signed off aquarter of said business plus Pete’sequity to awoman named Wednesday Downing.

Awoman they forbade me from meeting with until the signing day.

The preliminary work included acomplete analysis of his and his hotel firm’sassets and business structure, and preparing the materials Ineeded for the most bizarre transaction of the century. The amount of research to be done, by me and no one else, meant hours in the office.

And Iloved it. Iloved the work and Iloved the financial security that it provided.

But it sucked because for once Ithought about spending the day doing something else.

By lunchtime Ihad lost all self-control and texted that something, or someone.

Me:Got plans 4 2night?

Tulip:Look at you, texting like Olivia and her friends. LOL.

Me:…

Tulip:Working at awedding. Should be done by 11:30.

Me:Where?

Tulip:YRUasking?

Me:Very funny. Iwant to come.

Tulip:Consider it done *eggplant emoji* *water droplets emoji*

Ishook my head, starting to type another message when she texted me the address.

The reassurance of seeing her soothed me and Ireturned to the computer, powering through the rest of the day with abuttload of coffee.

Alittle before 11:30, Idrove off to the venue she worked at tonight and waited outside. Seeing her come out was like abreath of fresh air, better than the end-of-the-day whiskey Joel and Iused to share. Her smile made me smile. Her heavy gear, however, not so much. Ihurried to her side and took both from her.

“You didn’thave to get out of the car,” she whispered, looking left and right. “What if someone sees us together?”

With abag that heavy, Icouldn’tgive afuck about who sees us. Iplaced it in the car, then leaned on the door, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re not doing anything. We’re friends, Laura. What if you had aflat tire?”

“Idon’town acar,” she quipped, holding back her smile as she sidestepped me and sat inside.

“Say you did,” Isaid after entering the car from the other side, sitting on the leather seat, and pressing the gas. “You wouldn’tcall me?”

She dropped her head back and rubbed her eyes. “I’dprobably call an Uber.”

We could’ve dragged this argument on all night, though Iassumed she’dprobably win in the end. “My offer to join my firm still stands.”

“Ihope something else stands too.” She stole aglance at me and Ilooked back, catching aglimpse of her lazy, sultry smile.

Ifucking loved the sound of that. Iloved that her hand searched for that standing part of me and stroked the growing bulge in my pants. She rubbed me through my pants, pressing hard and releasing.