“As long as we want.”
“Kiss me.”
And he does without hesitation, giving me a taste of where he’d been. I make quick work of his belt and zipper, slipping his pants and briefs down until he’s exposed. He’s more than ready.
I scoot to the very end of the seat and pull his hips to mine, letting him slowly sink into me. He’s exactly what I need, I think to myself as he pushes into me over and over.
If this is Pierce and Lila, I want to be them for the rest of my life.
IT’S HALF PAST FOUR when the limo finally drops me off at my apartment. Sex was followed by a late lunch, which was followed by another round of sex. I guess we had a lot to make up for.
The apartment is quiet when I step inside. It’s a relief because I look like a woman who spent her day having sex, which is exactly what Blake doesn’t want to see.
I shower, wrapping myself in my favorite blue robe. My phone buzzes just as I begin looking for something comfortable to wear to bed.
REECE: Where were you today?
ME: Long story…
REECE: Do you want to meet for a couple drinks?
I ponder her invitation carefully, deciding it’s better than sticking around here alone all night.
ME: Where and what time?
She immediately begins typing.
REECE: Charlie’s at 7:00? Dana will be working…
ME: Sounds like a plan. I’ll meet you there.
If I woke up tomorrow morning and didn’t have a man in my life, I’d still have my girls. It’s important to remember that.
I slip on a simple white tank and skinny jeans, letting my hair dry naturally to show off my natural wave. The humidity is getting more and more suffocating with each passing day; it’s my hair’s worst nightmare.
After debating whether I should call a cab, I settle on walking. It’s still light outside after all, and it’s only a few blocks. The journey brings back memories of who I was when I first arrived in Chicago, highlighting how far I’ve come from the naïve, weakened girl who landed months ago.
Walking in, I spot the familiar Monday crowd sitting at the bar. Reece stands out from the rest of the crowd in her quirky business wear. She smiles slowly when she spots me coming toward her, a wave of relief showing on her face. By now, she should know Charlie’s isn’t a place you want to get to early. It’s definitely not the type of place you have to run to in order to beat the crowds.
“What took you so long?” she asks as I slide onto the barstool next to her.
I glance down at my watch. “It’s 7:03.”
“Seriously?” she says, wrinkling her nose. “It feels like I’ve been here for at least an hour.”
I laugh. “Charlie’s will do that to you. Is Dana working?”
“Charlie said she’s on break.”
Speaking of Charlie, he’s making his way to this end of the bar with a big grin on his face.
“Are you looking for a job?” he teases. It’s his first question every single time.
“No, Charlie, but I will take a drink.”
He shakes his head. “Can’t hurt to ask. The usual?”
“Yes, and if you want to save yourself time, bring me two.”
He shoots me a look, and I shoot one right back to let him know just how serious I am. He retreats.
Lila Fields really has come a long way.
“Spill,” Reece says as soon as Charlie is out of earshot.
“What do you want to know first?” I ask, grabbing a handful of salty peanuts from the bowl on the bar top.
“Where the heck were you all day? I went to your desk at least ten times, and you weren’t there.”
“I had a meeting this morning, and then Pierce decided to give us both the rest of the day off.”
“That doesn’t sound fair,” she scoffs, taking a sip of her martini. She’s the only person who drinks Charlie’s martinis.
“He messed up, and I think he knew he had to fix it.”
Charlie puts my drinks down in front of me. I waste no time downing a few sips of the ice-cold liquid.
I continue, “Somewhere in his head, he thought it would be a good idea to pull me into the conference room when he knew Blake would be arriving at any time for a meeting. I didn’t know he was coming, or I wouldn’t have … you know.”
“What exactly were you doing in the conference room?”
Closing my eyes, the vision of what Blake must have seen flashes, but I quickly blink it away. “He had me pinned against the wall, kissing me. I guess he wanted to mark his territory.”
Her eyes widen. “That’s not cool at all. What happened?”
I sigh, massaging my fingertips over my temples. “Blake … and Jane saw everything. I was so upset because I don’t feel like Pierce trusts me. If he did, he wouldn’t do that. And, if he’s trying to hurt Blake, it doesn’t have to tear me down in the process. I left for a few minutes, and when I came back, Blake was gone. I let Pierce have it, and we spent the rest of the afternoon making up.”
“That’s it? You just forgave him?”
Love makes forgiveness easy. Love is overwhelming—anger doesn’t stand up well against it.
“I love him.”
“And, Blake?” she asks.
“What about him?”
I finish what’s left of my first drink. “How did he handle this?”
“He was gone when I got back to the room.”
There’s a rare silence between us. I remember when I was young, my mom used to give me the silent treatment when she was angry with me. She’d wait until she didn’t want to yell before addressing whatever she needed to. Reece is doing that to me now. She has to be because she doesn’t do silence well.
“Do you remember after Blake left? Do you remember what you told me?”
I nod. My heart was torn in a million little pieces, and I had to talk to someone.
“And you know how I feel about Pierce?”
I nod again.
“Blake doesn’t deserve any of this from him. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be stuck between the two of them, but this isn’t right.”
“What do you suggest I do then? Break things off with Pierce? Cut ties with Blake completely? What is it that you’d like me to do?” This last week has been so frustrating; it’s finally boiling over.
“I just don’t want you to be stuck between them,” she says quietly. “It won’t end well … not for anyone.”
She makes sense. She always makes sense. “I’ll figure it out. I just need to wrap up this project first.”
An arm wraps around my neck. “Hey, what are you two doing here on a Monday?”
“Charlie is being extra generous with his breaks these days,” I tease. When I look back, I see Dana’s other arm wrapped around Reece. The three complete opposites reunited again.
“It’s slow, and I had some homework to do.”
“I’m softening in my old age,” Charlie chimes in. I hadn’t noticed him standing in front of us.
I laugh. “You better watch it, Charlie, or you’re going to end up with a girlfriend or something crazy like that.”
He smirks. “Whatever. That wouldn’t be crazy … it would be fucking insane. I’m going to leave the hen party before I start growing breasts. Anything I can get you girls right now?”
Looking down at my full glass, I shake my head. Reece gestures that she’s done.
“Lightweights,” he mumbles.
“See, he hasn’t changed that much,” Dana says as he walks away. “So back to my original question … what brings the two of you in? It’s like reunion night in here.”
“We have a case of the Mondays,” I answer. “A bad case that only alcohol can cure.”
“Is the design business a little rough these days?”
Reece snorts. “It’s the men in the design business that are a little too complicated these days.”