Chapter 12
Ryan
I was drained, unbelievably spent and euphoric all at once. The incredible session with Lexi had lasted all that morning. However, as the afternoon came, confusion began to reign again.
In the heat of the moment, I hadn’t bothered asking her what exactly motivated her to come to my place. I didn’t need a reason, the brunette was that hot. But as we sat in bed, holding each other and simply breathing, I couldn’t shake my thoughts.
“So, why’d you come over?” was my low growl. “I mean, I get it. Everything we did kind of speaks for itself.”
“But?” she asked.
“After everything that’s been said and done, I just… I want to know what you’re thinking. I need to know where you are. I don’t want to go forward with false hopes.”
Her silence was painful and felt like an eternity, even though it was only a few seconds.
“I don’t want to stop seeing you,” she said finally.
“You understand that I want more than just what we’ve had though, right?”
“I do understand. I want more, too.”
I was in genuine disbelief. “You do?”
She turned to look at me. Her beautiful face was only a few inches away from my own, those caramel eyes enough to drown in.
“Yes,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure what I was feeling when I got in the car and drove here, but knowing I wasn’t going to see you anymore flipped a switch inside. I’m having it too good to just let some other girl at your new job have you,” she added playfully.
We laughed together. I took her hands, kissing them.
“So, you kinda like me, huh?” was my grunt. Embarrassing as it was to admit, my heart was in my throat. And she turned to me, eyes wide and genuine.
“I really like you,” she said. “I have to say, I’m intrigued that you think you could fall in love with me.”
“I don’t think it’ll take that long, to be honest.”
She smiled then, pressing her lips to mine and we kissed, passionately and slowly, with no intent for it to carry on to something else. It was a kiss of love, not of sex, and one of the first times we’d locked lips without the intention of getting physical.
“Mmm,” I growled, holding her tight. “That was good. So what do we do now?”
“I don’t know,” was her slow admission.
“You going to keep me a secret from your mom?” I asked.
“I hadn’t thought much about my mom, actually.”
“I won’t be offended if you don’t want to tell her about us,” were my words. “Considering she just wanted you to fire me, I get you keeping things on the down-low.”
“I don’t think she’ll ever approve of me dating an intern, unfortunately,” said Lexi tightly.
“Hey,” I said, slightly offended. “To be fair, I’m not an intern anymore. I’m a writer’s assistant now. I’ve gotten quite a promotion.”
She shot me a sympathetic grin. “I don’t think that’ll change Rowena’s opinion. She’s quite the snob.”
“Well, whatever you choose to do, I’ll be fine with it.”
Lexi pondered for a few moments before getting a surge of bravado.
“You know what,” she said. “I’m just going to tell my mom that we’re together, and if she doesn’t like it, she can deal with it.”
She sat up in bed, pulling out her phone and beginning to dial.
I sat up, too, suddenly alarmed. What the hell? This was happening so fast, and yet it was amazing as well.
“Do you want me to go?”
“No, I want you to be here when I call her,” she said.
I stayed, kissing up her back and caressing her neck. Lexi hit the call button, but hung up before it had a chance to ring.
“On second thought,” she said. “I want to go to my mom’s house and tell her in person. And I’d like you to go with me,” she announced, shooting me a look.
Oh fuck. That sounded bad. I knew I would be beyond uncomfortable confronting one or both of her rich parents that would inevitably see me as some low life stealing daughter. Nonetheless, I agreed, knowing that the female needed my support.
“Okay, let’s get ready and head out then,” was my low growl.
* * *
We didn’t really plan what we were going to say. In fact, I didn’t plan on saying anything at all. I let her drive us to her mom’s house, and we marched straight to the door, ready to improvise and inform.
Rowena answered the door, surprised by our appearance.
“Hello,” she sniffed, looking down a long, pointy nose. “Hi, Lexi. What are you two doing here?”
“Can we come in?” my girl asked. “We’d like to talk for just a few minutes.”
Her mom glared at me but I refused to crumble in front of Cruella de Ville. My blue eyes flashed right back, challenging the middle aged woman.
“Fine,” her mom snapped. “Come on in.”
We entered the mansion, stepping into an all-white living room luxuriously done up with a sparkling chandelier and priceless antiques. Fuck. This place was a palace, designed to intimidate. But I wouldn’t let the woman drive a wedge between me and my girl.
“So, what can I help you with?” Rowena asked frostily.
“I just wanted you to know that I’m seeing Ryan,” Lexi stated. “We’re dating. We’re a couple.”
“Is that so?” her mom asked.
“He works for a different magazine now,” Lexi continued. “So no more workplace romances. And Ryan’s a writer’s assistant now, not just an intern. We both enjoy being together. We care about each other. So we’re going to be together, whether you like it or not.”
I looked at Lexi the entire time, appreciative of my woman’s bravery. It took a lot to stand up to the Dragon Lady, but my girl was doing it.
Rowena frowned. “I must say, this is coming as a real shock to me.”
“I’m not trying to shock you, Mom,” Lexi said, lower lip trembling. “I just wanted to be honest with you. Do what you will.”
Her mom cackled.
“Lexi, I’m not going to fire you. You can date whomever you choose. I have no problem telling you how to operate your work life, but your love life is entirely your business.”
Lexi and I exchanged puzzled looks. That seemed easy.
“Well good,” the beautiful brunette finally replied. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“I must say though, I’m amused,” her mom continued airily. “You haven’t gone to bat for a boy since you were in high school.”
“Ryan’s not a boy, Mother,” Lexi said assertively. “He’s very much a man.”
Rowena shot me a peculiar look then that was difficult to interpret.
“Very well,” her mom replied. “You don’t need to worry about losing your job over this young man right here.”
A smile wreathed my best girl’s face, and she got up, going over to hug Rowena. This time Rowena looked about as uncomfortable as I felt, her narrow shoulders stiffening.
“Thank you,” Lexi murmured. “I appreciate it Mom.”
But Rowena wasn’t done yet.
“But to be clear,” she added. “If your arrangement affects your job performance in any way, or if you pull a stunt like you two did last Thursday, I will replace you. Is that understood?”
“Completely,” Lexi said fervently. “It won’t. I promise.”
“Good,” said Rowena, blue eyes growing unreadable. “Will that be all, then?”
Lexi shot me a happy grin.
“Yes,” she burbled. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you again,” she nodded.
And with that, we left. But something tugged at my soul. That had gone off too easy. We’d expected a fight, if not all-out disownment. But instead, Rowena had capitulated much too easily. What was going on? But I put the misgivings out of my head because right now, I had the gorgeous brunette to myself … and we wanted to enjoy our time together.