Drei
dropped his paper on the coffee table, turning his gaze to me. “How was your
meeting today?”
I turned my
head from where it rested on his shoulder to return his gaze. “Well, I’m her
secretary now.”
“That is
quite the promotion.”
“Yes, it is.
Apparently, it means I’m privileged to more organizing information.”
Pressing
his forehead to mine, he asked, “How do you want to celebrate your success?”
For a
moment I didn’t say anything, loving the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. I
tried to think of something he might enjoy as well, but all I could think about
was kissing him. It was such a strong urge, I thought I understood how she must
have felt before pushing her out of my thoughts.
“Kiss me,”
I murmured. “Like you did a couple nights ago.”
A devilish
grin spread across his lips and I realized he had been hoping I would demand as
much. “I cannot recall how it went,” he teased.
“Well, this
hand was here;” I placed his right hand on my back. “And this hand was here;” I
set his other hand over my shoulder in my hair. “My hands were here, and—”
Our lips
met, tender and lovingly. It seemed to infused with the adoration and amazement
we shared for each other. I felt enveloped by him—protected, trusted, desired.
In his arms, his lips to mine, the emotions washing over me were a reminder of
how far I had come in the five years we had known each other, and how far we
had come together. I would do anything in the world for Drei—including working
with Caroline—if it meant these emotions would never fade.
Then there
was music. Unexpected, but the soft piano tune fit the moment so perfectly, it
took me a moment to realize it wasn’t supposed to be accompaniment; it was
Caroline.
“What is
it, Abriel?” Drei asked, sounding dazed.
I motioned
to him to wait a moment as I flipped open the phone. “Yes?”
“I need to
see you,” Caroline’s voice demanded. I was glad she was back to being bossy,
despite how pleasant it had been to see a different side of her. “Where are
you?”
“At home;”
I started to regret agreeing to this, considering what it had interrupted.
“Your
apartment, great. Ian will be there in a little bit. Wait outside.”
The line
clicked dead before I could argue. I dropped the phone back into my new purse.
“What is
it?” Drei appeared behind me, making me jump.
Turning
around, I smiled, hoping it was convincing enough. “Caroline,” I said, though I
knew that explained nothing at all. “Part of being secretary is when she calls,
I go.”
“I see…”
His disappointment was far too apparent, considering he usually didn’t wear his
heart on his sleeve. It was tearing me apart to leave him; I didn’t want to,
but he’d told me to go back to working for her, and that’s what I’d done. We
would have to take whatever came because of it.
“I wish I
could stay—”
“Then
stay,” he said, following me to the door. There was an edge to his voice that I
hadn’t heard him use towards me in a long while.
I stopped,
midway slipping on my flats, and faced him. “I can’t.” I managed to say though
the words felt like bricks on my tongue. Why couldn’t he understand? I needed
him to understand, to make this easier.
“Then leave
already.”
I stood on
my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I love you.”
Drei turned
away from me, sulking back to the couch. I hated more than anything to leave
him like this, but what choice did I have? If I didn’t leave, I was pretty sure
that meant I was fired. Without waiting for him to act his usual self and say something
to make everything all right—for the time being, at least—I left the apartment,
stepping outside just in time to see Ian pull up to the curb.
“Interrupt
anything?” he asked, speeding down the half-empty street.
I thought
about lying and saying nothing, but I found myself saying, “Yes,” a little more
bitterly than I had intended.
He chuckled
at me, saying, “You’ll get used to it.”
Even though
he’d been doing this a lot longer and ought to know, I doubted him. I couldn’t
see how I could ever be accustomed to leaving Drei the way I had. It didn’t
seem like a good habit to develop.
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