16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Amelia

" S nowflake?" Desmond's tone was as soft as the way he hugged me to his body. Gentle fingertips followed the curve of my spine—not the ones he'd had in me a minute ago, and he hummed a slow song by Conall White.

"We should probably eat and drink something in a bit, you haven't had any tea."

"Good idea. How about we order something? My fridge is pretty bare." I couldn't afford ordering takeaway often, but I could do with a greasy pizza.

"I'll grab my phone in a bit and you tell me what you fancy, okay? I just want to hold you for a while longer."

Is this the aftercare I've read about in magazines?

"And I want to savour your taste as long as I can," he whispered, his hand now cupping the back of my neck, scraping blunted claws over my scalp.

"That feels great." My words came out in a low purr. It did feel amazing.

"Mmm, I hope it does, snowflake. I love making you feel good." His lips met mine in a long kiss, sparing me the need to dig around in my mushy brain for anything I could say to that.

Desmond and I had spent the entire Sunday morning in bed together. I found myself staring dreamily at my office wall as I let our computer lessons replay in my head and remembered how needing to let the scorching hot pizza cool before we could eat had ended in round two.

I had gotten tomato sauce on his chest fur because of the logistics of eating pizza with his knot locking us together. We hadn't stopped either until we'd used up all the condoms he had in his bag and then resorted to…oral activities.

He'd left after lunch and not without snogging by the front door of my apartment for at least an hour because neither of us could let the other go. The breath hitched in my throat when I clenched at another memory. Desmond caging me against the wall and sneaking his hand inside my knickers but not letting me come for fifteen brutal minutes.

"Miss Hendry?"

I flinched and sat up straighter, looking around to meet my boss's curious smile. "Oh, Mr Carson. Good morning, sir."

"Good morning. I'm sorry for startling you, you looked lost in thought."

"No worries, I was…uh…just waiting for my software to update," I bluffed, drawing from the vocabulary list I'd memorised for Desmond.

"Is your computer still not working properly? I'll have a word with Murray from the service desk about it, that's intolerable."

Crap . "Everything is fine, it's just a normal process, and nobody's fault."

"Well, if you say so. I don't like how much trouble you're having with your technological…things."

It was lucky Carson was at least as clueless as I.

"I think it's just bad luck. You know what they say, these things always come in threes."

"I suppose you are right, Miss Hendry." He gave me a benign smile. "Also, I noticed your probation period is coming to an end soon. I can't believe it's been three months already, feels much longer, doesn't it?"

"It does, I agree." I tried to return the smile but fear clouded my senses. What if he is sick of you already?

"Can I ask you to schedule a meeting for the two of us? Maybe on Friday? The Christmas party starts at four, doesn't it?"

"At three this year, sir."

"Ah yes, of course." Carson nodded eagerly. "How about we have our meeting at two. It shouldn't take too long."

"Certainly, sir. I'll put it in your calendar straight away. Would you care for a cup of coffee, or would you prefer an Earl Grey this morning?"

"Oh, a coffee would be lovely, thank you. You don't happen to have any more of that delicious shortbread left, do you?" A faint purple tinge spread on his pudgy cheeks.

"I do, I brought a fresh batch this morning."

"What would I possibly do without you?" He chuckled heartily and entered his own office. Carson halted briefly in his tracks and poked his horned head back through the door. "Could you please arrange a call with Nyland to follow up on my meeting with him?"

"For today?" I asked, my finger hovering over the button at the coffee machine.

"If possible."

"I'll see what I can do."

The man nodded his approval, gave me a tiny wink and left.