Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

MARLOW

K yla came into my office, handing me a file and perching on the corner of my desk. "Are you staying late?" she asked.

"Nope," I said. "I'm going home. It's going to be a nice, quiet solo evening."

"No Spencer?" she asked.

"No." I shook my head. "He's with his parents. Actually, I need to get an Uber. I'm not about to fight to get a taxi."

"Oh, that's right." She grinned. "Spencer dropped you off this morning after your night together."

"Kyla, no teasing," I warned her. "And you can't tell anyone. Not yet. I don't want people thinking that's why Spencer brought me on board."

Just thinking about Spencer had me wondering what was going on. The poor guy had been so stressed this morning. I had not heard from him since he picked his parents up from the airport. I hoped things were going well. I wanted him to have a nice visit with them.

"Your secret is safe with me." She smiled. "I like him, when he's not snarling. He's kind of like a pit bull. Very scary looking but really kind of a big softie and incredibly loyal."

I chuckled. "That's one way to put it."

"That was the first thing I noticed when you two first started hooking up," Kyla continued.

"Don't say that," I groaned. "It's not hooking up."

"You know what I mean," she said, waving her hand. "I'm just glad you two finally got together."

"Me too." I sighed.

"If you're going to be leaving, then I'm going to as well," she said. "Do you need anything?"

"Nope, I'm good. I'm going to organize this disaster area that is my desk and then I plan on getting out of here."

"Sounds good to me." She left the office, leaving me with my messy desk.

It had been a busy day but productive. I stood up and started organizing my desk. It was cluttered with papers, folders, and various office supplies.

As I was putting away some files, I heard a familiar knock at the door. I knew that knock very well. I looked up and smiled when I saw Spencer leaning against the doorframe.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with surprise. "I thought you'd be busy with your parents."

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips as he walked into the office. "I had time after dropping them off at the hotel. Figured I'd swing by and save you the Uber ride."

I smiled back, warmth spreading through me. "That's sweet. Thank you. But I could have gotten a ride." I went back to straightening my desk when I realized what he said. "Wait, you took your parents to a hotel? I thought they were staying with you?"

"No."

I could tell the visit was off on the wrong foot. "What happened?" I asked.

"So, they arrived dressed like they were still on a beach in Florida. You should have seen it—sun hats, tropical shirts, the works."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Wow. That's quite the look for New York in the fall."

"Tell me about it. Mom complained it was too cold. She hates the weather."

"But she's lived here," I said.

"Yes, exactly. And then, of course, they weren't thrilled with my place. My mom made it clear she preferred the hotel I put them up in last time."

"Which hotel?" I asked, curious.

"The one with the dreamy bar and room service," he replied with a wry smile. "I ended up booking them the same hotel. Mom even tried to schmooze the desk clerk for a free upgrade. When that didn't work, I just handed over my credit card and asked for the nicest suite they had available."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It's fine," he sighed. "I offered to send a car for them, and I was going to cook dinner for them. That had been the plan, but they didn't seem impressed. They preferred to go out to dinner."

"Who does that?" I said, shaking my head. "If someone invited me to dinner at their house, I'd never suggest a restaurant instead."

Spencer sighed. "Yeah, well, my parents are unique. But I figured a restaurant would be nice, too. Less stress. And I won't have to worry about my mother complaining about spots on the dishes or substandard silverware."

I felt so bad for the man. "I'm really sorry. I was hoping you would have a nice visit."

"It's not over yet. Anyway, I was hoping you would come to dinner with us. I was going to invite you to my place for dinner, but that's obviously not going to happen."

"I told you I would be happy to act as your buffer," I reminded him.

"I know and I hoped to save you the hassle, but it turns out I need you."

"Well, I'm happy to be of assistance," I told him.

"Thank you. Now I've got all those groceries in the fridge. It's going to go to waste."

"You already have all the ingredients for dinner," I pointed out. "Maybe we could cook it all tomorrow and invite Kyla. She's been casually seeing someone. We could make it a double date. Unless you have plans with your parents."

He nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "I like that idea. I'm sure they are going to have other plans. They'll want to do anything but hang out with me."

My heart went out to him. "I'm sorry, Spencer," I tried to console him. "That sounds tough."

Shaking his head, he shrugged it off. "Eh, it's not your fault. My parents have always been this way. Too obsessed with maintaining this image of perfection that they've entirely lost touch with reality." He then offered a half-hearted chuckle. "This is why I only invite them over once a year. Technically, I didn't invite them. They just decided they were coming."

"It still must be hard," I said.

"Yeah." He sighed deeply, shrugging off his coat and tossing it onto the nearby chair. "It's exhausting, really. Trying to keep up with their expectations, pretending everything's perfect when it's not."

"What time are you meeting them for dinner?"

"We are meeting them at seven," he answered.

"Where?"

I was in my work clothes, and while they might be fine for a normal dinner, this wasn't normal. After hearing the way Spencer described them, I knew I needed to step it up.

"I made reservations at one of the best places in town," he said.

"Can we go to my place so I can change?" I asked.

"We've got plenty of time."

He slumped into a chair, running his hand through his hair in frustration. I could see the stress creasing his forehead. I wanted to reach out, to offer some sort of comfort, but I wasn't sure how.

"I should have just told them no," he said, the words a mere whisper. "I should have told them I was busy and didn't have time for a visit."

"Spencer," I said gently. "You can't change who they are or how they behave, but you can control how you respond to them."

"They always make me feel like the ten-year-old boy that struck out in the last inning and let the team down or the kid that let down his family," he said. "I've achieved all of this success and yet, it's not enough."

"You can't let their expectations define you or upset the balance of your life. You've built something good here and you should be proud of it."

He sighed again, but this time there was a slight smile on his lips. "I guess you're right."

We left the office, ignoring the looks from some of the staff that seemed surprised to see us leaving together. The partners knew and that was what mattered.

"It will only take a few minutes for me to find something suitable," I said, dropping my briefcase on the table in the foyer.

Spencer followed me into my room, sprawling on my bed as I rummaged through my closet. I pulled out two dresses, holding one up and then the other.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"I think I like the blue one," he said. "But I'll need to see it on."

I walked into my closet and stripped out of my business clothes and put on the dress. I walked into the room and posed. "Well?"

"I think I need to see the other one," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine."

I slipped back into the closet, swapping the blue dress for the red one. I liked this dress. It hugged my curves just right and had a certain elegance to it that seemed appropriate for a high-end dinner. It wasn't too sexy.

"Okay, round two," I declared as I walked back into the room, twirling for added effect. His eyes widened slightly, and his mouth remained open for a bit longer than necessary. He tried to mask his surprise with a cough, but his flushed face betrayed him.

"Y-yeah," he stammered, waving a hand dismissively. "That one works."

"Enjoying the show?" I teased, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"Very much," he replied, his eyes never leaving me. "You have no idea how good you look."

I felt a flush of warmth at his words, a confidence I hadn't always known with others. There was something about the way he looked at me that made me feel beautiful and desired. He got up from the bed and walked to me.

"Perfection," he purred, leaning in to brush my hair away from my neck.

I shivered at his touch but managed a playful scold. "Simmer down. We have to leave soon, and I still need to freshen up my makeup."

He groaned dramatically, pulling me closer. "I have needs, Marlow. And I'm cashing in that raincheck. Before dinner with my obnoxious parents, I need you."

I laughed, unable to resist him. "Well, when you put it that way."

His hands roamed over my body, exploring every inch with a reverence that made my heart race. I responded eagerly, my own hands mapping the contours of his muscles. I was learning his body well.

"I love the curve of your lower back," he murmured, his voice husky as he kissed a trail down my spine. "Every part of you is perfect."

His words sent a thrill through me. I arched into his touch, feeling more connected to him than ever before. Our movements were urgent yet tender, a dance we both knew so well. I felt a surge of emotion, a deep sense of belonging that I'd never known with anyone else. The man completed me.