Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

Evie

A week and a half went by before Merrick returned Thursday morning. I was a mix of anxious and excited. I knew it might be awkward to pretend nothing had changed between us, but I missed seeing him every day.

Kitty had needed to stay in the hospital a few days longer than originally expected. Her slight fever had turned into a pretty elevated white blood count, and they’d started her on IV antibiotics. She’d finally come home on Wednesday morning, so Merrick had the nurse he’d hired start that day. Late that afternoon he ran out to the grocery store, and when he came back the nurse was gone. Kitty had fired her the first opportunity she had alone with the woman. So Merrick had stayed another week, until he felt comfortable Kitty was recovered enough from her surgery to be left alone with only Marvin’s help. He’d taken a flight this morning.

I was talking to Joan in the break room when he walked in. The sight of him stopped me in my tracks.

“Hey.” A smile spread across my face, but I realized it was a bit overzealous and reined it in. “You’re back.”

He walked to the coffee pot and gave me a grin that made the butterflies in my stomach flutter awake. My eyes darted to Joan to see if she’d noticed anything, but she didn’t seem bothered at all.

“Welcome back,” she said. “I don’t want to bombard you, but I have a few things to talk to you about when you have time.”

He filled a coffee mug and nodded. “Can they hold until tomorrow?”

“No problem.”

His eyes twinkled as he raised his mug to his lips. There was something mischievous in their depths. After he drank, he set the mug on the counter. “I almost forgot. I found something I think might be yours, Evie.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lipstick. “Did you drop this? It was on the floor right near your office.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.”

He looked at the bottom of the lipstick case. “You sure? It’s called Cherry Stained.” Merrick’s eyes dropped to my lips before he looked down at my shoes with a dirty smirk. “It’s still sealed, I think.”

Oh my God. I felt my face heating up. He’d been back five minutes and was reminding me of my promise to wear red lipstick and nothing but heels for him while standing with the head of HR. If this was any indication of his discretion, I was in trouble. When Joan turned her back, I shot him a warning glare. But that only heightened the gleam in his eyes. The jerk was still holding out the lipstick, so I took it.

“You know what? Maybe it is. I only wear it with this one special outfit, so I forgot I even had it.” I looked at my phone, not even catching the time. “Ohhh… Look at that. I have an appointment. I need to run. Welcome back, Merrick.” I smiled at my new boss. “I’ll talk to you later, Joan.”

I had back-to-back appointments the rest of the afternoon, so I didn’t have time to check my phone. A little before four, I took a break before writing up my last patient’s session notes. I had a few texts waiting… One from my sister, one from the real estate agent who was going to show me a few apartments tonight, and a flurry of activity in a group chat I had with my grad-school friends. But I went to the one that made me smile just seeing the preview.

Merrick: Thinking I need blinds on the glass walls of my office…

I swiped to open, saw that it had been sent almost an hour and a half ago, and texted back.

Evie: Sorry, was in sessions. Blinds? Maybe I want people to watch…

I watched as the dots started to jump around, then stopped, and my phone rang. Merrick’s name appeared on the screen.

I was glad my office glass was frosted because otherwise people would see the big smile I had when I answered. “Yes?”

“That scenario is my heaven and hell, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. My heart let out a big sigh. “Oh yeah, why is that?”

“Because the thought of fucking you in front of people, showing them what’s mine, is heaven. But anyone else seeing you naked is my personal hell.”

“Sounds like a conundrum.”

“What are you doing right now?”

“Sitting in my office taking a short break before I have to write notes, and then I have one more patient in forty minutes. You?”

“I have an overseas call in twenty. Meet me upstairs in five.”

“Upstairs?”

“In my apartment. I promised you I’d be good in the office. That doesn’t mean the entire building. Look in your top drawer. I snuck a key in it while you were talking to Joan before I came into the break room.”

I slid open my desk drawer. Sure enough, there was a key ring with a single key. He’d placed it right next to my turquoise sea glass. I took it out and dangled it in my fingers. “That was very presumptuous of you.”

“I prefer to call it confidence.”

As tempting as it was, I didn’t think it was smart to start sneaking away in the middle of the workday. “Not sure that’s a good idea, Merrick.”

“It’s probably not, but…” He was quiet for about ten seconds before speaking softly. “I fucking miss you.”

His voice was so tender and vulnerable, it obliterated my willpower on the spot. “Don’t leave your office for five minutes. I don’t want anyone to see us going together.”

I heard the smile in his voice. “Yes, ma’am.”

A rush of adrenaline hit before I even swiped the phone off. I folded the key into the palm of my hand and decided not to take my purse or anything with me in order to look as casual as possible. Halfway out of my office, I had a brilliant idea. So I turned back and swiped something from the corner of my desk with a smile.

Might as well make it memorable.

• • •

Merrick took a few steps into his apartment and froze. “Holy fuck.”

The last two minutes of standing in his living room wearing nothing but Cherry Stained lipstick and my high heels had started to make me question whether I’d lost my mind. But the answer was clear the minute I got a look at Merrick’s face. He was the one losing his mind at the moment. He licked his lips and stared as he took off his suit jacket and tossed it on the floor.

“Fifteen minutes is not going to be enough.” He shook his head and yanked at the knot of his tie while his eyes raked up and down my body. “I might need fifteen days.”

I tilted my head coyly. “Well, fifteen minutes is all we have, so we’re going to have to do it my way.”

The slow grin that spread across Merrick’s face gave me goosebumps, even from ten feet away. “Any way you want, sweetheart.”

I curled a finger at him. “Come here. No touching.”

“No fucking way I can promise you no touching…”

“You’re wasting time, bossman.”

His eyes sparkled as he walked over and stood toe-to-toe with me. Merrick was always an imposing figure, but this stance was a power move. He was fully dressed and looking down, while I was naked and had to tilt my head back to see him. But I had a power move of my own up my nonexistent sleeve.

I dropped to my knees.

Merrick bent his head back and mumbled a string of curses as I unzipped his slacks. The sound of his buckle clanking open and the zipper teeth coming apart had me salivating. By the time I yanked his pants to the floor, I couldn’t wait any longer. He was hard and ready.

I licked my red lips and opened, sucking in the wide crown of his smooth cock.

“Fuck…” Merrick growled. “Take it. Take it all, Evie.”

He dug his hands into my hair and wrapped clumps of it around his fists, giving a hard tug as I ran my tongue along the underside. The soft nip of pain made me wild.

Looking up, I tilted my head back to give him a better view from above. Then I bobbed my head up and down, taking him farther and farther with each thrust forward.

“Jesus Christ, keep doing that,” he growled. “Suck harder. Take more.”

The desperation in his voice had me so turned on. I could feel him trying to restrain himself, in his touch and the shake of his words. That made me want to break that last bit of self-control he was trying to hold on to. I looked back up, and the image of such a powerful man, still dressed in his custom-made shirt and tie, looking so out of his mind with carnal desire, made me crazy.

He swelled in my mouth, growing impossibly thicker as I worked my tongue over the bulging veins and opened my jaw still wider. I started to jerk him with one hand while I pushed past the spot in my throat that wasn’t always easy. When he slipped in deeper, his grip on my head tightened, and I felt his body shake as the switch flipped from getting head to taking it. Merrick began fucking my mouth.

He held my head in place while he took over, pumping in and out, grumbling curses with every thrust in.

“I’m going to come… Evie.”

His grip in my hair loosened, giving me a chance to pull away if I wanted to, but I wanted it as much as he did. So I answered by taking him as deep as I could.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” He groaned.

My eyes started to water as he emptied into me for a very long time. I wasn’t even sure how I managed to not choke on the never-ending stream he unleashed down my throat.

He was still panting like he’d run a marathon when I stood. I wiped my mouth and grinned. “Thank you for the lipstick.”

Merrick chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll buy you the entire cosmetics store if just a lipstick makes you that happy.”

I smiled. “It’s not the lipstick. It’s… Well, where did you get it?”

“I stopped at the store the other day when I was running errands for my grandmother.”

“How did you know what color to ask for?”

“I didn’t. I went to the counter and told the lady I was looking for a color that looks like the stain cherries would make. I had no idea there was one called Cherry Stained.”

I smiled. “I didn’t either. But that’s my point. It’s not the lipstick. It’s that you were thinking of me and went to the store to do that.”

Merrick pulled up his pants. “Well, I’m glad my perverted thoughts make you happy because I’ve got plenty of them.”

I pushed up on my toes and kissed his lips chastely. “I have to get dressed.”

“What? No. You can’t do that and not let me take care of you.”

“That’s sweet. But…” I looked at my watch. “You have an appointment in five minutes, and I have a session in a little while, and I still need to do some things before that.”

Merrick’s bottom lip jutted out. “I don’t like this.”

I grabbed my panties and bra and started to get dressed. “Oh? You don’t like coming into your apartment to a naked woman and getting a quickie blowjob? I’ll have to remember that.”

“Wiseass.” He wrapped a hand around my waist and tugged me to him. “Can I see you tonight?”

“Can I get back to you? I might have plans.”

He frowned.

I smiled. “Relax. It’s with your friend the real estate agent. I’m looking at apartments.”

“Oh. What time?”

I buttoned my blouse. “What time will I be done?”

“No, what time are you going? I’ll try to get out of the office early.”

I stopped buttoning. “You want to go with me to see apartments?”

He shrugged. “Can I convince you to skip that appointment and come up here and let me fuck you all night instead?”

I shook my head. “I need to get out of my sister’s place.”

Merrick shrugged again. “Then what choice do I have?”

“We could see each other tomorrow night after work?”

“That’s not an option.”

I smiled and finished getting dressed in a hurry. “I’ll text you when I know my plans. You should take the elevator down first since you have a call.”

“They won’t start without me. You go. I need a minute after what just went down here.”

I kissed his cheek. “Hope the rest of your afternoon is as pleasant as this has been.”

• • •

“Do you have anything available on an upper floor?” Merrick asked Nick, the real estate agent he’d introduced me to.

“Not in this neighborhood.”

We’d just looked at our third apartment. This one was a brownstone that wasn’t too far from my sister. It was already empty and ready to move in, and had so much sunlight. I loved it. “I love that it’s on the ground floor, especially since it’s a walk-up.”

Merrick frowned and pointed to the big windows. “You can see right in from the street. Not to mention, it’s easy to break right in, too.”

I shrugged. “I can get blinds, and I want to get a dog anyway.” I turned to the real estate agent. “They allow pets, right?”

He nodded. “Under thirty pounds with an extra security deposit for damages.”

I smiled at Merrick. “Problem solved.”

“How does that solve your problem? What’s a dog under thirty pounds going to do if someone tries to break in?”

I put my hands on my hips. “Are you insinuating size makes a difference in toughness?”

“No, but it makes a difference in the sound of a bark. And a tiny dog yapping isn’t going to scare off an intruder. Plus, how are you going to have a dog when you work all day?”

My face scrunched up. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“What’s it going to do, sit around all day?”

“What do your fish do all day?”

“The same thing they do when I’m there, swim. Because that’s all fish can do. Dogs are a lot of work.”

“So are relationships…”

Nick watched our bickering like a tennis match. When my last comment stumped Merrick, he looked at me. “So…you’re taking it? This place has my vote. I love it, too.”

“Thanks for being on my side, buddy,” Merrick grumbled.

I bit my bottom lip. “How soon can I move in?”

After I signed all the paperwork, we stood outside. Merrick looked up at the window, shaking his head again. “How about an alarm?”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“It’ll make me feel better.”

I bumped my shoulder to his. “I thought I’d already made you feel better today. Greedy boy.”

He smiled. “I’ll take being greedy if it makes you safe at night.”

“Alright. I’ll think about an alarm.”

“Good. I’ll have my security company come over once you get the keys.”

I shook my head. “You’re bossy.”

“I’ll tell you what, you can pick where we eat to show you how amicable I can be.”

I raised a brow. “Anywhere I want to eat?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting in Gray’s Papaya. Merrick had let me order for him, so we both had hot dogs with the works.

He picked his up. “I can’t tell you the last time I had one of these.”

“You’re too busy at fancy restaurants because you’re all…” I waved my hand around. “Fancy…”

He smiled and sipped his soda. “So what kind of dog do you want to get?”

“Any kind. As long as he likes to snuggle. As soon as I move in, I’m going to go to the shelter to pick the ugliest one that no one wants.”

“I figured you had a certain type of breed in mind.”

I bit into my delicious hot dog and spoke with my mouth full. “Nope. Just one who needs a home.”

“Did you ever have a dog?”

I nodded. “Once. For a week. Arnold was the best dog ever.”

“Why’d you only have him for a week?”

“He bit my dad when he…you know.” I grinned. “That’s why he was the best dog ever.”

Merrick frowned. “I guess that’s why he only lasted a week?”

“Yeah.” I wiped the corner of my mouth. “What about you? Ever have a dog?”

“Once. Growing up we had a black lab. It got sick when it was maybe five or six and died young.”

“I’m sorry. Is that why you have fish now?”

He shook his head. “I inherited them. They were Amelia’s.”

“Oh.”

“She always had pet fish. She had a lot of trouble sleeping, so she would keep them on her nightstand and watch them swim when she went to bed at night. The funny thing is, they never lasted more than a year until they became my problem. It’s been years now.”

I was quiet for a minute. Then Merrick caught my eyes. “What? Does it bother you that I still have them?”

“No, of course not. It would bother me if you flushed them.”

“Then why does it look like something’s bothering you?”

“I don’t know. I guess...” I shook my head. “I noticed they’re still on the nightstand. So you haven’t moved them or anything in the last three years?”

Merrick looked back and forth between my eyes. “Where am I supposed to put them?”

I waved him off. “Sorry. You’re right. I’m being silly and reading into something. It’s an occupational hazard.”

Merrick nodded but was quiet after that. At least I thought he was, but maybe he was just chewing and I was doing it again. When we were almost done, my phone rang. “It’s my sister. Excuse me for a second. I’m going to answer it just in case she wants me to pick up something on my way home.”

“Of course.”

I swiped and brought my phone up to my ear, though I could have left it on the table and heard her the way she screamed. “Why aren’t you answering my texts?”

“I was looking at apartments and then eating. Is everything okay?”

“No!”

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m pregnant!”

“What? Oh my God. Are you serious? That was so fast! The implantation was only a little over a week ago.”

“I know! Apparently, soccer loving, tech guru number 09376230 has super swimmers!”

I laughed and held my hand over my heart. “I’m so excited! I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Now you need to hurry up and get pregnant, too. How’s hot boss’s sperm count?”

I looked at Merrick to see if he’d overheard. His arched brows told me he had. I shook my head. “I’ll be home in a little while. I guess I’ll have to drink both our wine to celebrate!”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. No wine for soooo long.”

I heard someone knock on a door through the phone. “Greer? Are you in there?”

“Yes, I’ll be right out! I’m on the phone.” She came back on the line and whispered. “Shit. I didn’t think he’d be home for another hour. Don’t tell him I told you first or he’ll be upset.”

My eyes widened. “You didn’t tell Ben yet?”

“He worked late and wasn’t supposed to be home until ten. I wanted to tell him in person. But I had to tell someone!”

“Oh my God. Go tell the poor man!”

“Alright. But hurry home. I want to start a list of potential names!”

I laughed. “I’ll see you in a little while. And congratulations, Greer.”

As soon as I hung up, Merrick smiled. “I guess your sister didn’t need me after all?”

“I can’t believe the artificial insemination worked the first time.”

“That’s great. Congratulations.”

“Yeah. They’ve been trying for five years. I’m so happy for them. She’s going to make such a great mom. Greer was like a second mother to me in a lot of ways because she’s ten years older. She’s a natural caretaker. Which reminds me, I told her about us when I got back from Kitty’s, and she’s already bugging me to invite you to dinner one night.”

“Should I bring a lab report with my sperm count when I come?”

“You heard that, huh?”

“It was kind of impossible not to.”

I sipped my soda. “Do you want to have kids someday?”

Merrick looked away. “If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said no.”

“And now?”

He reached across the table and took my hand. “I don’t know. Things can change, I guess. I’m only now realizing how much I’ve let my past control my future. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

“You mean things with Amelia?”

He nodded.

A worker walked over and pointed to the trays in front of us. Our plates were both empty. “Can I take those?”

“Oh, that would be great. Thank you.”

Merrick took out his phone. “I was planning on kidnapping you and bringing you home with me. But it sounds like you need to go home to your sister’s.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

“Tomorrow night? Bring what you need with you to the office so you can stay. I’ll make you dinner.”

“You’re going to cook?”

“You don’t seem so hard to please, considering we had hot dogs tonight. I can top that.”

“Okay.” I smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

He lifted his cell as we stood. “I’ll call you an Uber.”

“That’s okay. I’ll just jump on the train. There’s a station at the corner.”

Merrick ignored me and typed into his phone before looking up. “It’ll be here in three minutes.”

“Do you have something against the subway?”

“I have something against you not staying safe—same reason I think you should have an alarm in a first-floor apartment.”

As soon as we walked outside, the Uber pulled up. I kissed Merrick goodnight. “Thank you for coming to look at apartments with me. Oh my God—I didn’t even tell Greer I found a place.”

He leaned down to open the Uber door. “You had a lot of excitement tonight. I’ll have to work to make tomorrow evening as good.”

I wiggled my brows as I got into the back of the car. “I can’t wait.”