CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

GRACE

"Hey, how was your weekend?" Susie waits for the Keurig to fill her mug with coffee while I toss my empty creamer bottle in the recycling bin.

"Good. Yours?"

After Wes stepped outside to deal with Alex, I quickly got dressed to go home. I didn't regret what we did, but my poor head and heart had reached their limits.

An evening of being sick followed by a cozy morning and afternoon with Wes—one that ended with a mind-blowing orgasm—had wiped the last of my reserves, and I needed some alone time to process everything.

"Same. Ran errands and squeezed in some time at the gym," she says, dumping a packet of sugar into the finished brew.

It's difficult to avoid small talk when we work together, so we've chatted a few times since the Apple Fest incident. She even apologized for what happened, explaining how her original plans fell through then Kayla invited her out.

It hadn't occurred to her to ask if I was still available until she saw me with Wes at the carnival.

I'd accepted her apology but kept a professional distance—distrust a hard thing to shake when combined with my past friendship trauma.

Besides, Elsie and Avery reminded me that it's probably smarter to keep our relationship restricted to work, anyway. No need to create an awkward situation at the place I'll be frequenting eight hours a day.

I have enough of that with Kayla stopping by every so often to visit Brandon.

On the way back to my desk, the door to Casey & Sons opens to reveal Wes striding inside the lobby. My feet automatically redirect towards him like a carrier pigeon heading home to roost.

"Morning, sweetheart." A somewhat shy grin flashes my way, and I'm taken aback by the sweetness of it.

Wes isn't shy.

Yet there's an air of uncertainty clinging to him.

Is he about to go cold on me again?

Let me down easy after the intimacy of yesterday?

"Good morning…" I drawl, suddenly nervous and curbing my initial excitement at his visit.

His grin fades as worry bunches his brows. "Is everything alright?"

Susie settles behind the reception desk, cutting off my response. I don't want her witnessing this. No doubt she'll report back to Kayla.

Not that her opinion matters to me as much anymore, but I'd rather not be her next topic of gossip.

Wes must not want to be either because he gently takes my wrist and guides me outside for privacy.

"What's going on? That was one of the women with Kayla at Apple Fest. Did something happen?"

His hands rub up and down my arms in a soothing pattern. Surely, he wouldn't be so concerned if he's about to end whatever this is between us, right?

"This isn't about Susie," I say. "Why are you here? Do you have an appointment?"

"No, I came to see you. I had a bit of a rough morning and needed a pick-me-up." His shaggy hair becomes more disheveled with the shake of his head. "Sorry, this was a stupid idea. I don't usually—"

"Stop." I cover his mouth with my palm. "I'm sorry for being weird. You just seemed a little awkward inside—an anomaly from what I know about you—so I was worried you were about to push me away again. Tell me what happened this morning."

Wes frowns and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck to tug me closer. Our mouths are inches apart, and I can't see anything but the darkness in his eyes.

"For the record, I'm done with that bullshit, Grace. I'm in this until you decide otherwise, and even then, I won't let go without a fight."

"Oh." That sounds… perfect. Amazing. Panty-dropping hot. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I nod in understanding. "Okay. Um… me, too."

"Good." A hard kiss punctuates the word of satisfaction before his mouth drifts lower, his face burying itself in the groove between my neck and shoulder as a heavy sigh warms my skin. "I fired Alex this morning."

"What? Why?"

"Yesterday was the last straw. That on top of things like mistakes and his attitude made it obvious it was time to let him go, even if he is my friend. Or was. Not sure our friendship will continue after this. I almost let him go yesterday but didn't want to get into an argument while you were waiting for me inside."

"You made the right decision," I whisper in his ear. "Firing him in your office is more professional than doing it on your porch, though I'm sorry you had to do it at all."

"Thanks. It's definitely a lesson learned. One of my professors warned against mixing friendships with business. I should have listened to her. Won't make that mistake again."

He squeezes me in a big bear hug as if I'm the one in need of comfort rather than him. Returning the favor, my arms circle his trim waist and give as good as I got, causing Wes to grunt then laugh at my feeble attempt to match his strength.

"God, I needed that." He pauses then admits, low and passionate, "Need you."

Those two words disarm me.

They're dangerous—can cause a girl to fall in love without even realizing it.

Don't pretend like you're not already halfway in love with the man.