Tiffany sputtered but failed to produce any words, her face growing red. I rolled my eyes and faced forward.
“Forget her,” Nathan said as we continued on our way.
I leaned against him, a new pep in my step. “Already have. She’s just a jealous bitch anyway.”
“Has their shit gotten better or worse since I came back?”
I shrugged. “It’s a toss-up. The good thing is they don’t interrupt my work anymore.” I looked up at him. “Do they come to your office?”
He shook his head. “No. I can’t help them with anything, and we’re not in the same department. They tried the first few days, but I shot that shit down immediately. No more bugging the crap out of me and trying to seduce me.”
“Only I get to do that.” I stood a little taller.
He smiled down at me and pulled me close. “I love it when you seduce me.” His lips pressed against my forehead. “Too bad we have an appointment tonight. I’d let you do it right after work.”
I’d forgotten about Dr. Morgenson. Due to the holidays, we hadn’t seen him much over the past few weeks.
“What do you think Darren will say? Do you think he’ll approve of the fast timeline?”
“He’s the one who encouraged us to go forward with our relationship. I’m sure as hell not asking our therapist when I can marry you.”
I patted his chest. “He’s not going to tell you what to do. He never does. It’s his job to tap his pen, look concerned, and sigh a lot. You know… like a parent would do to his son when he knows he’s whoring around with some little slut.”
“My little slut.” He pulled me in tighter.
“Tell that to him and then throw in a ‘By the way—I’ve nailed her repeatedly, so now it’s time to marry the little slut.’ See how he reacts to that.”
I giggled, and he pinched my ass. “You and that dirty mouth.”
I smiled and pushed off his chest, then sauntered away.
Seduction was for wimpy Boob Squad members. I knew what he wanted.
He wanted to tussle—to pull, yank, grab, and demand I be his.
Even though I already was.
CHAPTER 4
“You two look like the cat that ate the canary. What’s going on?” Dr. Morgenson asked, looking between us.
“We’re getting married in two weeks.” Nathan smiled, but his eyes hardened as he stared at the good doctor, almost as if warning him.
Darren blinked, his gaze shifting between us, studying. Then a chuckle slipped from the smile forming on his face. He shook his head and continued to laugh.
“What?” Nathan asked. It was obvious he was as confused at Dr. Morgenson’s reaction as I was.
“I’m beginning to wonder if you even need me anymore. The rate at which you’re improving is astonishing and has very little to do with me,” he said as he lifted his glasses and wiped away the tears in his eyes.
I leaned forward and shook my head. “But we owe you so much.”
His eyebrows shot up and he chuckled. “I mediate at best. I get you to open up to each other and communicate. But it’s been months since you’ve needed me in that capacity. I am in no way saying you’re both fine, but I believe you’re no longer in need of couples therapy.”
“Why? You were so insistent we needed it, and now?” Nathan’s brow furrowed.
Dr. Morgenson turned to Nathan and leaned toward him a little. “Seven months ago, you two had just gone through the equivalent of an atom bomb in your relationship. I was there, helping you pick up the pieces and put everything back together. Four months ago, I had a strong feeling that you were finally headed in the right direction after some very hard months and encouraged you to move forward. You were strong and united together. Lila has blossomed and stands up for herself and her wants, whereas you’ve relinquished a lot of fear of the Marconi and guilt over Grace.”
“The Marconi will always be watching and waiting.”
“But you’re better prepared this time. They will always be there, so why would you let them hold you back from being happy?”
“So, you don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Nathan took my hand and squeezed it.
“No, not at all. Especially for you two.” He leaned forward a little more and smiled. “I do, however, expect an invitation to the blessed event.”
“Wouldn’t be a party without you,” Nathan said, smiling, but it wasn’t at Dr. Morgenson—it was at his friend, Darren.
I chewed at my nail—a bad habit I seemed to be picking up. Granted, said nail had broken earlier in the day, so I was really just trimming it with my teeth.
My stomach was in knots because of the anticipation—the next morning, I’d be giving my deposition.
My eyes scanned over the document, but my mind was too distracted to focus on anything. I needed to talk to Nathan about what I was feeling, but it was so hard to put it into words. I was drowning in worry, but there was also another issue clawing at me.
Knowing it was sometimes easier for me to communicate via email, I opened up my Outlook and composed a short message.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:47 am
Subject: Are you sure?
Why don’t we just go to the courthouse?
I returned to biting my nail, telling myself I was just trying to make it straight again when I knew it was really because I was nervous. Not only that, I was scared of the deposition and the wedding.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:49 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
No. You want a wedding. Stop stressing. Plus, I want you walking down the aisle to me. Or are you saying you don’t want to marry me?
I blew out a breath as I read. I never meant to imply that.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:53 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
I want to marry you. Very much so.
I was just scared out of my wits and trying to find the easy way out.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:54 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Good. Now stop stressing or I’m going to force you to relax.
I gasped as I read over a seemingly innocent sentence. It was anything but. Since Nathan and I no longer shared an office, our romps in and around the office had slowed to an almost halt. The thought of him finding me and taking me away was enough to wash away my panic and replace it with a need for him.
“Forget her,” Nathan said as we continued on our way.
I leaned against him, a new pep in my step. “Already have. She’s just a jealous bitch anyway.”
“Has their shit gotten better or worse since I came back?”
I shrugged. “It’s a toss-up. The good thing is they don’t interrupt my work anymore.” I looked up at him. “Do they come to your office?”
He shook his head. “No. I can’t help them with anything, and we’re not in the same department. They tried the first few days, but I shot that shit down immediately. No more bugging the crap out of me and trying to seduce me.”
“Only I get to do that.” I stood a little taller.
He smiled down at me and pulled me close. “I love it when you seduce me.” His lips pressed against my forehead. “Too bad we have an appointment tonight. I’d let you do it right after work.”
I’d forgotten about Dr. Morgenson. Due to the holidays, we hadn’t seen him much over the past few weeks.
“What do you think Darren will say? Do you think he’ll approve of the fast timeline?”
“He’s the one who encouraged us to go forward with our relationship. I’m sure as hell not asking our therapist when I can marry you.”
I patted his chest. “He’s not going to tell you what to do. He never does. It’s his job to tap his pen, look concerned, and sigh a lot. You know… like a parent would do to his son when he knows he’s whoring around with some little slut.”
“My little slut.” He pulled me in tighter.
“Tell that to him and then throw in a ‘By the way—I’ve nailed her repeatedly, so now it’s time to marry the little slut.’ See how he reacts to that.”
I giggled, and he pinched my ass. “You and that dirty mouth.”
I smiled and pushed off his chest, then sauntered away.
Seduction was for wimpy Boob Squad members. I knew what he wanted.
He wanted to tussle—to pull, yank, grab, and demand I be his.
Even though I already was.
CHAPTER 4
“You two look like the cat that ate the canary. What’s going on?” Dr. Morgenson asked, looking between us.
“We’re getting married in two weeks.” Nathan smiled, but his eyes hardened as he stared at the good doctor, almost as if warning him.
Darren blinked, his gaze shifting between us, studying. Then a chuckle slipped from the smile forming on his face. He shook his head and continued to laugh.
“What?” Nathan asked. It was obvious he was as confused at Dr. Morgenson’s reaction as I was.
“I’m beginning to wonder if you even need me anymore. The rate at which you’re improving is astonishing and has very little to do with me,” he said as he lifted his glasses and wiped away the tears in his eyes.
I leaned forward and shook my head. “But we owe you so much.”
His eyebrows shot up and he chuckled. “I mediate at best. I get you to open up to each other and communicate. But it’s been months since you’ve needed me in that capacity. I am in no way saying you’re both fine, but I believe you’re no longer in need of couples therapy.”
“Why? You were so insistent we needed it, and now?” Nathan’s brow furrowed.
Dr. Morgenson turned to Nathan and leaned toward him a little. “Seven months ago, you two had just gone through the equivalent of an atom bomb in your relationship. I was there, helping you pick up the pieces and put everything back together. Four months ago, I had a strong feeling that you were finally headed in the right direction after some very hard months and encouraged you to move forward. You were strong and united together. Lila has blossomed and stands up for herself and her wants, whereas you’ve relinquished a lot of fear of the Marconi and guilt over Grace.”
“The Marconi will always be watching and waiting.”
“But you’re better prepared this time. They will always be there, so why would you let them hold you back from being happy?”
“So, you don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Nathan took my hand and squeezed it.
“No, not at all. Especially for you two.” He leaned forward a little more and smiled. “I do, however, expect an invitation to the blessed event.”
“Wouldn’t be a party without you,” Nathan said, smiling, but it wasn’t at Dr. Morgenson—it was at his friend, Darren.
I chewed at my nail—a bad habit I seemed to be picking up. Granted, said nail had broken earlier in the day, so I was really just trimming it with my teeth.
My stomach was in knots because of the anticipation—the next morning, I’d be giving my deposition.
My eyes scanned over the document, but my mind was too distracted to focus on anything. I needed to talk to Nathan about what I was feeling, but it was so hard to put it into words. I was drowning in worry, but there was also another issue clawing at me.
Knowing it was sometimes easier for me to communicate via email, I opened up my Outlook and composed a short message.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:47 am
Subject: Are you sure?
Why don’t we just go to the courthouse?
I returned to biting my nail, telling myself I was just trying to make it straight again when I knew it was really because I was nervous. Not only that, I was scared of the deposition and the wedding.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:49 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
No. You want a wedding. Stop stressing. Plus, I want you walking down the aisle to me. Or are you saying you don’t want to marry me?
I blew out a breath as I read. I never meant to imply that.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:53 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
I want to marry you. Very much so.
I was just scared out of my wits and trying to find the easy way out.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:54 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Good. Now stop stressing or I’m going to force you to relax.
I gasped as I read over a seemingly innocent sentence. It was anything but. Since Nathan and I no longer shared an office, our romps in and around the office had slowed to an almost halt. The thought of him finding me and taking me away was enough to wash away my panic and replace it with a need for him.
