Reluctantly Yours(98)

We’ve talked about it. Marriage, that is. But it’s always been something we’ve said would be further in the future. Not four months after we officially started dating.

Barrett wraps his arms around me and I feel content.

With the snow falling outside and the fireplace casting a warm glow against every surface of the room, I’m struggling to be excited about going out tonight. I could stay here in this cozy space kissing Barrett, among other things, all night. But JoAnna is having a holiday party and it would be frowned upon if we didn’t attend.

Barrett smiles. “I’m glad you had fun. Did you buy anything?”

“I found a dress for the SCM holiday party.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

“It’s backless.” I smile wickedly as Barret narrows his gaze.

“Of course, it is,” he says, kissing my neck. I give into the feel of his warm mouth for a minute, then sigh when I force myself to pull away.

“We’re going to be late. I still have to change.”

“You look beautiful. Don’t change a thing,” he says, looking up at me with adoration that I’ll never get tired of.

“I’m wearing jeans. JoAnna St. Clair doesn’t do jeans, you know this.”

He rotates me until my ass is facing him.

“Hmm. I think she’d agree these jeans are special. Your ass looks insane.” He grips me through the denim and while I’d love to stay in this moment with him, I know where it leads. Me bent over this desk. Then I’ll need a shower in addition to a new outfit. There’s no time for it.

I shimmy away and run for the door.

“Give me ten minutes.” I rush upstairs to change.

In the car, Barrett opens a bottle of champagne.

“A holiday gift from Fred and Helen,” he says, passing me a glass.

“That was sweet,” I say, taking a sip of the bubbles.

Even amidst the cheating accusations, Fred did propose to Frankie. A few weeks later, he discovered for himself that she was unfaithful and took back the ring. After he and Frankie broke up, Fred ended up getting back together with his ex-wife, Helen, who he realized he was still very much in love with. Then he approached Barrett about resurrecting the deal for SCM to acquire Voltaire Telecom. They signed the deal a few months ago. Barrett asked Fred to stay on as CEO but he was all too happy to retire. He and Helen have been traveling and are expecting their first grandchild in May.

“How was your day?” I ask, trying to find a topic that doesn’t involve me asking him about the WordIt word today.

“It was good. Work is slowing down. We finished wrapping up the year-end analysis. There are a few deals still in the works that we’ll push until the first of the year so that everyone can take off the next two weeks.”

“That’s great.”

“And I got my Christmas shopping done already.”

“With Bea’s help?”

He shakes his head. “No, I did it myself. I went to the stores and everything.”

“Cheers to you doing your own Christmas shopping.”

“And cheers again to your promotion.” Barrett clinks my glass and smiles at me. “It was well deserved.”

“Thank you.”

The last few months, I’ve been working hard to prove myself to JoAnna, and build back her trust after Lauren’s party. Last week, I officially earned the promotion to assistant editor. We celebrated with dinner at Gallagher’s.

“There’s so much to celebrate.”

The bubbles are making me giddy.

“Like today’s WordIt,” I say, unable to contain it.

“What was today’s WordIt?”

“When I first got some of the letters, I thought it was going to be MERRY with an E for the holidays, but it was MARRY with an A…”

“That’s interesting.” Barrett nods, his eyes filled with humor.

Oh God. I am reading way too much into it.

“Not that I think we’re celebrating because of that. It’s just a word on a game. It’s not about us or anything. I’m definitely not expecting that. Maybe the programmers messed it up and it was supposed to be MERRY. It is a homophone and those can be tricky for people.” I swallow back the last sip in my glass. “Forget I said that.”

At that moment, we pull up to our destination. The Pierre Hotel.

Snow is still lightly falling, so Marcus walks us to the door with an umbrella.

We enter the lobby, which is quiet, and ride the elevator to JoAnna’s penthouse apartment. We’re not that late so it’s odd there aren’t other party guests arriving. When the doors open, I’m even more confused when Barrett leads me into an empty foyer, through the empty living room, and straight into the kitchen pantry.

“There’s no one here. Did we get the time wrong?”

He shuts the door behind us.

“What are we doing in here?” I ask.

“This is where I do my best negotiating,” he says.

“In your mother’s pantry?” It’s funny how the memory from six months ago of being in here with him seems foreign now. Where I once thought he was cold and dismissive, I have discovered warmth and kindness. And the disdain I had for him before? Now, I only feel love.

“Yes.” He nods.