“Thanks.” It didn’t matter how much I resisted, I knew I had just become Eden’s top priority. “Will you scan these back to me in separate attachments?” I traded her the papers I had signed for the food.
“Sure. But don’t let work get in the way of real life.”
“Eden, stop with the sermons. I know what I’m doing.”
“Right. Sorry.” She winced. “Have a good day, and tell Sydney I said hello.” There was an I-told-you-so hint in her voice.
“Thanks for the food.” I walked out of the office, carrying the goodies for Sydney.
By the time I walked into the condo and set the food on the counter, the sun had filtered through the windows, throwing beams of sunlight into the kitchen. I hummed under my breath while I arranged breakfast on a tray.
I poured a cup of coffee for her and positioned it on the edge of the tray next to the vase of flowers.
I took careful steps to the bedroom. She was right where I left her. Her back moved with deep breaths. The skin on her shoulders was golden and freckled from the sun. I studied the curves of her back, how they dipped at her hips and swelled over her bottom. God, she was gorgeous even asleep. I shook my head.
I placed the tray next to the bed, but she didn’t stir. Couldn’t say I blamed her, after three rounds of mind-blowing sex I was feeling exhausted too. I pulled the T-shirt I had thrown on over my head, stepped out of my jeans and crawled into bed next to her. I felt her body align against my back and within minutes my eyes closed and I slipped into sleep.
I shot out of bed, unsure of the time. I heard light laughter over my shoulder.
“You ok?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah. I don’t usually sleep in like that.” I turned to see Sydney smiling at me.
The breakfast tray was almost empty. “Thanks for bringing me food.”
“Have you been awake long?” I asked.
“No, just long enough to eat.”
I checked my phone. I had emails piling up, and a few missed calls from the office. I rolled out of bed. “I’ll be right back.”
I dialed Mark and stepped into the living room. “What do you have for me?”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning.” I still hadn’t checked the time. The morning was a fog. Between waking up at five to help Sydney with her story, to the shower that moved into bed, and then climbing back in to sleep, my body was out of sorts.
“Congratulations again on the Cove deal.”
“Thanks, I appreciate everyone’s efforts yesterday. Now the real work begins.”
“That’s why I’m calling.”
“Go on.” I waited.
“We have two sub-contractors lined up in San Antonio who are interested in bidding on the resort. Do you want me to drive down and meet with them?”
“God, no.” I wasn’t about to let Mark scout anything. “I’ll take care of it. Tell them I’ll be there to meet in the morning.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Have Kelly set up my hotel and set up the meetings. I need an hour in between each appointment. I don’t want them running into each other.”
“Yes, sir. We can handle that. Will you be driving or do you need a flight?”
I calculated how long it would take for me to drive to San Antonio. Sydney peeked around the corner of the door, my sheets wrapped around her chest.
“I’ll drive. Call me when it’s done.”
I tossed the phone on the couch.
“Is that how you get so much accomplished?” She walked into the living room.
“As a matter fact, it is.”
She pulled the corners of the sheet around her shoulders, and I realized how much I wanted to pull it down. But I had a full day’s worth of work to do. I couldn’t jump back in bed no matter how much I wanted to.
She settled onto the couch.
“What do you have planned today?” I asked.
“I’m waiting to hear from my editor about the story. I’m sure I’ll have follow up to do.”
“Right.” It wasn’t as if just because I had granted one interview for her she would no longer have to follow the story. “The story is never over is it?”
The smile faded from her face. “We agreed last night we wouldn’t—”
“Sydney, I understand. It’s your job.”
One side of the sheet fell from her shoulder. I sat next to her. “I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to leave this afternoon for San Antonio. Come with me.”
“Go with you to San Antonio?”
I nodded. “It will be fun. Road trip.”
“You don’t really strike me as the spontaneous type.” It looked as if she was analyzing my face, trying to read my next move.