Chapter 68
JEREMIAH
Stephanie was asleep in my bed, her dark waves spread out across the stark white pillow and sheets beneath her. Her pale skin, dark hair and my snow-white sheets made for quite the contrast. Especially against the backdrop of the antique wooden bed frame stained so dark it was almost black and the gray accents in the room.
Light was streaming in through a crack in the blackout curtains, causing beams of sunlight to spill only here and there. I wasn’t much of a photographer, but I took a class once. This would’ve made for an epic picture. One I would’ve framed and put a huge print of in my office.
Provided that I was the only person allowed into my office since Steph also happened to be naked. My silk sheets were only partially covering her body, draped to accentuate the curve of her hip and her small waist. One nipple peeked out above the sheet, dusky pink and begging to be sucked on.
I admired her for a moment and let my thoughts take me away. The conversation with my father had been tough, but worth it. Working shit out with him gave me a peace I hadn’t expected to get. Shawn and Bart were next on my mind. The guys hadn’t answered me just yet on joining the company, but I knew they would. Certainly swelled inside of me. Life was good, and it was only going to get better.
I glanced back over at my girl and gently shook her awake. It was Saturday morning, and we had a lazy day planned, but I had a surprise for her and I couldn’t wait anymore.
We’d worked late last night, into the early hours of this morning. I was exhausted when we got to bed, as was my girl. However, about five seconds after watching each other change into pajamas we both seemed to get a second wind—which we proceeded to spend doing everything but sleeping in this very same bed.
Stephanie told me in no uncertain terms before she fell asleep that she would be sleeping in this morning. I opened the curtains, looking at the sun sitting high in the sky. She was going to love her surprise, I knew it. It was totally worth waking up for.
And since it was after noon, it didn’t count as sleeping in this morning anymore. The bed dipped as I sat down beside her, putting one hand on her shoulder. “Steph? Angel, it’s time to wake up.”
She didn’t stir at first, but when I repeated it for the third time she groaned and rolled over, burying her face in the pillow. “Please don’t tell me it’s morning already.”
“It’s not morning.” I watched as her shoulders relaxed. “It’s afternoon.”
She rolled over and sat bolt upright in bed. Sleep clung to her eyes, but I saw her try to chase her away. “Crap. What’s the time? We should probably get to work.”
I handed her the cup of coffee I made for her as a peace offering for waking her. “It’s Saturday. We decided against working today, remember?”
She wrapped her fingers around the cup and blew onto the coffee, causing little ripples to form on the surface of the liquid. She adjusted herself and held the sheet up against her, “Thank god, I don’t think I can use my brain today.”
“It has been a long week,” I said, feeling in the back pocket of yesterday’s jeans I put on before I went to go make us coffee. A sheet of paper was folded neatly, tucked against my ass. “And there are going to be a lot more like it before things calm down again.”
“I know.” Her lips curved into a lazy smile. “Don’t get me wrong, I love every minute of building this company with you. I’m just going to love every minute of today too.”
I smirked. She was about to love today a whole lot more. “I got you something. I think it’ll help to get you through the coming months.”
“Is it a day planner?” she guessed, brightening at the thought. I resisted to pull her into my arms and kiss her. So many of the women I’d dated wanted and expected only the most expensive, most extravagant things from me.
Here was the one woman I would spend my entire fortune on, and she got excited over a day planner. Which made me wish I had one of those to give her too. “It’s not a day planner this time. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay.” She tapped her finger against her chin, smiling again when she thought of something. “Is it a pair of those really comfy slippers we saw on sale yesterday? My feet would love you forever.”
“It’s not that either.”
Smiling, she tested her coffee and sipped it when she deemed it not too hot. “I give up. What did you get me to get me through the next few months?”
Her eyes widened, seeming alarmed as she lifted them to look out the door behind my shoulder. In a stage whisper that sounded like real panic to me, she said, “Please don’t tell me you got me an assistant. I told you I didn’t need one.”
“We’ll see about that, but no. I didn’t get you an assistant. We’re still alone here.”
She pretended to wipe sweat off her brow. “Close call. What did you get?”
Lifting my butt cheek, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the folded papers. Straightening them out, I handed them over to her. “This.”
She frowned when I first handed her the sheaf of paper with our booking on it. “Fiji?”
“Two tickets to Fiji and the booking confirmation of a private estate with its own stretch of beach,” I said proudly. Take that, day planner. “It’s just for the two of us. I thought we could use some downtime before things get too crazy with starting our company.”
Stephanie went completely still, her eyes widening as they lifted to mine and dropped back to the reservations in her hands. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Are you serious?”