"What? No. You earned that, silly woman. I’ve something far more personal for the gift." He bent down and kissed her nose. "You women have been talking far too much, haven't you?"
Gina snorted. "Why would you say that, boss?"
Jamie slid an arm around his waist and snuggled into the side of him, grateful that it seemed their days of hiding their relationship at the office was over.
"Because you're quite cordial with me when Jamie isn't upset, but if I've done something to hurt her or piss her off, I can always tell. You're not very nice or helpful in those times," he chuckled as he directed his comments to Gina.
"She's my girl." Jamie squeezed Alex. "She’s got my back."
"Then she needs a raise, too, I would think. With as much of an ass as I've been lately, she's got to be as exhausted as we are." He turned his attention to Jamie and smiled down at her. "You ready to get out of here?"
"Yes." She turned back to Gin
a as Alex released her.
"I'm going back to my office for five minutes. I'll meet you at the elevator." He turned and walked off, leaving them alone.
"Wow. That's a huge change." Gina lifted her eyebrow and gave Jamie a cocky smile. "I love it. This is going to be so much better now that you guys aren't hiding anything anymore."
"Tell me about it." Jamie turned to watch him go. "What do you think he has for me tonight? He said it was a gift."
"My boyfriend used to always say he was going to get me the best present ever. Maybe it's that."
"What?" Jamie glanced over her shoulder.
"A dick in a box."
They both cut up laughing as Gina repeated it a few times to stoke the laugher into something even louder and more involved.
Alex walked back out and took Jamie's hand. "You guys are going to get a conduct slip for being unruly."
"Please. We should be reprimanded. We have far too much fun together." Gina laughed again as she hit her legs with her palms. "Have fun tonight, guys."
"We will." Alex nodded toward the door. "Ready?"
"Are we going like this?" Jamie waved at Gina before walking with Alex to the elevator.
"We sure are. It's just the two of us. I thought it would be fun to be relatively casual about it." He held the elevator door as she walked past him.
"I'm a little nervous about this. Where are we going?"
"Oh you'll see," he chuckled, which only made her question his motives all the more.
They walked in silence, out of the building, where a long stretch limo sat.
"Your chariot awaits, my lady." He opened the door.
Warmth rushed through her at the memory of their last time in a limo. Surely he wasn't thinking to recreate it. Was tonight the night? Did he have a ring? Surely not. She couldn't help but hope, but it seemed like something that would be done in a restaurant or something of that nature.
She climbed into the back and sat down next to a long spread of cheese, meats, crackers, and fruit. A bottle of champagne was housed in ice and two fluted glasses sat just beside it.
Alex climbed in after her and smiled. "You like it?"
"I love it."
He closed the door and turned to her as the vehicle started to pull out.
"I know I told you that I wanted to take the next step with you, and I do. I want to take them all. It would seem only natural that we enjoy each one by going through them slowly and thoughtfully."