Chapter 160 160

Chapter 160 160
I stifle a scream and lurch upright as Isaak walks into the office.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Last five minutes,” he says without bothering to hide it.

“Wonderful. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that eavesdropping is not polite?”

“My house. My office. My phone.”

I roll my eyes. “Does that mean you want your gigantic chair back?”

He smiles. “No. You look good sitting in it.”

“Do I?”

“Like a queen in her throne.”

It’s funny how easy things have been since last morning. Almost too easy. I keep waiting for an argument to break out.

But so far, nothing.

I’m trying to enjoy the moment, but I can’t help worrying about everything that’s to come. I haven’t even begun to think about the aftermath of this battle with Maxim.

If Isaak wins—which I have to believe he will—what then? We skip off into the sunset together and be a family?

Somehow, I can’t see that happening.

I don’t fit into Isaak’s world. And he’s not even going to attempt fitting into mine.

“Where’d you go?” he says suddenly, drawing my attention back to the present.

I pull my eyes to his and shake my head. “Nowhere.”

He narrows his gaze at me. He doesn’t even have to say a word to make me start blushing and stammering.

“It’s nothing,” I say, trying to find a believable lie. “I was just thinking about the last few years. How much Eric helped me.”

“Eric, huh? Hmm…” He seems to accept that, although he does seem mildly suspicious. “What exactly did you tell him just now?”

“Just wanted to reassure him that I’m doing alright.”

“And he believed you?”

“Well, he asked a couple questions. Wanted to know, like, what we talk about. What we do.”

“And you told him about our raunchy, deviant sexual escapades.”

I look at him with a start and then realize he heard the last part of my conversation. I burst into laughter. So does he.

He saunters around the desk and leans against it, just out of arms’ reach. Grinning mischievously, I scooch the chair closer to him so I can wind my fingers through his.

“Well, it’s not untrue,” I say with a wink.

His eyes float down to my breasts. Heat spreads from my nipples right through the rest of me. Usually, there’s an argument that precedes any sexual interaction we have.

But it’s different this time.

It’s easy.

Like Marcy yelling Eric’s name, there’s something calm and comforting for me to slip into, to nestle myself amongst.

This. Him. Us. It’s easy, it’s natural, it’s perfect—when we let it be.

His hand falls against my hip and I lean into him. I grip the edges of his desk and he leans down and presses his lips to mine.

He kisses me for a long time. Delicately at first, just the grazing of his lips. Then a flicker of tongue, and more, and more, until we’re hungrily making out, my hands around his neck.

He scoops me up in one huge arm, turns, and deposits me on the desk. He never breaks the kiss, not even for a moment, as he pushes up my blouse and starts fondling my breasts.

Then: “Mommy?”

I whip around and yank my shirt back into place. Jo is standing in the doorway with her head tilted to the side in confusion. “Mommy, what are you doing on the table?”

I push myself off it and try not to be too obvious in adjusting my blouse. “I was just, uh, taking a seat, honey.”

“On the table? That’s weird.”

Isaak just smirks from the sidelines, without making any attempt to help me. I decide to just ignore the whole situation.

“What are you up to?” I say desperately.

“Babushka told me that you were in here making a call,” Jo says. “I wanted to talk to you.”

I have to bite back a laugh. She has her hands folded in front of her waist and her politest voice on. Already a shrewd negotiator at five years old. “Yeah? About what?”

“About going outside,” she says, sneaking a shy glance at Isaak. “Can we go to the aquarium again?”

“Again?” he rumbles. “We saw all the fish already.”

“Somewhere else, then?” she asks hopefully.

She looks up at him with her big blue eyes, and for the first time since I’ve known him, Isaak doesn’t look so aloof.

“Kiddo, I wish I could. But today is not a good day.”

Her face falls immediately. His falls with it.

Apparently, Isaak has finally found the one person who can make him feel bad about doing things his way.

“Why not?” she protests. Her lower lip is starting to tremble.

“Because I’m busy today.”

“Doing what?”

“Yeah, Isaak,” I chime in. “Doing what?”

He throws me a glare. “I have a few meetings I need to be at, Jo. But don’t worry, I’ll take you out another day.”

“Tomorrow?”

“We’ll see.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

I have to resist the urge to laugh. Watching him deal with Jo is oddly fascinating. A little endearing. And, annoyingly, also a major turn-on.

“It means I’ll try my best to take you out tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Jo, some things I can’t promise.”

“Please?”

He sighs. “Oh, for fu—for crying out loud. Alright.”

She claps her hands together. “Yay! Tomorrow. You promised.” Then she turns to me. “Mommy, can we play in the garden now?”

“Sure thing, honey. You can head on out there. I’ll follow you out in a bit.”

Having whipped us all into shape, she runs off. Isaak straightens up and clears his throat.

“That was efficient,” I tease.

He rolls his eyes. “She’s five.”

“Oh, okay. So you just gave in out of the kindness of your heart.”

“Shut up,” he mumbles as I laugh louder.

He walks around to his desk and already I can feel the air shifting, growing colder, steelier. I can sense he’s getting into business mode. “You’re really planning an attack on Maxim?”

“You always knew I was.”

I nod and swallow. “Just… be careful.”

He smiles. “Is that concern I’m hearing?”

“Shut up,” I repeat back to him.

His laughter follows me out of the room. I force myself not to look back. He will win the fight. I’ll see him again.

This is not the end of the story.