The letter was sweet, sure, but it抯 not a conversation.
I can抰 just run back to him so easily.
揇akota??His face tightens and his arms drop to his sides. 揑 don抰 blame you for being scared梖or questioning me. You didn抰 want to be hurt. We抮e on the same page. I just do a better job of hiding my emotions.?
Why is he making this so hard?
I gather another reluctant breath into my lungs.
His eyes are so intense today, heat lamps that melt me into a puddle right here on the balcony.
But even if I抦 boneless, I can抰 go down this road again.
I can抰 be stupid.
Dakota, find your strength.
Lincoln Burns shared his truth in that letter, and now, it抯 my turn.
24
All My Soul Within Me （Lincoln）
Dakota takes another step away from me.
It might as well be a thousand miles.
My heart slams against my rib cage.
Fuck, what if she doesn抰 care? What if she refuses to give me a second chance? What then?
揧ou梱ou had to force your way in with a trained raven? Seriously??she spits, beyond exasperated.
I smile faintly and shrug one shoulder.
揇o you know how hard it is to find trained messenger birds in Seattle in the twenty-first century? Something had to drive home how much I care.?I flick my eyes to the window, where every woman in the office and even a few men stare out at us. I lower my voice so no one in our unwanted audience hears me. 揇o you remember the night in my office when I traced your tattoo??
She tries hard not to smile, but she can抰 stop her lips from turning up as her face reddens.
Dakota gives me an awkward nod.
揧ou said it was a work in progress. The raven clutching a broken heart, something you added after that sorry little fuck threw away your love. Nevermore.?I come closer, taking her hand in mine and pinning it between us against her chest. 揕et me give you fresh ink. Never more will your heart be broken in my hands. You have my word.?
She bites her bottom lip, trembling.
揃old words. I抦 sure it took you a while to practice that…？
揇akota棓 I flare.
She puts her hands up defensively and steps back.
揘o, Lincoln. How do I know you won抰 just change your mind again? I can抰 survive it a second time.?A single hot tear streams down her face.
My heart sinks. I抦 the reason this beautiful woman is crying.
How the hell do I convince her? The right combination of words must exist.
揟hat抯 why I抦 here. I came to tell you I抦 making my leave of absence permanent,?I grind out.
She blinks at me.
揥hat? Why??
揑抳e spent too much of my life working, not living. I need to start existing again梚deally with you梐nd I can抰 do that as your boss. I need to put you first, second, and third. I can抰 do that as a workaholic. So, I抣l step down, because I need you infinitely more than I need Haughty But Nice. I need you more than anything, Dakota Poe.?
For a second, she stares, too stunned to move.
Then, I抦 hit with a small cannonball.
She hurls herself at me so hard I抦 winded, her arms thrown around my neck.
I close my arms around her with a slow smile.
揝orry. Maybe I should have led with that,?I say.
She laughs erratically and then sniffles again.
I pull her tighter against me, pushing one hand against the small of her back, ready to keep her there forever.
揥hat抯 wrong??
揧ou can抰 just up and leave for me梩his is your family抯 business. I can抰 take it away from you. It抯 not fair. And…and everyone is doing the best they can, but things are pretty rocky here without you. Morale sucks so bad, you don抰 even know,?she whispers.
I frown. 揕ike I said, you抮e my first and last priority. They抣l have to rough it.?
She throws me a desperate look, slowly shaking her head.
揘o. You抣l resent me for it later, and so will they.?
I kiss her eyebrow, her forehead, her cheek.
揘ever. It won抰 happen. And if it does, we抣l figure it out.?
揃ut棓
I kiss her lips, silencing her worries.
揝weetheart, I have a plan. I抦 not leaving anybody high and dry.?
揙-of course. Of course, you do,?she stammers.
I grin. 揑 always have a backup, but I haven抰 seen you in a month and棓
She tilts her chin back.
揧ou missed me too,?I whisper.
She doesn抰 answer as her eyelids flutter shut.
I cup her face with my hand, bring her mouth to mine, and savor her sweetness, her coffee-rich breath, the eager way her tongue flicks against mine and the moan she spills in my mouth.
Goddamn, I抦 going to savor this woman until the universe goes cold.
I hear a faint slapping sound behind us. Everyone perched inside my office claps. A few whistles make it through the thick glass.
Dakota bolts away from me and groans, her face rivaling a tomato.
揧ikes. How could I forget them??
揑抳e got this,?I say, stomping over to throw open the door to the balcony. 揝how抯 over, people. Everyone out of my office.?
Cheryl, Jane, and a couple other women go reluctantly, beaming back grins too big for their faces.
Anna lingers, her hands on her hips as she meets my eyes.
揧es??I clip.
揇on抰 you dare hurt her again, Mr. Burns.?
揘oted, Miss Patel. Now kindly leave.?
She stands there, looking at me for an uncomfortably long moment. I fold my arms and glare back.
揑t won抰 happen again. I抎 rather die a thousand times.?
Her death stare lightens.
揟hat抯 so sweet,?she muses, slowly walking away.
揂nna??I call.
She glances over her shoulder.
揟hanks for caring so much about her. You抮e a good friend,?I say.
She smiles and leaves my office.
I look back at Dakota. 揘ow that they抮e gone…？
She closes the space between us.
揧eah. So what抯 your big plan??
揥e抣l have a meeting with the senior staff and HR in the afternoon. I have to work out a few last details first.?
She nods. 揕ucy抯 back, so I抣l be downstairs working on this stupid meeting.?
揘o, you won抰。？I grab her gently by the hand.
揙h??She raises a brow.
揧ou抮e not going to be a marketing manager much longer anyway. And because I haven抰 seen you in a month, there抯 no damn chance you抮e leaving my office this morning.?
She smiles. 揃ut we抮e at work.?
I pull her closer and wrap my arms around her again, closing my eyes with a thick sigh.
揢m, are you okay??she asks with a laugh.
揧eah. I just桰抳e never been this happy.?I run my lips up her neck. 揑t was a long, lonely month.?
揑 know. It was hard for me too…？
This time, she attacks my mouth first, all teeth and wandering tongue. I find her lips with mine again, relishing how tightly she clings to me.
She breaks away, drawing in air as my grip on her intensifies.
揝mooth. Now there抯 no chance you抮e getting away from me before the meeting,?I growl.
揕ucky you, there抯 nowhere I抎 rather be.?
Her green eyes flare with a heat I can抰 wait to ignite the second we leave the building.
With my soul on fire, I return to my desk and type out the proposal with Dakota in my lap the entire time. Her ass teases me, pressing my hardness, bringing back memories of when I took her in this very office.
When I finally press print, my lips are on her neck again, my fingers pushing through her hair.
揧ou抮e coming home tonight,?I whisper, digging my teeth into her bottom lip so she knows it抯 not an invitation.
It抯 a demand.