She laughs as she rolls the head of the snowman around and around, making the ball larger with each pass.
“Are you sure you’re twenty-three years old?” I tease.
“Oh, come on. The closest thing I had to a snowman was one made of sand. Let me live a little.”
“Remember this moment when you end up stuck in bed with a bowl of chicken soup in a couple of days.”
“Who cares. We’re living for today.”
“That’s great and all until I lose nine out of ten fingers from frostbite.”
“Aw, poor baby.” She grabs my gloved hand and kisses each finger.
“I know something a little lower that could use a warm kiss too.”
A laugh explodes out of her. I lean over and peck a soft kiss on the curve of her neck, too tempted by her exposed flesh.
Her eyes heat as she gathers herself. “Let’s go, Jack Frost. We’re almost done.” She runs a mittened hand across my zipper, bringing my dick to life.
Zahra has that kind of power over me. A few touches from her, and my dick is all systems go.
“Where the fuck have you been? You’ve been ignoring me,” Declan snaps the moment I answer his call.
“I’ve been busy.” I lock the door to my office just in case Zahra gets out of the shower faster than anticipated.
“Busy doing what exactly? Scheduling book signings in New York for no other reason except that you’re losing your goddamn mind?”
My grip on the phone tightens. “How did you find out about that?”
“I know about everything that happens within the company, including the fact that you took a vacation for the first time in years. What the hell is going on with you?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Give me the abridged version.”
I drop into my leather chair. “Is this the real reason behind your call?”
“No, but I want to know why you’re acting like a dumbass only a few weeks before the vote.”
“I decided to spend a weekend doing something I liked.”
“Save me the bullshit excuse about New York.”
“I don’t need to give you an excuse. You’re not my keeper.”
“No, but I’m the one who’s going to knock some sense into you when you’ve clearly lost your goddamn mind over a woman.”
What the fuck? He knows about Zahra? “Who told you anything?”
“I have eyes and ears everywhere, Rowan.”
“Stop poking around in my affairs. If I wanted to tell you what I was up to, I would.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You never do.”
I chuckle low under my breath.
He sighs like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “I’m worried about you.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t be.” It feels pointless to even say it. Declan might act like a hardass, but I know it comes from a good place. His protective instinct has been ingrained in him since a young age.
“I don’t like the idea of some woman manipulating you into taking time off so close before the vote. It’s suspicious.”
My jaw clamps down. “I don’t see how that’s possible when it was my idea.”
“You actually like her?” He laughs mockingly.
“Is that so hard to believe?”