“Oh hey, I keep forgetting to ask you!” Bri stops me before I hang up our call. “Are you coming tonight?”
“Uh, coming to what?”
“The Christmas party.”
I shift my position, crossing my feet where they are on my desk. “What Christmas party?”
Bri put this call on our work calendars, and I thought maybe we had a project that overlapped, but she just wanted to fill me in on some gossip about a guy from another branch who’s going through a messy divorce.
She groans into the phone. “Did you seriously not get an invite to the company party?”
“No, but maybe they only sent it to locals this year, and I just became a local.”
“No, it’s because Tosh in HR is a lazy bitch.”
I snort out a laugh. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Alright, well, it starts tonight at eight. It’s a whole building thing again, so it’s still in the atrium on the fourth floor. But I’ve heard there’s a decent buffet this year.”
“Oh, a buffet,” I say sarcastically.
“Yes, you rich twat, a buffet. The thing we peasants flock to because we like free food.”
“You’re not a peasant.” I laugh.
She ignores me. “Speaking of your life being better than mine, bring that handsome-as-fuck husband with you.”
I shake my head, having seen the photos she sent me from her elopement last week. “Don’t act like your new hubby isn’t attractive.” He really is. Just in a boy-next-door kind of way, not a tatted-gangster kind of way.
Movement at my open door startles me, and I let out a little scream.
Standing against my doorframe, Dom glares at me, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. “Who are you calling attractive?”
Bri says something to me at the same time, but I miss it.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I tell him, dropping my feet off the desk to ground myself.
“Is that him?” Bri’s excited voice cuts through my sudden adrenaline.
“Yes,” I tell her, keeping my eyes on Dom. “It’s my overbearing husband.”
He lifts a brow.
“Tell him thank you for the sushi.” Bri swoons.
I roll my eyes because I picture her batting her eyes as she says it. “No. And don’t try to flirt with my man, or I won’t bring him with.”
She snickers, and I can see Dom fighting against the urge to smirk.
I don’t really want to go to a stupid work party tonight. But I haven’t left the house since my birthday party, and it’s been almost a week. Plus, Dom has been… different. So maybe it’ll be good for both of us.
He hasn’t been different bad. Arguably, he’s been even more caring. Constantly feeding me. Gifting me things I don’t need nearly every day. But he hasn’t touched me like that.
I don’t know if he thinks I’m too emotionally fragile or what the deal is, but maybe a fun night out can solve the problem.
And I’m not going to overthink wanting Dom to touch me. He’s my husband. I’m his wife. And I’m trying to be all-in.
“Are you free tonight?” I ask Dominic, the phone still against my ear.
“Oh please, oh please…” Bri chants.
“For what and when?”
“God, even his voice is hot,” Bri groans.
“Shut up.” I laugh into the phone, then rotate it away from my mouth. “Apparently my company Christmas party is tonight. I know it’s last minute since everyone forgot to tell me. I can go alone if you aren’t free.” I add that last sentence to push him.
And it works.
“I’ll meet you there.”
Bri squeals, and I know Dom can hear it because the side of his mouth finally pulls up.
