“I don’t give a damn if I have to rent a space shuttle. I’m fucking you tonight. Long.” Kiss. “Hard.” Kiss. “Deep.” Kiss. “You might want to plan on calling in sick tomorrow because I’m going to be buried in your pussy all night.”

“Okay,” I said, not entirely convinced but hopeful. “I need to go to work, and I need coffee.”

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Other than the fact that your daughter is part kangaroo and slept with her feet in my ribs all night…”

“Don’t plan on getting any sleep tonight either,” he said darkly, lifting me and putting me on the floor with a smack on my ass.

“Promises, promises,” I sang as I went back into the kitchen and dumped out my cold coffee. I poured some fresh into a travel mug and added sugar and milk before going upstairs to quietly kiss Carrie’s sleeping head and heading to work. Axel would take her to school in a couple of hours before going to practice.

After my last surgery, I was reading a cardiology report from the morning when I was paged to the nurses’ station. Maya gestured to the side with a huge smile on her face. “You got a delivery, doctor,” she singsonged. I saw the biggest vase of red roses interspersed with some kind of deep purple flowers. I opened the little envelope and read the card written in Axel’s handwriting.

Mr. Broxton requests the honor of your company for an evening of dining at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse and extreme debauchery at the Ritz-Carlton, Uptown Suite. 7:00 p.m.

PS I love you

“Is that from Mr. Sexy Pants?” Maya asked, and I looked up at her, unable to control my goofy grin.

“Yep. We’ve had a difficult week, but he’s taking me out tonight.”

“You deserve it, Dr. Cavanaugh. I hope you have a great evening,” she said sincerely.

“Thank you, Maya. How are your kids doing?” We had a chat about her three gorgeous children, and she asked me about Carrie until she was called to a patient’s room.

I took my flowers to the car and made a quick emergency appointment with a local waxing salon.

I texted Axel.

Blaire: Dear Mr. Broxton, I happily accept your invitation to a lovely evening of dining and debauchery.

Blaire: And thank you for the flowers. They are so gorgeous.

Axel: You’re welcome, baby. See you tonight.

I hadn’t been waxed in a while, and Anna, the aesthetician, went over everything with me before she began.

After my wax, I went home and showered and shaved my legs. I put on makeup, doing my eyes with neutral browns and golds that complemented my green eyes. Standing in the bathroom wearing an ivory strapless bra with matching panties, I smoothed on a deep-red lipstick and added a touch of gold shimmery gloss over the top.