“Do you think I don’t pay attention to you when you talk about work? That I don’t know the names of every single one of your coworkers and their quirks that drive you nuts, like how the new circulation-desk part-timer snorts all the time when his allergies are acting up? Or the reasons you think they’re the best group you’ve ever worked with? You love how they write down every day on the calendar and your favorite is National Muffin Day because you fucking love muffins. I know who your favorite regulars are, that you get attached to the homeless who spend their days there. The ones you cried for when the drugs won in the end. The ones you worry about that move on to other towns and you don’t know if they’ve found the help they need. I know which interns you thought would go far and the ones you wished would just go. I know that your two favorite times of the year are going to work cattle, but it’s not the working cattle part, it’s being with everyone. It’s being with me. I know you have a love-hate relationship with the big diamond ring I bought you.”

He crowded closer until I laid my hands on his hard chest.

“You thought I was ignoring you when I talked to other women? The whole time I was talking to them, I was wishing they’d just fucking leave so I could spend some quiet time with my wife. Time I don’t get enough of and it’s all my fault.”

“I…” Had no clue what to say.

“Want me to keep going? I can do this all night. I know you, Kate.” He hitched my ass onto the island. Papers scattered under me and behind me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off his. “I might not know the parts of yourself you’ve purposely hidden from me, but I fucking know you.”

His lips crushed mine. My resistance was gone. All the things he’d said ruined me. He paid attention. To me. All this time I’d thought he was ignoring me, or avoiding me, but he’d listened. His hands were everywhere. Dragging my leggings under my ass. I wiggled enough to help him. I had to be closer to him, to feel his hot skin on mine.

My ass pressed against the cool countertop, but I widened my legs. He wedged in closer and thrust his tongue in my mouth. I was greedy for everything he had to give.

When he slipped his hand between us to unzip his jeans, I shamelessly rubbed myself against him. He flipped his hand around and stroked through my wet heat, stopping on my clit. I groaned. Behind his hand, his erection was wedged between us.