A Slave to Broken Hearts (A Slave to Love Sequel)

Chapter 64: Talk

"So..." Ace said.

"So..." I echoed, petting Mazey's head. It was relatively early, only about seven o'clock and the sun was starting to set, and yet he'd called. I knew he was trying to fix things at work, but I hadn't expected to hear from him so soon when I'd seen him this morning after his accidental sleepover.

"You really let me go to work with indents all over my face, huh?"

I laughed, not really expecting that to be his first response. "Sorry?"

"Yes, your laughter really sells the sincerity of that apology. You know, it's very hard to be having a serious work meeting when I've got the imprint of a knot on my cheek, it really undercuts my authority."

"I figured you'd look in a mirror at some point, you did have to either change or make yourself presentable anyway."

"Of course I looked in a mirror! But the stupid thing took ages to go away and I was already late enough, I couldn't say 'yes sorry, I have a dumb design stuck on my cheek and have to reschedule meetings I already didn't even show up to till later, when it goes away'."

"I'm sorry! It was an accident I swear, I didn't even mean to fall asleep on the couch with you, if I hadn't you probably would have been fine."

"So you didn't orchestrate all that Jeopardy and hanging out just to sleep with me? I'm offended and hurt."

"Sorry, but I have zero interest in sleeping on the couch anymore, trust me. It's not worth the trouble of trying to sleep with you, my back still hurts," I said.

"Oh so now I'm not worth it? You're getting meaner by the second."

"Mean would have been me letting you sleep on the couch instead of on top of me, or waking you up so I could go to sleep in my nice comfy bed while you're stuck on the couch, nursing the back pain I'm currently experiencing."

"In that case, thank you for shielding me from that. These old bones probably couldn't handle anything like that."

"Exactly, so how about a little more gratitude and a little less attitude?"

"Aren't we starting to sound like some kind of proverb. Or maybe a hallmark greeting card."

"Oh shut up, or else next time I'm going to draw all over your face in permanent marker."

"Next time?" he asked, and I could hear his grin.

Oops. "I just meant, in the off chance that you pass out on my couch again, I will do that."

"The off-chance, huh? I'm very interested in knowing what are the odds of that happening that again."

"Keep sassing me and the odds are zero."

"I'm surprised they weren't already at that level to start. Seems I underestimated you once again."

"When was the last time?"

"That I underestimated you? How about when you seduced me in my own car and kissed me?"

"Seduced?" I sputtered a laugh. "Oh my God. That was so far from seducing, I literally was just completely panicked and hoping you'd do something so I wouldn't have to."

"Well, whatever it was, it worked and was highly effective."

"Honestly, I thought you hated me for starting all that. Or were uncomfortable."

He burst out laughing. "Oh please. As if I'd ever complain that you wanted to kiss me."

"Well you didn't say anything after! I almost thought I'd imagined the whole thing."