┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓

┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

"Poppy," he whispered.

I was slowly stirring awake, reluctantly so. Today, we were flying back home.

On our last day in New Orleans, as scheduled, we took that haunted ghost tour and ate all our meals at local restaurants before calling it a night because today at six o'clock in the morning, sharp, we were flying back to good old New York City.

"Poppy," he said a little louder this time as I felt his hand holding my cheek, stroking my skin with his thumb.

"Hmm?" I rubbed my eyes, rolling over, throwing a leg over his.

"We have to leave for the airport," he answered.

"Why?" I whined, kicking my other leg around until it slid off the bed and dangled. "I don't want to go."

"Why not?" he laughed softly.

"I like what we've become here," I groaned, opening my eyes and staring at him with a frown. "I don't want to pretend to hate you," I said.

He held my gaze until I yawned and rolled back over. He huffed, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. "So much for a romantic morning. All right, that's it. Get up. We have a flight to catch and we have the day off anyway, so you can catch up on all your sleep back in New York."

"Yeah, but we have work tomorrow," I complained, even more, cuddling up to him.

"Poppy, I let you sleep in as much as I could. I'm already dressed, darling and if we wait any longer, we'll be late."

I slipped a hand under his shirt, hearing him sigh softly. It made me smile.

"If you wake up," he paused and thought for a minute. "If you wake up right now and do as I say, I'll make up for last night," he said.

My eyes snapped open and I lifted my head to look at him.

Last night, I wanted to have sex with him again, but he refused just to spite me. I was practically throwing myself at him and he was watching a show for entertainment. I thought he would cave, and he did for a split moment, but only to tease me with his kisses and touches and then leave me hanging. He even got me naked only to then throw his shirt at my face and tell me to put it on.

"Promise?" I asked.

He nodded, grinning down at me.

"Okay," I sighed, scooting away from him before climbing out of bed. I grabbed the clothes that I had already taken out last night and went into the bathroom, leaving them on the counter. I grabbed my toothbrush first and brushed my teeth. Once I freshened up completely, I reached for my clothes but couldn't spot my bra. I clicked my tongue, going back out.

He held it up on one finger, dangling it for me, grinning.

"Give that to me," I laughed, walking over and reaching for it.

He jerked it away at the last minute.

"You're the one who said we'd be late if I delayed us any longer." I folded my arms across my chest.

He shrugged, smirking, "We can be a little late."

I shook my head, beaming. "Shut up and give me the bra."

He held it far away from me and I leaned over him to grab it. He took his chance, grabbing my waist and pulling me on top of him.

I stared at him as he left my bra on the bed and moved both hands to my thighs, tugging them around his hips so I straddled him. I was wearing nothing but his t-shirt and my underwear and the moment felt too minute. "This feels a little unfair," I said, resting my hands on his shoulders. "I'm almost half-naked and you're completely dressed."

"Hmm, should I make it even?" He lifted a brow, tilting his head to one side.

I nodded slowly.

"I'll dress you, then we'll be even," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes, moving off of him. "You're so annoying," I laughed, leaning across his body to grab the bra. I spun around once I had it but froze when he spanked me. Hard. Spinning on my heels, I looked at him, shocked. "You did not just spank me."

"I did too. Oh, I'm sorry. Should I have used the belt?"

"Josh!" I scolded through gritted teeth.

He chuckled, grabbing my hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. "Go get dressed."

I listened, went into the bathroom and got dressed, and used the bathroom.

Once I was ready, I packed up the last of my toiletries before going back out and packing whatever was left into my suitcase. I pulled my laptop and phone into the carry-on bag and then took another glance around, making sure I had everything. He got up in the meantime and grabbed both our suitcases. "Are Jamie and Valerie on our flight?" I asked as we made our way towards the elevator.

"Yes, they are."

I frowned softly. I wanted to have him all to myself on the plane so I could hold his hand or kiss him, but we can't do any of that around Valerie.

"Why are you pouting?" he asked, smiling.

"I can't kiss you on the plane now," I replied.

"Well, you better get used to it," he mocked, using my own words from a few days ago. "Because we can't do any of this at the office either."

I paused, staring at him before we stepped in and descended to the lobby. "Is everything going to be different?" I asked, genuinely scared at the thought.

He turned to me, taking my face in his hands, tilting my chin up. "No," he answered and he sounded so sure of his words that I believed them blindly. "I promise, nothing is going to change."

"Unless we get fired."

He shook his head. "Even then. We'll find a way."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He leaned down, kissing me softly. We pulled away just as the elevator opened and we headed to the front desk, checking out before grabbing a taxi that would take us to the airport.

From there, we walked in and checked in our luggage and it was at the security checkpoint that I ran into Valerie. "Hey," I offered, out of politeness.

She stood right in front of me in the queue. Turning to look at me, her eyes met mine but she just spun back around without offering me a single word.

"Okay then," I scoffed, loud enough for her to hear.

"Do I have to say hello to you? Just because I'm new and you're not?" She spun around suddenly.

I blinked in confusion. "What?"

She stared at me with an attitude on her face that I wanted to slap right off. "You're done for," she chuckled dryly.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing," she said mischievously before turning back around, facing forward, only to spin around again.

I rolled my eyes, glaring right back at her. "Keep walking, Valerie. I'm not any more interested in seeing your face than you are mine."

Her eye twitched and I gave her the fakest smile possible. "I'm going to ruin you, Poppy," she threatened.

What... the fucking hell is she talking about?

"Try me," I shrugged.

"I'll get you fired."

A little doubt flashed through my mind. What if she had seen Josh and me at the bar that night? But a lot of people came out when that door opened, it could have been anybody. What were the chances?

I laughed and she eyed me in confusion, only making me laugh harder. "Sweetheart," I said to her, still smiling. "If you think my career depends on this one job, I'm sorry, but you couldn't be more wrong. Yours, however, does."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's okay," I shrugged nonchalantly.

"I wasn't—"

"Apology accepted. Move along now. You're holding up a line."

She glowered at me before passing through security.

I went in after her, rolling my eyes, and when I got to the other side, I saw that Josh had already collected the basket full of my things. If she did see Josh and me that night, then everything's changed now. We don't stand a chance back at the office, we'll be fired immediately.

But how likely is Lydia to believe a new employee over us? But then... I don't want to lie and deny what Josh and I have, that makes me feel horrible. It's not something I'm ashamed of just because I wasn't allowed to feel this way. But I also didn't want to cost Josh his job.

"Poppy?"

I snapped out of my thoughts, looking at him.

"You okay?"

I nodded absentmindedly.

"Love," he called me.

All thoughts, out the window.

I blushed, nudging him softly. "Don't do that here," I whispered.

He grinned down at me. "They went ahead of us. I don't care. What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

"I just had an interesting conversation with Valerie."

"About?"

"I don't know," I mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"She was angry, saying something about ruining me."

"What?" He laughed like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "Valerie ruining you? Please, as if she can do that. But humor me, what else?"

I paused before shaking my head. "I don't know. But she said she'd get me fired. I'm thinking... She might have caught us."

"When? Where? We were so careful."

I hesitated. "Maybe at the bar?"

"Or she's just bluffing."

My brows knitted together.

"Maybe she just thinks something is going on between us and she's trying to get an admission out of you."

I thought before nodding in agreement. "Maybe. So, we just... continue?"

"Absolutely. Even if she knew, I'm not letting it push apart. I promised you and myself that. We'll just be careful." He winked down at me before leaning down and stealing a kiss on my cheek. "Now, let's go."

.

.

.

.

.