Romance: Dedication - A Workplace Romance (Dedication Series, Romance, Contemporary Romance Book 1)

by Adams, Nancy

  The woman groaned loudly, “It’s not that I don’t like chicken. Its cheap, and in grad school I’d buy it in bulk and it eat with every meal. I’m tired of chicken.” She held up her hands at his widened eyes, “But that fried chicken, fritter thing was pretty tasty. With that sauce…”

  “That was pretty great,” Franklin remarked after a pause. “I mean the entire night too, not just the food.” Jane felt warmth spread through her body: He’d had fun with her, in public! Rejoicing at a first date gone right seemed a bit premature, but Jane was too tipsy to care. She wrapped an arm around Franklin’s waist, hugging him close. breathing in the spicy lemon scent that she now knew came from a bar of expensive looking soap.

  “I had fun. Where to next?” She didn’t want the night to end. He’d have to leave in the morning. After that it was back to work, and she didn’t want to think about how things would be at the office.

  “Well, Parkett, I happen to have a sweet tooth: How about cupcakes?” She followed his gaze to a cupcakery a little ways up the street. The powder blue sign was etched with brightly colored treats.

  “You read my mind,” With his hand in hers, the couple walked off toward the shop.

  ***

  “That's your third one,” Jane said loudly, taking the box of cupcakes from Franklin’s greedy paws, “How have you not rotted your teeth out yet?”After getting an assortment of cupcakes from the bakery, Jane had been witness to what was by far the most gruesome sight she’d ever seen.

  Franklin devoured three cupcakes in the time it took her to select and take a small bite of one. The “sweet tooth” was more like a ravishing hunger, because three hadn’t even been enough for the poor guy.

  “It’s a superpower,” he said, gulping down a glass of cold milk that Jane had generously provided. “I could eat sweets all day if you let me. Seriously though, I have to try the chocolate mousse one.”

  “That's the one I wanted to try.” Jane protested, holding the box away from him. “I’m going to hide these if you don’t behave.”

  “Not fair, I told you that we should get a dozen.”

  “I’m not going to let you eat that many! You’ll get diabetes or something.”

  His hand found her thigh. The soft fingers rubbing small circles into the skin. “I wasn’t going to eat all of them. I was planning on taking one or two with me for tomorrow.” Jane shook her head, splaying her dark hair about her head.

  “I think I’ll make sure these stay safe. And uneaten.” She said, voice laced with faux-sternness. When the cupcakes were safely tucked away in her kitchen, she returned to the living room. They’d spread out on the floor, using blankets and pillows to make her brand-new carpet all the more comfortable. Franklin was reclining against a big throw pillow, arms hidden beneath it. The position was provocative enough. What with his shirt riding up just enough to give Jane a peek at the light rows of abs beneath.

  God, his body was a blessing. Not too heavily muscled. Just the right amount of hard and lean. It would be a wonder if Jane could ever manage to look at him in a suit again without drooling.

  “Are you going to stand there with you mouth open, or are you planning on joining me?” His voice was an amused laugh. Jane plopped down next to him, draping an arm around his shoulders, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of his warmth. “I like this,” Franklin said into the hollow at her throat.

  “Hmm?”

  “I said I like this. Us. Whatever this is. I like it.” He turned to face her, “This feels good. Not awkward how these things usually are. I’m comfortable.”

  “That’s because we got all the awkward stuff out of the way early.” She watched as Franklin shook his head.

  “No, that’s not it. I didn’t think you’d be so...Um...I.” His words were blending together, a cute stumble that made Jane’s heart warm. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Sure…”

  “I didn’t know you’d be this...great.” The word fell off his lips. Traveling across her like a prayer. “You didn’t seem like the type of girl I’d like during the internship. and once we started butting heads…” He shook his again, “I really like you. And if you want, I’d like to keep this going past tomorrow.”

  Jane smirked, “Well, I’ll have to take that under advisement.” Oh, there it was again: The same look of disappointment he’d had when she’d turned him down the first time. “I’m only joking.” Jane said quickly, “But don’t think I’ll be nice to you at work. We are still moral enemies in the boardroom.”

  “I’m more interested in what we can get up to in the bedroom.” He said, a bright grin overtaking his face as he hoisted himself up over her. Jane reached up, lacing her fingers around the back of his head and pulling his mouth back to hers. Franklin’s kissing was outstanding. Just enough tongue, and he always knew exactly what to do with his teeth. He’d coax little moans and sighs out of her until she was breathless with her want of him.

  Two days. How could it have only been two days? Already she was fond of him. Enjoyed the way he laughed and seemed to always be smiling. Whatever happened to the old McKinnon, she was more than thrilled to see him go. This person, Franklin, was a wonder to behold: All of McKinnon’s smoldering confidence with none of the hassle.

  And the sex. It was like they couldn’t get enough of one another. Whatever lingering feelings of dislike they held were drawn out and used artfully whenever they were together. Franklin and her bedroom were easily Jane’s favorite pairing.

  She didn’t know how much she’d grown to like him until she watched him pull his clothing on. Sunday morning sun dripped into the room, throwing light into Jane’s still sleepy eyes.

  “So, I guess I’ll see you on tomorrow?” Franklin asked as he pulled on a shoe.

  “Yeah, haven’t heard from Belmore all weekend. I’m sure there’s a nice little pile of work just waiting for us.” She cringed, imagining all the figures she’d, have to run the second she stepped foot into the office tomorrow.

  “Damn, yeah, I’d forgotten that we actually have responsibilities.”

  “I suspect that’s because you’re more like a teenager on the weekends,” she rolled over, slipping out of the comfort of her sheets.

  “Do you want me to drive you back to your car?”

  She nodded. “That would save me from taking a taxi.”

  It didn’t take Jane long to get dressed, but she was also stalling a little. For just a little while longer, she wanted to watch Franklin wander around her house with no shirt on and his sleepy morning eyes. She wanted to see him curled up beside her, his head resting on her chest. Jane sighed as she wiggled into a bright yellow sundress with white flowers. After she picked up the car, she decided that she would go and see her grandma. Being in a home in the suburban part of Illinois meant that not many family members came by for a visit. It was long drive, but Jane figured she’d make a day out of it. She missed the woman.

  “All set,” she called as she scooped her phone, wallet and keys into her bag.

  Franklin met her in the hallway. She still hadn’t gotten used to him in casual clothes yet. It was a testament to how different he was between Franklin and Mckinnon. He opened the door for her, helping her inside before he slipped behind the steering wheel. The morning breeze was cool as Jane rolled down her window then slipped her sunglasses onto her face. Summer was slowly starting to wane into fall. The scorching hot days were now pleasantly warm, and soon it would be too cool for sundresses and driving with the windows down.

  That thought made her frown a bit. Cool weather meant that Franklin would be swathed in too many layers of clothing. As sad as she was to see him go, Jane really wanted to visit her grandmother.

  Pulling up to the parking structure on a Sunday was an odd occurrence. The place was deserted, the stray car or two of overzealous interns the only company. Franklin parked his car beside hers. She told him he didn’t have to walk her two feet to the right, but he insisted. She leaned up against the drivers door of her ca
r, Franklin leaning in towards her.

  “I guess this is until tomorrow,” she said.

  Franklin grinned. “I guess so.”

  Jane could feel the reluctance in him as well. His lips lingered. She could almost feel him trying to take his hands away from her body, but failing miserably. Finally, he seemed to regain control of himself, just enough to pull away from her a little.

  “You should get going.”

  Jane sighed. “I should.”

  There was one last quick kiss, but it felt like goodbye kiss to Jane. The action short and sweet: Neither one of them keen on being featured on the building security cameras. Jane unlocked the door to her car before sliding behind the wheel. She waved at Franklin as he slipped back inside of his car. Slipping the key into the ignition, she gave it a turn, but nothing happened. Confused, she tried it again, but this time she only heard a loud, grinding noise that made her clench her teeth. She pulled the key out, afraid that she was going to do more harm than good. There was a knock on her window.

  “What’s wrong with it?” Franklin asked leaning on the door.

  “No idea. It was fine on Thursday,” she mumbled. “What do you think?”

  Franklin laughed. “Don’t ask me! I have a mechanic.”

  Jane let her head fall against the steering wheel. She thumped it against the leather a few times before he reached in and stopped her. Reaching into her bag, she pulled her phone out. The only person who’d ever been her mechanic was her dad. She looked at the time again and groaned.

  “What’s wrong now?”

  “Dad’s still at church. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I promised my grandma that I’d be there today.”

  Franklin shrugged. “I’ll take you there.”

  She looked up at him, a puzzled look on her face. “You will? Are you sure?”

  He grinned. “If I can meet your grandma,” he said holding out a hand for her to take.

  Jane grabbed his hand to slide out of the car. When they were back inside of his car again, she contemplated his offer. It was sweet of him to want to help, but odd that he was going to be meeting a close member of her family after only one weekend together. There was also the fact that her grandma was a bit...feisty. Everyone assumed Jane got her personality from her mother, but it was her grandma that had given her a backbone.

  “We’ll stop by my place first. I promised fresh vegetables,” Franklin said as they turned out of the parking structure.

  It was that moment that made Jane not care about how early it was, she was just happy to have someone like him around. Jane reached over, her fingers ran through his hair as they headed towards his house. She knew that she was gazing at him, her thoughts probably written on her face. He didn’t seem to be able to stop smiling either, his eyes sliding in her direction every few minutes.

  They pulled up to his house and Jane was once again struck by how cozy it looked. When they made it to the kitchen, Franklin pulled out a brown paper bag. They walked to the garden together. As they looked around, she heard him heave a sigh. It sounded content, happy.

  “So, what does your grandma like the most?”

  “She’s a big fan of beans, tomatoes and cabbage. Lettuce too.”

  “How about cucumbers,” he asked as he knelt beside them, “they look beautiful. Perfect time to pick them.”

  “She’ll love them.”

  They got to work in his garden, selecting the perfect vegetables before adding them to the bag. When their hands were covered in dirt, they walked back into the kitchen before they washed the vegetables off. Franklin produced a wicker basket from a cabinet which he handed to Jane. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “What are the baskets for?”

  “I like things to look nice, okay? Don’t tease me.”

  “I will keep the teasing to myself.”

  Franklin flicked water at her from his fingertips making her laugh. She wiped a smudge of dirt from his cheek. He caught her hand as she went to pull it away, left a kiss on the back of her hand. Jane felt a blush work its way up her neck. Clearing her throat, she went back to work arranging the vegetables in the basket nicely. When they were done, they headed back out to the car.

  “It’s kind of a long drive,” Jane said as they started off, “grandma insisted on being near her friends.” She laughed. “I couldn’t say no. I do wish she’d stayed a little closer though.”

  Franklin reached a hand out for her to take. She slipped her fingers through his. There was still a layer of nervousness in Jane’s belly. The last time she’d taken someone to meet any of her family had been a very long time ago. A time where she thought that she’d be getting married, she had the ring after all. She shook her head. That line of thinking was dangerous, it only brought up problems from her past that she had no intention of reliving.

  The drive up was leisurely. Open road spanned around them, only a few cars shared the space. Jane flipped through the radio stations, singing along to the songs that she knew. Franklin would either sing along loudly or beg her to change the station. She learned that he had an odd taste in music. He could hate a different song produced by the same artist or belt out really upbeat pop songs. Jane couldn’t remember the last time that she’d laughed so hard.

  They pulled up to Everstons a little after two.. Jane loved the place with its stately trees and ornate buildings. It was situated on a lovely little estate in an affluent Illinois suburb. The once single family mansion had been converted into a luxury retirement home about thirty years earlier. When they’d been looking at places for Grandma Parkett to stay, Everstons had been on the bottom of the list. It was expensive, more of a spa than a care center. But at Grandma’s bidding, Jane’s father had been persuaded to visit it. Seeing how well taken care of the tenants were made him fork up the money that wasn’t covered by the insurance. Grandma Parkett was receiving the best care possible, being kept far more than comfortable by a team of people dedicated to seeing to her every whim

  Jane gathered up her purse, Franklin grabbing the basket, as they headed inside of the building. The smell of fresh cut flowers permeated the air. She stopped briefly to chat with the receptionist before heading to her grandma’s room.

  “Just a heads up, grandma can be very opinionated. And when I say opinionated, I mean you’re going to hear what she has to say, regardless of whether you like it or not,” she laughed as she raised a hand to knock on the door.

  “One minute,” came her grandma’s cheery voice. A full two minutes later, the woman opened the door. It was easy to see where Jane got her features from. Harriett Parkett had aged beautifully, though her eyes held the far-off look of someone suffering from memory loss. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and she wore a long, gray dress, and soft little slippers on her feet. Her arms were laden heavy with bangles and beads, matching the necklace she wore.

  “Casey.” She said, embracing Jane in a tight hug, before giving Franklin an incredulous look. “I see you finally upgraded from my dunce of a son…”

  “Grandma,” Jane said quickly, a deep blush darkening her cheeks, “It’s me...Jane. Mom and Dad are still together.”

  She looked at Jane for a moment, eyes squinted until she made the connection. ‘Oh, Jane. Sweety, I’m so sorry. You know how I get sometimes. Who’s your friend?”

  “This is my…” She began, not quite sure if she wanted her mouth to form the word. Was it too soon to drop the BF bomb? Hadn’t her few relationships been doomed from the start because she always moved too fast. What if Franklin wasn’t at that same stage?

  Thankfully, the man came to her rescue, shifting the bag of veggies into one arm to hold out a hand to the older woman. “I’m Franklin, Jane’s boyfriend.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A deep silence fell over them as Grandma Parkett stared at Franklin. His hand was still extended toward her, and she hadn’t made a single move to shake it. Just as Jane had made up her mind to jump in, Grandma Parkett took Franklin’s hand.

/>   “Jane, dear, why didn’t you tell me you were dating such a handsome young man?” The woman's mock whisper easily carried to Franklin’s ears. “Look how rude I’m being, come in.”

  All the rooms at Evertons were suite style. They had a small sitting area with a sleek television set and a couch, a bedroom and a bathroom. It was the perfect blend of modern and traditional style furnishings. The couches stood on sturdy looking legs, covered in a nice, but obviously dated fabric.

  “Can I get you anything to drink?” Grandma Parkett asked and she made the way to her small kitchenette. A sink and a efficiency refrigerator were all the residents needed. Meals were served family style, with a communal kitchen on every floor should the residents wish to cook for themselves. “I think I have some cookies left from yesterday too. Mary Sanders baked them for me.”

  “That’s fine grandma, thanks,”Jane followed behind her into the little kitchen area. “Franklin has a garden just let our old one. He wanted to bring you some vegetables.”

  “Well, isn’t that sweet of him,” she said as she pat Jane’s hand. She glanced around Jane’s back at Franklin before she whispered. “When’s the wedding?”

  She shook her head. “It’s way too soon to think about that.”

  Her grandma shrugged. “Better snatch him up before someone else does.”

  Jane groaned as her grandma laughed. She glanced over at Franklin. He didn’t seem to have heard what was being discussed. For that she was glad. Jane helped her grandma fill three thick glasses with milk before she carried them into the sitting area. Her grandma followed behind her with the plate of cookies. Franklin stood to take the platter from her, placing them on the table before they all sat down together.

  “So, how did you two meet?”

  “We work for the same company,” Franklin said. “I thought she was really pretty the first day I saw her. She’s smart too.”

  Jane blushed. “You two really know hot to embarrass a girl.”

  Her grandma laughed. “I think that’s a sweet story. I met Jane’s grandfather at work. We hated each other for a long time before he asked me out.”