Chapter Fourteen
Justine lay in the water under Sawyer, who’d collapsed against her. His hair tickled her cheek. She lifted her hands to his back, then stopped, afraid to touch him anymore, afraid of revealing her heart to him while his breath began to slow in her ear.
“The water’s cold.” Her voice echoed off the white tile walls.
He pulled back to smile at her, brushing away the hair plastered here and there to her face. “Bed’s warm.”
As quick as possible, Justine pushed herself up and out of the tub. Dark wood shelves held dozens of the long, fluffy towels, so she grabbed a fresh one. Wrapping it tight, she clutched it to her chest and turned away from him.
As long as she didn’t utter the L-word, what harm could there have been in letting him touch her, fill her with so much love she’d explode with it, streaking across the sky, bright and brilliant? God, when she was stupid, she was crazy stupid.
She turned back to face him because, while she might be those things, she wasn’t a child. She could handle this with the grace her mother had drilled into her head.
Not trying to cover himself in the least, he toweled dry. “We should try to clean this up.” He laughed, gesturing at the wet towel and gallon of water on the floor.
“We didn’t use a condom.” She kept her gaze glued to the mess on the floor. She’d badly misjudged how deep this would affect her. Half of her wanted to go wrap herself around him and the other wanted to run away, even if it meant padding barefoot down the mountain in only this towel.
Shifting his attention from the flood of water to her, his face softened. She could tell that much as she darted glances at his expression, trying to gauge where this put them now. He said, “I didn’t plan how this might play out, not very well. I messed up, not letting you get out of the tub and get dressed. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not blaming you. I wish…” What? That she’d told him no? Wasn’t a chance of that, not after his words.
“I know the impression I’ve given you. The bar, the party. It’s not my normal to be so—”
“Oh, no. We don’t need to have this conversation.”
He gave a curt nod. “What I’m trying to say, I’m not a person who engages in dangerous…oh, hell. I wore a condom with the girl from the party, and I haven’t slept with Stephanie, she’s the girl from the bar, in months. I always use a condom.”
“I don’t want to know. I’m starting to feel random and cheap again.”
In a heartbeat, he crossed the room and put his hands on her bare shoulders. “Nothing about this or you was random and cheap. I get tested a lot. And I have been since the party. I wanted you to feel more secure about that part.”
Forgetting all about her discomfort with this, she pressed a hand to his scruffy cheek. Sweet Sawyer was even harder to resist than sexy Sawyer. But when his thumb traced her collarbone, shooting all new tingles through her, she leaned back. “Water,” she whispered.
“Oh, yeah.” He hurried back to the tub and let the water swirl away before he grabbed several towels. “This will just take a minute.”
In the bedroom, she pawed through her suitcase. Maybe if she dressed before he came in, she’d feel more assured. Know how to handle this new development, Sawyer with feelings. What could have prepared her for that?
With a thought at how sloppy a guest she was becoming, she tossed the towel aside, stepped into a pair of panties, and yanked them up. She didn’t even know what they looked like. Red, maybe?
As her white, silky gown slithered down her hips, he exited the bathroom. At last, he’d haphazardly tucked a towel low on his hips.
“Look at you, princess.” He paused, leaning a shoulder on the door-frame. “I kept thinking it was the clothes, but here you are in barely any, and it’s the same damn thing. Every time I see you, it knocks the wind out of me.”
She did look down. Her nipples were outlined, but this was no sexy negligee. Nobody saw the clothes she slept in. No photos were snapped, no fringe fame auctions of them. These things were for her. They were comfortable first, and cute next, specifically because she took great pleasure in not needing to be sexy, or edgy, or fashionable.
And he would get that. He always seemed to get her. Then, he’d tell her she was beautiful or… something. She didn’t get that. Her claim to fame was nothing more than notoriety.
Instead, she opened her mouth and let the first notion tumble out. “I’m on the pill. Not because I sleep around.”
“Obviously.” He offered her a wry smile.
“They regulate my cycle.” Oh, my God. Her period. That was the next best topic. But she couldn’t stop talking because then he would come to her, stroke her, and they’d climb onto that fabulous bed. And afterwards, she’d love him a little more. So, talk. “I get tested, too. Every three months, when I go in. I don’t need it that often, it’s been forever. My gynecologist kind of thinks I’m a whore.” Breathe, take a breath. His eyes widened with each word. “She reads a lot of tabloids.”
Justine bit down on her lips to stop herself because nothing worse than her talking more could happen. If the house caught fire right now, if she burst into flames, it would be a relief.
“You’re nervous.”
“I babble when I’m uncomfortable.”
“I remember. I’m not.” He took the three steps to close the distance between them. “I never talk a lot.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Justine?” He laced his fingers through hers and looked into her eyes. “Shut up.”
“I really want to.”
“I don’t talk a lot when I’m nervous. I figured I’d be pretty freaked out after saying all that. I wasn’t going to let it stop me, but I kind of thought I’d have the urge to go off, white knuckle it the rest of the night. But I’m good with this. Saying it, spending the night with you. It feels right.”
“Have you ever watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers?”
A grin popped into existence from nowhere after his somber speech. “You’re an incredible smart ass. Like, how some people are born with charm or a genius IQ. And your natural born gift is being a smart ass.” He glanced down at her then back up. “And ‘those.’”
“You’re being funny to distract me from worrying, but I can’t not worry about this. Every day, agonizing about how much I wanted you, falling—” She stopped. Can’t say that, never say that. “Falling all over each other. It seemed like slow motion, the kissing, then the fighting, then the sorrys. But it’s all happening so fast now.” One hand broke free, and she grabbed a fistful of hair at the crown, pulling it away from her face with a gentle tug. Focus on right now, because tomorrow…
Tomorrow, nothing. Tomorrow things would be normal and make sense again. Sure, he said he had feelings for her, but this was Sawyer. He wasn’t making any tomorrow commitments.
“Being funny is the first phase of my plan.”
“Now you have a plan?”
Tightening his grasp, he led her toward the bed. “This next part, I’m going to make you forget every damn thing you’re worried about. Hell, you may not even remember your name.”
He pushed her to a sitting position on the bed. Dropping to his knees, he took the hem of her gown and lifted it up over her knees to the top of her thighs. “Red lace,” he muttered. “All innocent white down to your ankles…and red lace underneath.”
Her throat clicked when she swallowed. He looked her over, then his gaze slipped back to her panties. “Baby, I know you like expensive things, but if you don’t slide those panties off, I’m going to tear them.”
Nothing more than a breath came out as she lifted her hips and pushed them down. He was true to his words. She could think of nothing but him, this, now.
His hand came up to stop her when she got the panties to her knees. “I’ve got them.” He clutched the lace and stripped them down and over her feet.
Starting at her calf, he traced a heated path with his lips between her legs. His hair brushed the inside of one thigh as his tongue teased the other.
For a brief moment, it stopped. She opened her eyes to find him looking up at her. “Except one thing.”
“Hmm?” Words left her, banished from her mind, exactly as he’d promised.
“In between those sounds you make—”
“I don’t make sounds.” Heat flooded her face and she struggled to remember the tub, but it was no good. Only memories of the pleasure washed over her.
“You make exquisite sounds. But you’re going to remember one thing.”
“Tell me.” She’d do anything for him right now. What could she refuse him as her body yearned for him to keep going?
“My name. I’m going to drive everything else out. Except that. I want to hear you say my name.”
“Sawyer.” She opened herself to it, letting every bit of need strain her voice. “You already have. And this, please. Please, Sawyer.”
“Yeah, that too.” He took hold of her hips and pinned her to the bed.
Oh, thank you, finally, his tongue glided across her most sensitive, secret places. As his mouth and fingers teased and toyed with her, gripping her close, sensations assaulted her she’d never imagined existed. So much, so…
Then, even her wonder disappeared, as pleasure pierced her so intense it ripped through her. Down her legs and arms, through toes and fingers. Even her hair tingled with it. She thought she called out to him, heard her voice, but didn’t comprehend any of it.
As it subsided, she realized her hands were clutching the blanket under her. He slithered up her, letting his lips and stubbled chin glide over the silk on her stomach.
Nothing survived in her but instinct now. She sensed he wanted her to lie back and so she did, tumbling onto the feather mattress.
He reached her mouth. Kissed her. A smile flickered across her lips when she could barely respond.
“Give me a minute. That was…” Her voice, still breathless, trailed off. Even with a dictionary at her fingertips, she couldn’t have found the words to describe it.
He rolled to the side, elbow on the bed to support himself, and stroked her shoulder with an arrogant grin.
“You’re far too pleased with yourself, Sawyer.” Still, had she ever in her life been this loose? All tension and worry gone from her body?
“The way you say my name, all breathy and desperate, makes me crazy, princess.”
“Because your ego is huge. I’m sure it does need feeding from time to time.”
“No. It’s because you’re mine now, and I can hear it in your voice.”
Justine snatched his hand from her shoulder and looked into his eyes. She couldn’t tell anything from their depths. “What does that mean?”
“Do you really want to start talking again?”
“No, probably not.” She needed to let this settle, let her mind pick it apart first.
“Good, because I’m not done.”
An obvious erection tented the towel he wore. She didn’t know how it stayed put. “Clearly.”
Just a little tug and that towel could be history. “We will have to talk, though. At some point,” she said
His lips nibbled at her earlobe. “Mm-hmm.”
With a flick, the towel fell away, along with any nagging concerns. Tomorrow would be soon enough. Her gown still bunched around her waist and Justine rolled to straddle him. “Do that thing again.”
“Which thing?” Now his voice was sexy and desperate.
“The thing where you make me forget all the stuff I should be worried about.”
“That thing is easy.” He fisted a hand in her hair to pull her close and sent all rational thought out of her head.
****
When she woke in the morning, he’d slung his arm around her stomach and pulled her close; or maybe they’d met in the middle. She didn’t care how it had happened, she just knew it was amazing to wake up next to him, their bodies touching, their heat mingling.
He stirred beside of her and then cursed softly.
That shouldn’t have surprised her. Maybe Liann had gotten him drunk. Maybe he’d been in a complete blackout last night. Or maybe, he regretted it. She tried to ignore the sting. Really, who was she kidding? As outrageous and amazing as last night had been, that was kind of it for them. “Good morning to you, too.”
“Breakfast is in fifteen minutes.” He jumped out of the bed and raided the bathroom for his jeans. He slipped them over his hips. “Come on, princess, let’s go. You’ll insult our hostess.”
“We can’t go down together.”
“Why not?”
“Well, because she might figure out that we…had sex.”
He climbed onto the bed and made his way toward her. Justine pulled the quilts up higher as he advanced. “What?”
“We didn’t have sex. We had a lot of sex. Great sex. In the tub, and in here, and then—”
“Sawyer, focus! She doesn’t need to know that.”
“What difference does it make? She’s had us paired up since she met us.”
“I need to put some clothes on.”
He leaned back on the bed and looked at her. “Don’t let me stop you. Coming off or going on, I can enjoy the show either way.”
“Fine.” Justine glared at him and threw back the covers. She hoped she looked as comfortable as she pretended to be. She pulled a pair of red jeans out of her suitcase and found panties and a bra. Still scrambling to wrap her brain around last night and understand why he was so cheerful this morning, Justine dressed in silence.
“Good, I like you in red.”
Struggling to snap the bra because her fingers trembled, Justine turned to him. “Okay, I’m serious this time. What have you done with the real Sawyer? Why are you being so weird?”
“What did you expect me to act like?”
“We can talk about this later. We’re going to be late.” Justine ran a comb through her wild curls. “I’ll go down first and then—no, you go down first. And I’ll be down in ten minutes.”
“You go down first. I don’t see why we can’t go together.”
“Why do I have to go first? What if she heard us and she asks me?”
“I don’t know, make something up.”
“Fine, but if I have to make up some story about zombies breaking in after dark, you’d better back me up.”
He pulled his shirt on with a grin. “I’m not the one who cares if she knows. You’re on your own, Bernice.”
Downstairs, Justine sat down at the table, remembering how serious Liann was about her kitchen. Last night, Justine had poked her head in to offer help, and Liann had threatened to swat her with a broom.
Liann turned from the stove, a fist on her hip, and studied Justine. “Damn, I’m good.”
“You’re fabulous. What at, specifically?”
“Sawyer came to visit last night, didn’t he?”
Justine face flushed with heat. “You heard us?”
“I knew it!”
“I saw a mouse. And I screamed. Don’t worry, Sawyer killed it. He’s good at that, mice slaying.”
Liann offered a deadpan expression and let Justine babble on. Finally, Justine exhaled with a huff. “For God’s sake, at least pretend to believe me.”
“Fine, whatever, dead mice. I didn’t hear you, anyway.” She laughed and stirred her gravy on the stove.
“Then how did you know?” Justine poured herself a cup of coffee and kicked herself. Seriously, if lying needed doing, she wasn’t even bothering anymore.
“Well, because you’ve got a hickey on your…” She pointed at her with a spoon.
With a glance down, Justine realized her shirt was open and a small, purple spot jumped out at her from her breast. “Hmm, so I do.”
“And your shirt is buttoned up wrong. I bet your mother would be appalled.”
“She would be. I’m the worst houseguest ever.”
Sawyer walked in, and Justine busied herself stirring her coffee.
Liann spoke to him without turning. “I understand you two had a pest problem last night.”
He froze and looked at Liann then turned to roll his eyes at Justine. She shrugged.
“Yeah. A bug, like a beetle or something.”
Justine mouthed, “Mouse.”
“And then we saw a mouse, and Justine lost it. She’s a big baby about things like that. Must be the rich girl thing.”
Liann turned to them, an innocent expression on her face. “She sure is loud.”
With a shrug, Sawyer poured himself a cup of coffee. “Isn’t she? One hell of a set of lungs.”
Justine glared at Sawyer. “Okay, joke’s on me you two. Very amusing.”
“You suck at lying.” Sawyer shook his head at her with mock disappointment as he sat down next to her.
Liann finished the gravy, brought it to the table, and sat down. “I’ve decided I’m going to do your show.”
Justine actually screamed then, punching a fist in the air above her coffee cup. “Yes! You will not regret this.”
Liann sighed. “I don’t have an agent anymore.”
“Get one. Tell them you have a deal on the table from the Montgomery-Chase Group and then tell them to get you a deal you can be happy with.”
“Your father would shoot you for saying that. Sawyer is choking on his coffee, as a matter of fact.”
Sawyer coughed. “No, I’m fine. I’m getting used to it.”
“I don’t care. We’re doing this right, and everyone is going to get everything they want.” She turned to look at Sawyer. “Right?”
“I hope so.”
They ironed out the major details over breakfast and considered it a done deal. The little things could be taken care of when they got home, after the snow melted. Liann said tomorrow, maybe the day after. This time, in between becoming lovers and going home to reality, couldn’t last long enough for her.
Liann had loaded the dishwasher, and Justine put on their third pot of coffee when a tall, young man walked in. Even with his short, cropped hair, he towered over Justine. He gave Liann a questioning look. “You having a party up here?”
“No, I have guests.”
“The people from the diner?”
Liann nodded, wary. “I’ll drive down after supper, and we can talk some, Cole. Now isn’t a good time.”
Justine gave Sawyer a confused look, and he shrugged. Had he noticed the temperature in the room dropping since the big guy came in?
The guy stuck a hand out to her. “Cole Reynolds.”
“Justine Montgomery.”
“I know you. I’ve seen you on the magazines in the grocery store.”
She took a deep breath. “Yes. Yes, you probably have.”
“I hate those damn rags.”
It was disconcerting, because that was exactly what her father always said. She studied him. The strong way he’d shook her hand and that scowl on his face, even now, while he was trying to be charming, had a familiar quality. “I feel like I know you from somewhere. I don’t suppose that’s possible.”
“I’ve never left Greasy Ridge, so no.”
Liann spoke up sharply from the sink. “It’s not a good time, Cole. Go on back to town, and I’ll come see you in a bit.”
He shrugged, said a goodbye, and left the house. After an hour, Liann told them she had to run errands for supplies, and she’d be back before dinnertime. They made good use of the privacy.
After, Sawyer lay on his stomach beside her and she traced her fingers over his back. Candlelight flickered over them. “What’s your first name?”
He lifted his head to look at her then lay back down. “Why?”
“Because I want to know things about you.”
He took so long to respond, maybe she’d pressed too hard. When he did, he didn’t speak. He stood up, retrieved his wallet, and dropped it in her lap. She let her gaze slide up to his face, trying to gauge his expression, and then flipped it open.
“Eric,” she murmured. “You don’t look like an Eric.”
“Because I’m not.” He took the wallet out of her hand and tossed it on the nightstand. “I changed my name when I turned eighteen. Sawyer used to be my first name.” He shifted, uncomfortable. “Anything else?”
That gesture had cost him. She knew how tight he held onto his privacy. “You feel naked now. Ask me a question.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Anything you want to know about me. So we’re even.”
He sat back down on the bed, stretching his legs out beside her. “You’ve got a thing for mutual discomfort. Couldn’t we slip on a pair of handcuffs, forget the question and answer portion, and have some fun?”
She looked at him, eyes wide, smiled in pretend excitement, and leaned forward. “No. Ask me.”
He gave her a serious look, the furrow in his brow deepening. “What’s the deal you made with your father? Why did he give you a job if he thinks you’ll quit?”
“I…what?” She had nothing.
“Tell me about the deal.”
She looked away, the corner of the room catching her intent interest. “Ask me something else.”
He touched her leg, caressing it with his thumb. “This openness is your thing. It doesn’t work if you don’t answer. Tell me why.”
She hardened her face into a neutral mask. She couldn’t tell him about the deal with her father, because that would lead to more questions. Questions about what her father might do if he found out she and Sawyer were sleeping together.
“The guy from the video, he was my driver, but my father paid him to watch over me. And we…we ended up in a relationship. But when my father found out, he paid him to leave.” The words rushed out of her. “After the video came out. Okay, now we’re even.” She struggled not to scream at him to stop touching her and stood up. “I need to wash my face. I’ll be right back.”
After shutting and locking the door, she stared at it like a blazing fire waited beyond. On the edge of the tub, she sat and bit at her thumbnail. Her mother flitted through her mind, rubbing her fingertips in pepper juice so it’d burn her tongue if she bit them.
Why had she ignored her heart? She’d known when he climbed into that tub she was in love. She didn’t doubt what her father would do when he found out. God, she even knew how he’d do it. One big promotion is all it would take.
She jerked her hand away from her mouth and jumped at the knock on the door.
“Justine? Are you okay?” Confusion tinged his voice.
She walked to the sink and turned on the water. “Fine. Just…looking for wrinkles.” Oh God, why did she have to be such a horrible liar? How was she going to face him, every day, and not tell him why they couldn’t be together. Her father would consider this self-sabotage and a betrayal because he wanted her with Travis. She was pretty sure that’s why he gave her the job.
If Sawyer wanted to know why they couldn’t continue the way they were, what would she tell him? Accuse him preemptively that she wasn’t enough in comparison to a promotion? That would only hurt her more.
She’d say nothing. Nothing right now, anyway. After she washed her face, pressed a cool rag to her burning cheeks, she’d go back out there and pretend everything was fine until she could think of a suitable lie. When she’d told him they could ignore the elephant, their feelings, it was because she wanted no more to be in love than he did. She hadn’t told him there was another equally large, meddling elephant named Daniel Montgomery right at home in the middle of her world.
It wasn’t a little white mouse in the middle of the room for a reason. A gigantic elephant could kill you. Never ignore the elephant.
****
Sawyer, Justine, and Liann landed at eleven p.m. It seemed like years since they’d left Liann’s house that morning.
The two of them took Liann to the Plaza Hotel and booked her in the Presidential Suite. Let Daniel pick up the tab, Sawyer decided with a flick of his corporate card.
His car had sat in airport parking for too long, and he felt silly because he’d missed it. Damn SUV’s and rental sedans.
Justine had parking in the basement of her building, so he didn’t have to worry about finding a spot on the street. No one would see his car there in the morning, but he didn’t want to take the chance.
She’d grown quieter as the day went on, and he assumed she was beat. He supposed he should go home. But after sleeping with her the last few days, the idea of his empty bed and empty house was too much to deal with after such a long day.
At the door, she took out her key and unlocked it. He took a long stride after Justine but was forced to stop short when she turned to him. “I’m tired, so I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”
“I’m tired, too. And your bed’s a lot closer than mine.” He dipped his head down for a kiss, but when she turned her head, he froze.
She rubbed her forehead. “Okay. Come in.”
Inside, she flipped on the lights and put on a pot of coffee.
“You want coffee, this late?”
“We have to talk, Sawyer. I need the coffee for the talk.”
A sour taste tainted his mouth. “Can’t we talk tomorrow?”
She shook her head and leaned on the corner of the couch while the coffee brewed.
Annoyed with her behavior, he kicked off his shoes, sat down on her couch, and put his feet up on the table. Rolling her eyes, she went to the kitchen to wait on her coffee. Had he done something wrong? She’d been weird since he told her about his name change yesterday.
She called out, asked him if he wanted a cup, and came out with hers when he told her no. She sat down on the edge of the couch.
“So, talk, because I’ve got to get some sleep.” He tilted his head back to rest it on the couch, as nonchalant as he could manage.
“I’m going to have to say this, and then I’m sure we can both be adult about it.”
“Okay. What? Your sheets are dirty?”
She closed her eyes. “Stop it.”
“Then tell me, damn it.” Quit being an ass. “I’m sorry. Tell me, please.”
“I am. I know this is stupid, and I take full responsibility for it…”
“Still listening.”
She swept a hand out and blurted, “I’m in love you.”
The air rushed out of him like he’d taken a hell of a punch to his gut.
She rushed on. “I knew that would totally freak you out. It just, it is what it is, and I can’t keep going the way we have been. I can’t. It’s too hard knowing you don’t feel the way I feel.”
“You don’t love me.”
“Yes, Sawyer, I do. I think I know my own feelings.”
Okay, wait a minute. He studied her. She was trying far too hard to maintain that expression, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Maybe she did, maybe not. That’s not what this was about, though.
He stood and approached her as her eyes grew wide. She was willing him to believe it. “Okay. I can live with that. Let’s go to bed.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You what?”
“I’m good with it. Which one’s the bedroom?” He nodded to the doors behind her.
“This isn’t a joke. This can’t be good for either of us. You’re not concerned or, um, panicked? A little? I mean, we’re talking deep, I-want-to-get-married-and-have-about-five-kids-with-you love here. You’re fine with that?”
“Just five? I thought you were serious. I’d want at least a dozen.”
She narrowed her eyes then rolled them.
“You’re lying, Justine.”
She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Go home.”
“Hell, I forgot we couldn’t have this argument at a reasonable time, when we’ve had some rest, because you’re not a sane person.” He exhaled, puffing his cheeks out in frustration. “Sorry. What is it you’re throwing me out for?”
“I don’t want to talk about this! Let it go.” Her voice echoed off the walls of the tiny apartment, and the silence after seemed to surprise her. “I can’t do this.”
“I can’t believe the poster child for healthy disclosure is pulling this bullshit.” Desperation scrabbled around inside him, and he refused to think about why. There was something big taking shape here, and he couldn’t not know what it was. He put his hands on her waist. “Whatever it is, it’ll be okay. Tell me. It can’t be worse than me telling you I’d been spying for your father.”
“It can.” She closed her eyes, tucked her head under his chin, as if gathering her resolve. “Ask me again.”
“Ask you what?”
“Ask me the naked question. If you really want to know, I’ll tell you.” She met his gaze. “Or take the out. Walk away now. I think I do love you, and if—”
“Stop saying that.”
“See?”
“What’s the deal you made with your father?”
She closed her eyes and took a breath, and went to sit on the couch. She pulled her legs up until her knees nearly touched her chin. “It’s not so much a deal as a challenge.”
“Stop evading the question.”
“I’m not, that’s an important point. Wait, let me start over. I had to help my mom, who needed a lot of money, to save her home. Before this, I had a job offer, but I needed the money quick.
“And my dad is who he is. Since he didn’t want me taking the job with Tattle TV, he made me a new offer. He’d pay off the mortgage, as long as I played along. If I win, then I inherit controlling interest in his company. But if I don’t, Travis gets all of it. I’ll never work there again.”
He walked to the edge of the couch and looked down at her. “Go on.”
“He also wants me to get married. To Travis. I don’t have to. But it means he’ll make sure us, you and I, won’t be together.”
There it was, the bomb. The solution was simple to him. “You’re not marrying him. Your father doesn’t get a vote. Does he? I don’t understand any of this.”
“You said it was only sex.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze, looking over his shoulder.
“Not when we had sex. When we were together, I told you that you mattered to me. Tell me what’s going on here.” He tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer when she leaned away. Her voice started climbing again as she backed away from his embrace. “What difference does it make?”
“All right, focus on the job for now.” He sat down on the edge of the couch but away from her. “Do you have any clue what you agreed to try to do, how hard it is?”
“Hard?” She picked up the cool coffee and took a sip, then made a face of distaste.
He let his head fall back on the couch. “Yeah. Hard. Nearly impossible. You’re looking at a twenty percent success rate. And you have no idea why the ones who succeed do, right?”
“When I agreed to do it I thought I had an expert helping me.”
“This is my fault? I can’t believe you didn’t think this was need-to-know information before right now.” This was why her father had called to check on them. Him sleeping with his boss’ daughter, it was a minefield. And he didn’t care. “You’re not marrying him.”
“Of course not. Marriage is like asking someone to slice you open on a daily basis. I wouldn’t marry someone I liked, much less Travis. We can do this, right?”
“Hell if I know.” He ran a hand through the hair falling in his face. He needed a haircut. “Let’s get some sleep.”
She stared at him, her eyes getting wide and wet, and then shook her head. “It’s over. When we left Greasy Ridge, it was over.”
His stomach dropped, and it occurred to him he might get sick right there. “Justine.”
Tears streaked down her cheeks. “No, I can’t. Do you know what my father would do if he found out? He’d fire you.”
“Or he’d buy me off. That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You’re scared I’d choose the money or the job or…whatever. Just like before.”
Her eyes slid away, and he knew he was right. He couldn’t even think of anything else to say. He was that guy, wasn’t he? The guy who always protected his own self-interest, who never let anyone else matter?
“I’ll see you at work.” He let himself out, so numb, he didn’t even feel the cold air as he drove to the office.