I had a beautiful woman in my arms. It shouldn’t be the revelation it is. It had been so long since . . .
My phone buzzed again. This time, I moved slightly to check it. I needed to steer clear of that specific line of thought.
Chandler -I gotan email asking about the gala. They said you had not gotten back to them.
I hadn’t been payingany attention to work since Belle’s injury. I hadn’t been paying enough attention to work since she came into my life, yet oddly, I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“Is everything okay?” she asked with a sleepy voice as she lifted her head.
I was tempted to tell her to go back to sleep and rest against me as long as she wanted, but I did have to get some work done.
“Just work,” I said as I rested my phone on the table.
She sat up and yawned. “I fell asleep.”
“That you did.”
“How long was I out?” she asked as she gazed at the TV, which I had already shut off.
“Not long.”
She yawned and stretched, and it was . . . cute. God help me, it was cute. What had my life become?
“I think I’m going to get to bed. Physical therapy is more exhausting than derby practice some days.”
I helped her gather her things. By the time I brought up her ice pack, she was already in bed reading a book.
“Good night, Belle. If you need anything, call me.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
I walked to her door to leave, but I couldn’t help but turn around and look at her one more time. What was I doing? I gave her a nod and shut the door behind me. I returned to my study with my laptop, attempting to focus on renovation reports from Columbus.
My phone rang just after nine.
“Renault,” I answered.
A brief pause.
“Mr. Renault, this is Tripp Whitaker. I own the cleaning service you utilize.”
His tone was smooth.
“Yes,” I replied. “What can I do for you, Mr Whitaker?”
“Please, call me Tripp. I just wanted to check in to make sure you were satisfied with our services."
I already hated this guy, but I let him continue.
“I understand your girl sustained an injury,” he continued. “I just need to ensure her ability to perform the job hasn’t been compromised.”
I leaned back in my chair.Your girl. This guy could fuck off.
“Belle is exceptional,” I said evenly. “Her work is meticulous. She is extremely reliable.”
There was a slight hesitation on the other end.
“I’m sure she does her best, but she has been known to—” he said.
