It’s clear she’s leading the meeting, and these people work for her.She says things like “Why don’t you take the lead on that, Bennett, and get your report to me by next Wednesday?”with easy authority.“Jeff, I’d like you to let Shannon finish her thought because I think it’s really relevant to this conversation.”Not aggressive, just firm.Respectful but in charge.
Then: “I’ll bring it to Max’s attention.”
Max.As in the CEO.She reports directly to the fucking CEO.
I’ve spent the last week looking at photos of Bailey—her curves, her expressions, the vulnerability in her eyes.I thought I was seeing all of her.
But watching her work, I realize there’s so much more I don’t know.This confident, commanding version of Bailey.The woman who manages teams and reports to CEOs and flies to offshore wind farms in helicopters.
She keeps saying this thing between us is temporary.Just getting it out of our systems.
But how the hell am I supposed to get her out of my system when I keep discovering more reasons to want her?
When the call is over, Bailey pushes away from her desk and takes out her headphones.“You just had to do that?”
“Do what?”
She gestures at me.I’d put my laptop to the side and crossed my ankles, my hands behind my head while I watched her.“You’re very distracting.”
“Me?”I say, incredulous.“I’m distracting?You’re the one who was hashtag-bossing like a fucking pro.I didn’t know this meeting was a precursor to you flying out to the site.”
Her cheeks get rosy and she comes to join me on the couch.“Yeah.I’m flying to Martha’s Vineyard next week, where I’ll take a helicopter out to the field.”
“A field of wind generators.In the water,” I marvel.“Damn, you’re a badass.”
She pretends to brush some dirt off her shoulders and we both laugh.“What were you up to?”
“I was completely distracted by your fantastic ass.”
She rolls her eyes.“You couldn’t see my ass.”
“Yeah I could.”I set my laptop back on my lap.“I was working on the photos from the shoot.I’ve got a few finalized.Do you wanna see them?”
Her smile grows, but a wariness also creeps in.Nerves.She nods.
She has nothing to be nervous about.These photos are fucking gorgeous, and it’s one hundred percent her.
I open my laptop and navigate to the folder that contains the edited versions, the ones I’d deliver to a client—the ones Iwilldeliver to my client.
“Okay, these have had basic editing, but if there’s anything you want me to do in particular or something you don’t like about them, let me know.”
“Okay.”
The screen fills with the first shot I chose—a close-up of Bailey’s face while she’s laughing.Her head is thrown back, her hair splayed on the bed.It looks like she’s naked, bare collarbones caving and a slight swell of her breast at the bottom of the frame.
Bailey gasps, and I smile.She’s transfixed on the photo, and my chest warms with pride.
I click to the next one.This one’s my favorite so far—she’s on the porch, backlit by golden hour, the sheer robe catching the light.She looks like a goddamn Renaissance painting.Strong.Sensual.Completely herself.
And then the next photo.And the next.
But after the fifth one, Bailey places her hand on my arm.“Can we stop?”Her voice catches, a husky quality infused in the words.I look at her face just as she brings a hand up to wipe at her eyes.
“Bailey?”Her eyes are filled with tears, and my heart sinks when I realize they’re not tears of joy.“Hey, what’s wrong?”
She shakes her head, cupping her face in her hands.Her body trembles as she fights the tears, and I wrap my arms around her.That snaps her control, and she shudders as she buries her face in my neck and sobs.
A million thoughts fly through my mind, but I bite my tongue and let her emotions be.Several minutes of sniffling tick by, and Bailey finally breaks my hold on her.
