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Even through the haze of lust, I knew my words registered, because she tightened her hold on my shirt. And then wariness crept into her eyes, mirroring my own fear that this was too all-consuming, but I didn’t let that deter me.
“So beautiful. Smart. Loving.” I kept whispering against her skin, enjoying the way she soaked up every word. This wasn’t just about lust and attraction. I wanted to let her know how special she was to me. I had this incessant need to keep that expression of pure joy in place, to join in on her joie de vivre.
This feeling was lodged deep inside me, and I knew it wouldn’t let go. It was unlike anything I’d felt before, and I didn’t want to fight it. I wanted to surrender to it.
She’d already changed something inside me, though I couldn’t put it into words because I didn’t yet understand it myself.
“I see. So this is what you had in mind when you said you want to make sure I’m recovering, huh?” Hailey asked.
“Among other things.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“Patience, Hailey. We still have the entire day ahead of us.”
She grinned. “Now, that’s what I call a promise. Bring it on.”
Chapter Fourteen
Hailey
With its never-ending traffic, and low-carb, low-everything obsession, Los Angeles could try your patience on the best of days. This wasn’t even a remotely good day. There was some kind of parade in Hollywood, which made the traffic on this side of the city even more nightmarish.
I’d been stuck in it for two hours to get to lunch with a client, only to find out said client ditched me because she didn’t want to brave the traffic. Did I mention I’d chosen a restaurant that only served low-carb meals especially for her?
Despite all that, I happened to be in a good mood, which wasn’t my usual MO. But I found a salad on the menu that didn’t taste half bad, and I had a delicious man who sent me naughty texts.
I’d sent him a picture of my lunch, lamenting the lack of dressing and the missing client.
Reid: I’m having a sandwich. But I’d much rather have you.
Hailey: Oh? Any special requests?
Reid: Naked and on my desk.
Wow. That was extremely specific. As if he’d given it a lot of thought.
Reid: Take some time for yourself :-) You work hard, baby.
And then he went and said sweet things like that. He’d been at it for the past two weeks.
Part of me had been convinced he’d bolt after the whole freak-out debacle. He wouldn’t be the first. I couldn’t believe how caring he’d been, fussing about me the whole day. The whole of last week, actually. He’d been so understanding about everything that I didn’t even get to feel too embarrassed about it.
His article came out last week, and since then, I’d been obsessively monitoring any mention of him, reading the comments section of the online version. There was a subtle change in the narrative people were spinning around him. Some were questioning Marion’s claims.
I went back to my salad, taking out my agenda and surveying my schedule for the day, making some notes for the client I was supposed to meet today.
A few minutes later, a familiar name caught my attention.
“We have your table ready, Ms. Carrington.”
I snapped my head up, glancing toward the entrance. Marion Carrington in the flesh. Just my luck.
She had no idea who I was, and I planned to keep it that way. Engaging an opposing party was never a good idea.
I couldn’t look away, though. She wore a long red dress hanging off one shoulder and one of those large-brimmed hats, and she was absolutely breathtaking. When she took her hat off, her wavy blonde hair bounced around her, as if she knew exactly how much pep to put in her step to get that effect. She probably did.
She was even more beautiful in real life. It was hard to believe this angel-faced woman was such a bitch. I felt a wave of repulsion for everything she’d done: cheating, lying, but mostly, instilling in Reid the idea that his love wasn’t enough, that he wasn’t enough.
