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She nodded, her voice suddenly gone. He led the way and she kept a safe distance behind him, desperately trying not to stare at his shapely back. They passed a few secretaries and offices along the way. Emily kept her head held high, as if this were just another business deal. The employees stared at her, but no one said a word. It was eerily quiet on the whole floor.
“After you.” Michael opened a heavy wooden door and indicated for her to enter.
She walked past him, unable to stop the shiver that ran down her back as their shoulders brushed. Already, her body was betraying her. She’d better make this quick.
“Look, I’m not sure what the big idea is, but I can’t accept this,” she said, waving the envelope as he closed the door behind him.
He frowned at her and then took a step closer. Her heart pounded so loudly, she was sure he could hear it.
“It’s only fair,” he said, crossing his arms. “We used a good portion of your business practices to create this application. The app is a success. You should profit as well.”
She slipped the check out of the envelope and looked at it for the millionth time. There were far too many zeros on that thing for her comfort.
“I won’t accept this.” She walked toward him and held it out. “If I take this, it’ll make what you did seem okay. It wasn’t okay. I don’t condone your methods and I won’t be bought off.”
His face was unreadable as he slowly reached for the check. Their hands brushed, sending a bolt of electricity up her arm. She bit hard on the inside of her cheek, willing herself to get a grip.
“What I did wasn’t okay,” Michael said, frowning at her. Sorrow filled his eyes. “I used you and for that, I am so sorry. It was despicable. But take the money, Emily. Even if you still hate me. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, nor do I expect it. But this is rightfully yours.”
She blinked hard, feeling a wave of emotion wash over her. It was impossible to hate Michael Knight, even after everything he’d done. Because even under the facade, he’d treated her better than any man had ever done before. And she knew now that it hadn’t all been an act. It couldn’t have been.
“I don’t hate you,” she said quietly, looking at the ground.
“You don’t?” Michael shifted closer, hope evident in his voice.
“No.” She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him, her quivering voice giving her away. “I could never hate you.”
Intense relief washed over his face and for one moment, Emily was afraid he was going to take her into his arms, right then and there. She closed her eyes, worried that her emotions had run away with her again.
Lydia had talked her through her feelings, starting with the betrayal. The truth was, with or without Michael’s deception, her business still would’ve failed. There was no keeping up with the modern advances of matchmaking. Her mother’s pride and joy had been a dying art and she’d had to bury it. That wasn’t his fault.
What Michael had done was wrong, but that didn’t mean what had happened between them wasn’t real. She was choosing to remember those good moments. The ones not altered by lies or deception. The pure memories. The feel of his comforting touch on her hand. The glint of overwhelming emotion in his eyes when he looked at her. The sound of his laughter. Those were the things she chose to hold onto. The rest would fade with time.
Turning toward the brilliant view of his corner office, she swallowed and forced a small laugh. “Linex Investments is incredible. I’ve never s
een a place like it. Are you really in charge of all of this?”
She could feel him step closer, his warm breath on her neck making her quake with need.
“Most of it. Would you like to see it?”
She smiled and turned to look up at him. This was the Michael she wanted to remember. The one who earnestly wanted to please her and made her feel like the only woman in the world.
“Do you happen to know the perfect tour guide for the occasion?”
A grin twitched on his lips as he stared down at her. “Yes. And he’s quite handsome, too.”
?
Michael led Emily around the divisions he was in charge of and tried not to overwhelm her with too much boring information. But she soaked in his every word, gazing with wide, intelligent eyes at the investment charts he showed her. She charmed everyone he introduced her to, even the grumpy old men in the finance department.
She was like a breath of fresh air blowing through Linex Investments. He couldn’t take his eyes off her in that stunning red dress. She really had no idea what effect she had on him. He would give up all his billions at that moment to have another chance with her. But he’d screwed up, royally. He didn’t deserve her.
His heart ached at the thought.
“I have one more place to show you,” he said as they left accounting.
She glanced up at him curiously.
