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One thing was for sure—nothing about their situation had ever been simple. What astonished him, though, was the knowledge that he was pretty damn sure he didn’t want it to be simple any more.
Right now, though, he felt as if he’d just wiped out on his board and capsized the kayak at the same time. And the only way he knew how to come back up for air was to see her again.
‘I expect she’s at home,’ Temple murmured. ‘Being head-hunted by one of my rivals. So thanks for that.’
‘She resigned?’
Luke gaped. He couldn’t believe it. The guilt that had been riding him for hours took another sharp twist. She loved her job—why had she left it? Was that on him too? Because paparazzi photos from the launch had been all over the press this morning. And after seeing them he’d finally had to acknowledge another home truth. It had felt right to introduce her as his date. He’d wanted her on his arm... And it had never just been about getting vindication for that troubled kid who had once been shunned by his whole hometown.
His guilt at the news she had left her job—that this was one more thing he’d robbed her of, as well as her pride and self-respect—was accompanied by something else.
Hope.
If she isn’t tied to the UK any more, maybe...just maybe...
The hollow ache in his stomach knotted and the flicker of hope guttered out.
Getting way, way ahead of yourself, buddy.
Opportunism had once been his strong suit, but all it did now was shame him more. He’d given Cassandra nothing of himself, and that had to come first—before anything else. She needed to know why he’d guarded his feelings while exploiting hers. Why he’d taken from her and given nothing back. She needed to know the truth about that kid. The kid he’d thought he’d left behind a lifetime ago but who was still inside him, always ready to fight, but not ready to heal... Until now.
‘You need to give me her address,’ he said, jettisoning his pride. ‘Please, man. I need to talk to her... To explain.’
So much.
Temple looked unmoved. ‘What the hell makes you think I’d give you my executive assistant’s address? Why should I? Not only is it unethical, but it’s also quite possibly illegal. And I really could not care less if—’
‘Because...’
I think I might be in love with her... The words echoed in his head, shocking him right down to his core. But he had the peace of mind to hold on to them. He couldn’t think about that now. Couldn’t contemplate it or it would just terrify him more. And Temple sure as heck wasn’t the person to talk to about it.
‘Because what?’ Temple snapped, his impatience
clear.
Luke resisted the urge to grip the guy by the throat and force the information out of him. Just.
‘Because I know why she resigned her position here. You want her back? You need to let me speak to her—so I can explain.’
Like hell was he going to help Temple get Cassandra back in his employ. He didn’t like the guy. But if he had to lie to him to get Cassandra’s address, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
‘And because this is personal,’ he said, when Temple still looked unmoved and unconvinced. ‘I hurt her and I want to make it right,’ he added.
Temple stared at him for the longest time, considering. And then—just when Luke was sure he’d blown it and debased himself in front of the guy for nothing—Temple grabbed a pad and jotted something down.
He ripped the note off the pad and handed it to Luke. ‘Take it. But if you hurt her again, in any way, I’ll destroy you.’
Luke saluted the man, so grateful he would almost have been willing to kiss him. Almost.
He dashed out of the office, past the assistant and the two security guards who had just arrived on the top floor of Temple Corp’s offices.
Now all he had to do was figure out what to say to Cassandra to make things right... Or at least not so wrong.
* * *
Cassie’s head lifted as the loud buzz of the doorbell drilled into her frontal lobe.
Ash? At last. It had to be. She was for ever losing her key.
