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“Yes, sir.” She sat back down at her desk as Spencer turned the knob on his door.
He didn’t care what had brought Coda to his office as long as she was there. When he opened the door, he found her leaning against his desk. She straightened her back when he entered.
“I was on my way to see you,” he said. “When Lynn told me how persistent you were.”
He closed the door and moved toward her but she stopped him and waved the tabloid in front of him. “Did you see this?”
“I did.” Every time he saw it he became more disgusted with it. “I hope you know that nothing she said was true.”
“I am a waitress from Brooklyn.” She shrugged. “That part’s true.”
“I was never engaged to her.”
“I know,” she said. “I didn’t even see the stupid thing until I got on the subway. Someone left it on the seat. I knew it was the work of a vindictive, jealous woman.”
“Ava will be dealt with.”
“It was useful when I needed to get inside to see you.” She tossed the paper on his desk. “Your assistant panicked.”
“Yes, I heard. You do know an attorney can be expensive.” He grinned as he took her hand. “I hear you’re going to contact one.”
“I’ve recently come into some money. I can afford one.”
“About that...” He cleared his throat. “I shouldn’t have—”
“No.” She put her finger to his lips. “That’s why I’m here. I need to apologize for making you feel wrong for doing what we’d agreed upon. We both decided to that proposal. What were you supposed to do? I would have been pissed if you tried to stiff me.”
He kissed her finger before pulling her into his arms. “I should have asked you if you were okay with accepting the money. I shouldn’t have took out the check and waved it in front of you as if it meant nothing me to me.”
“Yes, that would have been better.”
“You have always been more than a business deal to me. Even when I came into that diner last week, I knew you were more.”
“How?”
“I can’t explain it, but when I met you in my lounge I had to get to know you. I would have done anything for a few more minutes that night but instead I let you scamper out of the kitchen. I used your financial situation as an excuse. I shouldn’t have done that but I wanted to help you. You’re not a victim or a charity case. I never saw you that way.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. You were trying to help me, but I let my pride get in the way. When I accepted the first payment from you I told myself it was a mutual situation. It was before I knew you.” She stroked his cheek. “But yesterday was different.”
“I should have realized that. I was fulfilling my end of the deal. I wasn’t thinking. I thought if I got the money out of the way we could move on. I want to move on.”
“I do too.” Her expression lit up her whole face. “These past few days have been like a dream. The time we spent together meant so much to me. I want to get to know you better.”
“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not sure I can take the money.”
“You need the money.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I won’t let you go back on our agreement.”
“Spencer, I don’t feel—”
“Coda, I have a lot of money. My family is very wealthy. I work hard to contribute to my income, and when my father died I received a huge trust. I don’t want to sound callous, because I try not to take my life for granted, but I’ve always had money.”
“That two-hundred thousand doesn’t mean much to you, does it?”
“Not as much as it means to you.” He wanted her to have that money. “Please take the money. I got what I needed out of our agreement. Actually, I got more than I ever bargained for.” He held up his hand before she could protest. “I don’t mean that I paid foryou. I compensated you for yourtime. The fact that you’ve trusted me with your mind, body, and soul has nothing to do with that deal. Can you understand what I’m saying?”
“You do have my mind, body, and soul. I don’t know how you managed to grab hold of me so fast but I don’t want you to let go.”
