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“What?” He leaned forward, smiling against her cheek before kissing her gently.
“Nothing.” She leaned her head away as he first nuzzled and then kissed her neck. If he stayed this gentle, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad arrangement. Sex was nice if it didn’t hurt.
He leaned back and ran his fingers over her jawline again. “Tell me.” His eyes twinkled with curiosity.
“I was thinking...” She smiled. “You are a very good-looking man, and wondered why any woman would prefer a skinny kid over you.”
David leaned his head back and laughed. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. Abby doesn’t like them that young. At least as far as I know.” He gave a small shrug. “Honestly, I think being with me reminds her she isn’t twenty-five anymore, and she can’t stand the idea of growing older.”
She tilted her head. “Why do you like younger women?”
He smiled, his whole face lighting up with amusement. “I suppose my ego isn’t enough of an excuse?”
“Only if you were picking up younger women at a bar.”
He laughed. “I love your honesty.” He leaned back into the couch and smiled at her. “I suppose you’re right. You’re not exactly here with me by choice, are you?”
“I don’t mind.”
He pursed his lips and ran a hand through his dark hair, his bicep flexing and catching Emily’s attention. “I’ll be honest, I’m around young, beautiful women all the time at work. Women who would happily sleep their way to the top of my company, or trade up on a boring husband or boyfriend.” He shook his head. “Or worse. Pretty to look at, but as insincere as a compliment from my mother-in-law. It’s tiring.” He sighed. “I realize you’re here not by choice, but I hope, eventually, you can come to enjoy our time together.” He glanced at his discarded tie and jacket. “Sometimes I need an escape from the realities of life.” He shrugged. “Be with someone who doesn’t want anything from me. Perhaps who enjoys my company.” He gave her a sideways glance. “Or can at least pretend to enjoy it.”
“Did Amber?”
He chewed the inside of his cheek, looking thoughtful. “For a while, yes, I think she did. Not the pretending part,” he added quickly. “I think we enjoyed ourselves together. I took her on a few business trips.” He glanced back at Emily, searching her face. “You don’t want to travel?”
Emily bit her lip. “Depends where to,” she answered after a moment of contemplation.
He turned to face her. “Wheredon’tyou want to go?”
“That’s not the normal question people ask about travel.”
“Humor me.”
She searched his eyes, wondering if she should admit the one place she would never step foot in again. “I’d rather not say.” She hoped he’d not force her to answer.
He studied her face again and nodded. “I respect that.” He traced her jawline again with a gentle finger. “I won’t ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. The only thing I do ask is that you don’t lie to me. No matter what.” He grimaced. “I have too many yes-men around me. I need to know I can trust what you say. Even if you think I won’t like it. Do you understand?”
She blinked several times, her mind working to come up with some sort of response. If he asked about her past... “I can’t promise that...”
He tilted his head. “Why not?”
She pressed her lips together and searched his eyes. They were sincere. Warm. Kind. She liked David Powell, though she hardly knew him. She wanted to say yes, but how could she?
“You have a past you’re running away from?” he asked, his eyes full of sympathy.
She nodded and looked down at her hands clenched in her lap.
“I expect most of Geoffrey’s girls are in the same situation.”
She nodded again. It was how he maintained control.
“I won’t press you, Emily.”
She winced at the sound of her taken name and he lifted her chin with a gentle finger. “Your name is a lie?”
She nodded.
“How about this. If there’s something you don’t want to tell me, say so. You won’t have to lie, and I’ll understand you don’t want to talk about it.”
