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“I’m sorry you witnessed that. I…I don’t know what to say. Who’s Mia?” He swore he heard her mutter that name under her breath.
She turned back toward him, taking a few steps closer, almost within his reach. The thought disgusted her of his brother banging his secretary on his desk. Yet, Dane had the insane urge to reach for her arm, spin her around, and push deep inside her on his desk. Make her forget everything she saw. Make her see how wonderful they could be together. Make her smile. He hated the anger plastered on her face. He wanted to see her smile instead.
How disgusted would she be if he actually did that? How disgusting was he to even contemplate it at a time like this?
“I forgot to leave this behind. Don’t even ask me to go back up there. It’s not happening. Even with a please and thank you.” She held out the file.
“Of course. I would never ask you to do that.” He reached for the file, brushing her fingers as he did. The tingles that jolted from his fingers and up his arm almost had him giving in to his earlier urge. Damn, he wanted to pull her closer. Wipe the anger from her face with a light kiss. Erase her memory and fill it with something better—something that would put a smile on her face. He loved her smiles.
“I’ll talk to my brother. That never should’ve happened. Ever.”
She pressed her lips together, a sad shadow filling the worried lines dotting her face. “You do whatever you want. I’m sorry, Mr. Holloway. I really am. After you get under that thick skin of yours, there’s a very nice man, perhaps even sweet. Try to lighten up once and a while. It’ll help.”
“What are you talking about?” His chest started to pound with a fear he didn’t like feeling.
“I quit. But you are much better organized now.”
His mouth dropped open as she turned around and headed for the doors. “You can’t quit. Don’t do this…please. It was my brother who made the idiotic mistake. Not me. I didn’t bend you over my desk and have my wicked way with you.”
He pressed his eyes closed and cringed. Holy. Shit. He did not just say that.
He opened his eyes as she turned back around toward him.
“I truly am sorry.”
“Gabriella, don’t quit.” He took a step forward as she continued toward the door.
“You’re better off without me.”
“That’s not true. I’m better when I’m with you. You make me a better man. I didn’t realize how aloof I could be with people. How abrupt and rude I can be. You make me better. Don’t you see that? I’ll never ask you to take anything to my brother’s office again. I promise.” He knew his voice was getting closer to the sound of desperation.
“Like I said, it doesn’t matter.”
“Gabriella. Don’t leave. Please.” He took another step toward her. “I need you.”
“Maybe…as a secretary. I never liked being a secretary. I’m sorry for lying. I hope you can forgive me someday.”
With that, she walked out of his office, closing the door behind her.
Walked right out of his life.
4
Gabby curled her arm around Mia as the tears trailed down her face. “Stop crying over that shithead. You cried earlier over him when I first told you, and you were better when you left. Why are you back at my apartment crying over him again? He’s not worth it.”
“I can’t…help…it,” Mia said between sobs.
Gabby rubbed Mia’s arm, wishing she would’ve given more of her wrath toward Champ. He deserved the biggest ass beating on the planet. He made Mia cry, and that always made Gabby want to murder someone. “All right, this might call for some drastic measures. Do I need to get the tequila out?”
Between the frenzied cries, Gabby heard a laugh escape. Before long, Mia’s crying subsided to minimal. Enough for her to have a conversation without sounding like a blubbering idiot.
“I went over to his house. I wanted to see him admit it to my face.” Mia sniffed, wiping her nose with her shirt sleeve.
“Eww, Mia, don’t do that. Let me get you some tissues.” Gabby walked to the kitchen and grabbed the box of tissues she kept on the edge of the counter. “Here, blow your nose.”
Mia tried to compose herself, using several tissues before she sounded better.
Gabby took the tissue box from her and set it on the coffee table in front of them. She hated to do it, but it was time for some tough love. “Now, tell me why you went over there. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing left to say to that asshat. I don’t want to describe what went on in that office, but if I have to, I will.”
