Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
“Which is exactly why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d pull away, and that was the last thing I wanted.” He ran a hand through his hair, his stress obvious. “I want you, Samantha. Not an announcer spot that comes with qualifications. I kept us hidden so Jeremy didn’t get upset enough to do something crazy. Which he obviously did anyway. Not to protect some job.”
Discovering all he’d been keeping to himself, hearing that to him, she came first, tears formed in her eyes and she blinked in a futile attempt to hold them back. “Oh, Dex. I messed things up so badly.”
“You didn’t. I did.” He brushed away the moisture on her cheek with his thumb. “You were shot and I was nowhere to be found. All my attempts to protect you from Jeremy by not giving him anything to worry about accomplished nothing but make you think you couldn’t turn to me. You called Ian.” His jaw worked back and forth in frustration.
“Because Jeremy is obviously mentally unstable and I completely missed the signs before the wedding, so how could I expect you to see them?” she asked, falling back on logic.
His deep groan echoed what she felt inside but she was finished talking about Jeremy.
“Dex?” Reaching out, she put her hand over his and squeezed, more for her own benefit than his because she needed his strength for what she was about to say. “I should have called you and not Ian… because I love you. I should have accepted that truth sooner and not let anything come between us.”
His beautiful blue eyes opened wide in surprise. “You love me?”
She nodded and his sexy lips turned up as the truth settled in.
He reached out and wrapped a gentle hand around her neck and leaned forward so she didn’t have to. “That’s good because I love you too, Samantha Dare.”
She let out a long breath, every muscle in her body easing in relief that she hadn’t driven him away. “I’m so glad.” She blinked and this time happy tears dripped down her cheeks.
He swiped them away and touched his lips to hers, kissing her softly, before pulling back. “You need to rest but I’m not going anywhere.”
With a grateful smile, she closed her eyes. She might be in the hospital and in pain. Jeremy might still be out there, running from the police. And she had many loose ends to tie up business-wise. But as far as her personal life was concerned, she had the man she loved and that made her blissfully happy.
“I love you, Dex. And you’re not giving up a job most men would kill for. Not for me.”
He let out a low chuckle. “I’ll make the choice that’s best for me. For us.” He curled his hand around hers and though she felt his eyes on her, she drifted into a medication-induced sleep.
* * *
Once Samantha fell into a deep sleep, Dex stepped out of her hospital room to make a few phone calls, including smoothing things over with the head of FSN. But first he leaned against the wall and let out a groan filled with relief. From the moment Ian called him to say Samantha had been shot, Dex felt like he’d stopped breathing.
He and her family had taken turns going in to sit with her last night, Ian having pulled strings the billionaire seemed to have in every state. Dex had finally convinced Ian to take his mom to the hotel to get some rest and promised he wouldn’t leave Samantha. Despite the doctor telling them she would recover, until she’d woken up and begun talking to him, he hadn’t taken a full breath. Or so he thought.
Until she said those three words. Words he’d planned on saying first. Not that he cared about the order of things as long as Samantha was finally his.
He wished the situation with Jeremy was under control and the man behind bars. But his former NYPD detective brother, Remy, promised he’d pull in his favors and look into the search for the man who’d shot Samantha.
Heart pounding, he pulled out his phone and checked messages. He’d let his family know where he was but he’d been so focused on Samantha, he’d forgotten to check in. And they were not happy.
He nodded at the security guard and she stepped closer to the entrance to Samantha’s room. Feeling better, he walked to an area where he could make phone calls and not disturb other patients and their families, and set about reassuring his siblings and dad.
* * *
Not long after their intimate discussion, an NYPD detective arrived to interview Samantha about the shooting. Dex sat by her side, holding her hand in his, as she recounted the entire situation with Jeremy. Dex’s presence gave her strength but by the time she ended the story of Jeremy shooting her, she was exhausted. Throughout the telling, Dex had remained silent and didn’t interrupt the questioning until her voice began to slur.