Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
She folded her arms across her chest and stared at him, chin tilted up, her eyes filled with hurt he’d caused.
He forced himself to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry. I was angry and I hated the fact that you were right so I lashed out. What I said was wrong, and cruel.”
“Arguing is one thing but I don’t fight dirty,” she said, her voice hoarse. “If I wasn’t worried about Lance, I would have been out of here for good. I had enough verbal slaps growing up. I won’t take them from you.”
God, he admired her strength and how she protected herself from anything that came at her. He was disgusted that she felt she had to do it from him.
“It won’t happen again,” he said, holding out his arms. He’d be more self-aware, even if dealing with his feelings felt like he was drowning in them.
She narrowed her gaze. “And you’ll talk to your father and cleanse that guilt?”
The woman drove a hard bargain but since he’d planned on doing that anyway, and he’d have agreed to walk across hot coals if it meant she forgave him, he nodded. “I will.”
A second later, she’d stepped forward and then she was in his embrace, letting him hug her to him and whisper words he knew she didn’t want to hear.
His girl had her own issues when it came to dealing with feelings but he understood why. Her situation wasn’t over and done with. He couldn’t just demand she get over it or ask her to talk things through and move on. But no matter how difficult her world got, she didn’t lash out at him.
He knelt and slid one hand beneath her knees, lifting her into his arms and heading for the bedroom where he held her for the rest of the night.
* * *
Raven stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She splashed cold water on her face and patted her skin dry. As she went through her morning routine, her thoughts drifted to last night and how easily she’d forgiven Remy. Not just for his raised words but for storming out on her in the middle of an argument.
The only reason she had was because when she’d walked into his office to have it out with him, he’d been on his feet and ready to come back to bed. And because he’d apologized in seconds, which told her he’d been mulling over their argument just as she had. And since he’d obviously felt bad.
She wasn’t one of those women who fell at a man’s feet or was desperate to believe easy words but who knew he’d be repeating the pattern soon. No, Remy was a good guy who’d been in terrible emotional pain, so she pushed last night’s events aside and moved on.
With that settled, his other words came back to her.
Another woman I love.
Remy loved her. If not for the argument after, she’d have been reeling from that revelation. Had she allowed herself to consider their connection, she’d have already known how he felt. He showed her every single day that he wasn’t just in this for the benefits, she thought, her lips lifting in amusement. And no matter what she told herself, neither was she.
She loved the man who was protecting and caring for her. And under any other circumstances, she’d have wrapped her arms around his neck, looked into those sexy eyes, and said it back. Another thing she could blame Lance for. Taking away her ability to admit to loving the best man she knew.
Her smile turned into a frown. No thinking about Lance. Today was about being there for Remy.
When she walked out of the bathroom, he wasn’t in the room so she dressed and went to find him, discovering him in the kitchen. She joined him and he handed her a bagel with cream cheese.
“For the road,” he said. “I’m hoping to get to the hospital in time to be the first to see Dad.”
She smiled at that. “Good. And if anyone else is waiting, just tell them you need a few minutes with him alone,” she said and took a bite of her bagel, enjoying the delicious doughy breakfast. “After you talk to him, can we spend the afternoon at the bar? I am so behind on paperwork.”
“I already asked Stevie to drop the laptop off along with the papers on your desk. I figured you could do your work here?”
Raven sighed. “Okay, Mr. Obvious.”
“What does that mean?”
She shrugged. “Just that I can see through your I’m just being so accommodating act. You want me here and not at the bar where Lance just might show his face.”
“Busted,” he said, not the least bit bothered by being caught. “Come on. Just humor me until we have some kind of plan in place.”