Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 90075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Dr. Fitzgerald?” Nick’s harsh voice cut through my thoughts.
Kate stiffened where we hid in the supply room.
“Are you coming?” he barked, not able to see us but not entering our lab. “I don’t have all day to wait out here, you know.” The door slammed shut again, making me flinch.
Kate snickered. “Is he that bossy in bed?”
It was my turn to fake-swoon. “God, you have no idea.”
“Ooooo.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “Please don’t tell me he’s one of those unassuming types who turn out to be a complete maniac when it comes to sex? If you tell me he’s prickly on the outside and absolutely depraved on the inside, I might lock you in here and go climb him like a tree.”
I merely held her stare. Pointedly. Firmly.
She got my message in an instant. “Oh, sweet baby Jesus.” She fanned herself. “What the hell are you doing hiding in here then?” Grabbing my elbow, she dragged me out of the supply room and across the lab to the door. “Go talk to him. Perhaps he wants to do inappropriate things to you in the broom closet.”
Before I could tell her he probably wanted to put me over his knee and spank me for making him come in my mouth last week, she shoved me out the door, and I fell directly into Nick’s chest.
“Whoa.” His strong hands cupped my shoulders, holding me upright. “You alright?”
I shivered beneath his touch, but then he let me go and moved away, putting professional distance between us. “Yes, sorry. I tripped.”
He looked back at the closed door as if not believing me but then tensed and ran a hand over his mouth. “Eh...are you having a productive day?”
I blinked. “Did you seriously come to my lab to make small talk with me after ignoring me all week?”
He stilled, then shook his head. Reaching for his glasses, he took them off his nose and folded them. Placing them into the front breast pocket of his white coat, he looked at the floor before licking his lips and bracing himself. “I came to tell you the news personally. It...it’s the least I could do, and...”
When he didn’t continue, I said quietly, “And...?”
“I’m leaving.”
I turned stone cold. “What?”
“I put in for a transfer. It was accepted this morning. I’ve been given a position in the branch in Singapore. I...I leave in three weeks.”
I waited for him to pinch me and say it was a joke.
I waited for the pulverising pain that I knew would eventually come.
I waited for my heart to stop, my eyes to water, my soul to do whatever it damn well could to stop him.
But...all I felt was aching, hollowing emptiness.
A vacuum within me.
A blackhole sucking away every part until I swayed on the spot and struggled to breathe.
When I didn’t say anything, he stepped a little closer and ducked from his tall height to look into my eyes. “Ella...did you hear me?”
A tsunami.
A prickling, drowning wave of loss.
The pulverising pain I expected slowly gathered, tighter and sharper, hot and deadly. I couldn’t be around him when it crested.
Tipping up my chin, I clung to every shred of strength I had left. “I hope you’ll be very happy there.”
And then, I turned and marched down the corridor.
My heels clipped on the linoleum.
My hands balled into shaking fists.
And when I turned the corner where Nick couldn’t see me, I sprinted to the bathroom and sobbed.
Chapter Twelve
I DIDN’T GO HOME.
How could I?
The man I was in love with just told me he was moving across the world to get away from me. The same man I lived with and who was probably packing up his belongings at that very moment.
No.
I wouldn’t go home.
He said he had three weeks before flying out?
Well then, I would live in this four-star hotel until he left.
Asshole.
Bastard.
Heartbreaker.
I sat on the queen-sized bed, hating how hard it was compared to my comfy mattress at home, and stared blankly at the TV as some stupid reality program showed two women fighting over one man. They screeched and shouted, and in the end, the man didn’t want either of them.
Story of every single girl’s life.
Flopping onto my back, I stared at the white ceiling.
I closed my eyes, hoping if I shut out the world, I could shut out Nicholas Davis too.
A sharp rap on the door sent me shooting upward again.
Is it him?
Did he come to get me?
Does he realise he’s made a massive mistake and—
“Room service.”
Argghhh.
Digging my thumbs into my eyes, I scooted off the bed and went to the door. Swinging it open, I forced a smile at the uniformed server and signed the docket before accepting the silver-covered tray. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Have a good night.”
Closing the door, I carried my pathetic dinner to bed, yanked back the covers, and climbed in. I didn’t care I still wore my black skirt and cream blouse from work. I didn’t care about a damn thing as I dragged the full-fat cheeseburger and onion rings onto my lap.