Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“It’s not like it was one-sided in the office,” I reply. “Let’s face it. We both knew what we were doing, undressing in front of each other. There was something between us.”
“Right away. I know. But it doesn’t make it right.”
“Do you regret it?” I ask.
“I can’t regret anything that brought us here, agreeing on the future we want. We should tell him today.”
I shake my head, and he meets my eyes, doing the same, sharing in recognition of how difficult this is going to be.
“We have to do it,” Silas says firmly.
“I know. But it’s…it’s Wednesday. Let’s wait until Saturday, at least. He always takes Saturday afternoon and Sunday off. You know how committed he is to work. We can’t drop this on him in the middle of a work week.”
It’s a delaying tactic, and I can tell Silas knows it, but he doesn’t contradict me.
“We can’t see each other before we tell him,” he says. “I don’t trust myself.”
“Neither do I,” I whisper. “Before we started getting…you know….”
“Yeah,” he says, glancing around.
“I never thought I could be confident in that way. I never dreamed you’d look at me how you do.”
“How?” he asks, staring like he’d do anything for me.
“Like that,” I say. “Like you….”
Love me.
“Like you never want to let anything bad happen to me.”
“I won’t,” he says. “Ever.”
“Did you have fun with Casey?” Mom asks as I walk into the kitchen to grab a soda.
She’s at the counter, chopping herbs, the air filled with their aroma.
It’s difficult to outright lie to Mom, so I mumble yes and head for the door.
“Don’t disturb your father. He’s in his office.”
“His home office?” I turn. “Why?”
“It’s all very secretive,” Mom says. “But I think he wanted to be here in case the deal is finalized today. There’s lots of activity.”
He likes working here when he needs more focus, with nobody demanding meetings or causing problems.
The deal explains Silas’ phone lighting up in the helicopter and his repeated apologies when we were forced to leave each other. Unfortunately, the driver was standing right there, making it impossible to kiss goodbye.
“Your father wants us all to go out for dinner when the deal’s done. The family, Silas, and a few of his business contacts. Won’t that be nice?”
There’s so much hope in Mom’s voice, like she thinks my mood is because of her. I can sense how badly she wants me to be happy without knowing the reason I can’t be, not until Silas and I are out of the shadows.
“That sounds really awesome, Mom,” I say, though it will mean seeing Silas.
We said we wouldn’t, not until Dad knew.
From upstairs, a loud cheer comes. Dad’s voice rises.
Mom meets my eyes, smiling.
“I love it when he gets like this,” Mom says. “He’s so happy, so proud. I just love it.”
“Me too, Mom,” I say, thinking of how she’d react if I suddenly ruined this moment and tarnished it forever with the truth. “So much.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Silas
We sit around the largest table in the restaurant.
It’s a moody place, and the lights are kept dim while the tables are black obsidian, glistening and bright. There are silver decorations on the wall and some art, adding to the silver-lit aesthetic.
Maybe it’s not moody, then. Maybe I can’t enjoy this meal because just being here tears me right down the middle.
I sit next to one of our shareholders and a friend from our early action-sport days, and Lauren sits opposite me, next to her mom and little brother.
We try not to look at each other as the meal progresses. Finally, Julian makes his speech, and we all start to eat. The others sip champagne, and the chatter rises above the soft background music while I do my best not to stare at my woman.
The tattoo on my back stings, as if reminding me I need to look at her…her body and her gorgeous face are the only places my gaze belongs.
“That was some mad stuff,” Clive continues, referencing a jump I once made on my mountain bike. “I don’t know how you worked up the nerve to do that.”
I turn to him, realizing I’ve just been sitting here, staring at Lauren as he speaks. It’s difficult not to stare at her every single moment, to consume her.
“I tried not to think of anything other than what the sky would look like.”
“How’s that?” Clive asks.
I think of the dive with Lauren, our bodies connected as we fell…but it felt like soaring as if we were choosing our destination. That’s why I started to yell as pure joy burst out of me, something I don’t usually do.
“Not the technique. Not all the bad stuff that could happen.”
“That’s it, then. I was always scared of breaking my neck.”
I look past Clive to Julian, sitting a few people over. He meets my eye and raises his glass, smiling more widely than I’ve seen in years.