Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
When the conference ends, we're over. Unless we want to start a long-distance relationship... and who the hell wants that? But surely it would be better than never seeing her again, than imagining her with someone else, another man's hands moving over her luscious body...
Luke: I'm so sorry. That's awful.
Sera: I'm going to be there for her. Whatever happens, she won't go through this alone. She never let me go through anything alone.
Luke: You're an incredible person. She's lucky to have you.
Sera: This trip has been amazing, helping me forget about it for a time, but that conversation brought it all back.
Luke: It's difficult not to tell Steve to cool his jets.
Sera: Don't do that. It's natural that he's suspicious. I don't think you can blame him. Anyway, I'm going to get back to it. In case you haven't noticed, people are sort of watching us.
She's right: Andy with his big, encouraging grin, Steve with a look of suspicion.
Luke: I was in the foster care system as a kid. A man, Victor, mentored me. Without him, I never would've discovered my love of computers. I'd be devastated if he was going through anything like that. If Eleanor ever needs help, you let me know.
She looks up at me with wide eyes.
Sera: That's so generous. Thank you. Luckily, Graham managed to get her into the latest treatment. But seriously, I'll keep that in mind.
We work until the early hours of the morning. When I notice how exhausted everyone is, I tell them to get some sleep. I give Sera a ride back to her hotel.
"You better not come in," she says once we're outside.
"You know I'll get carried away..."
She fiddles with her laptop bag, nodding. "If we do—that—I don't want to be half asleep."
"If? I think you mean when."
I love the little mewing noises she makes when I kiss her, the breathy moans she lets out as if she's on the edge of release.
"We need to make this conference count," I say.
She takes my hand and grips it hard, as if she never wants to let go. "I understand," she whispers. "I was thinking of that earlier. There's no future for us after this, is there? Unless we want to do the whole long-distance thing. I've seen long-distance relationships. One of my coworkers was in one. It tore them apart. And I can't promise you I'll ever be able to come to the East Coast, and it's not like you can abandon your company—"
"Hey," I cut in, kissing her on the cheek. "It's okay. We don't have to worry about that now. Let's just enjoy what we have while we have it."
Big words coming from me when the thought of separating makes me feel like the world is spinning out of control. But she's right. How can we make this work?
"Let me know if there are any updates," she says.
We kiss one last time, then she pushes against my chest, creating some distance between us, probably knowing I won't be able to hold myself back if we keep kissing. I drive back to my hotel and collapse into bed, getting a few hours of sleep.
When I wake, I've got a text from Victor. He's not only the man who mentored me in my younger years. He's the co-founder of NeuroDrive, though he sold his shares to me a few years ago because he wanted a peaceful life with his wife.
Victor: Call me when you get a chance.
I grab my cell and walk to the tall windows, looking over the city as the sun illuminates it. "What's up?" I say.
"Steve texted me last night."
I laugh gruffly. "Of course he did. He told you I'm sabotaging the company by inviting people to double-cross me, I suppose."
"Not in so many words," Victor replies. "Who's this girl?"
"She's..." I pause, wondering how I can put this into words. "I bought her a laptop. We've dated. We've been intimate. In simple terms..." If there can be anything simple about this. "She's the closest to a girlfriend I've ever had."
He sighs. "That was what I was afraid of."
"Why would you be afraid of that?" I snap.
"Steve filled me in. She works for TechGuard. What if she's—"
"She's not tricking me," I snarl. "You need to get that out of your head, Victor. She's a good person with a kind heart. She offered to pitch in, and I said yes, because she's clever and she's a hard worker."
"Relax, kid," Victor says with a sigh. At twenty years my senior, he's the only person who can call me kid. I've known him since I was a teenager. "You really like her."
"Yes, I do," I bristle. "She's funny, insightful, talented, and sparky."
He chuckles. "Sparky?"
"I call her Sparkplug because she's got some serious sass. And before you say it, no, she's not distracting me. I'm still working as hard as I would before. Only now, instead of taking breaks by going to the gym or whatever, I'm seeing her."