Chapter 11

Michael drove me from the office back home. My mind was buzzing with thoughts of the unexpected trip to Boston. I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

The trip was for work. It was part of the job. There wasn't an ulterior motive. If anything, I had done this to myself by opening my big mouth in the meeting and impressing the client.

I happened to like her and I wanted to help a young woman launch her business, which was why I couldn't abandon her now. Obviously, Graham didn't actually need me to help with the marketing campaign. I didn't know anything about marketing and what it required.

I was a handler. This trip was exactly what it was being presented as. There was no reason to freak out. Unfortunately, there was a nagging voice in the back of my mind whispering doubts and uncertainties. Telling me to be careful. I couldn't let myself get caught up in the allure of Graham. The kiss made it clear there was still something burning between us. I couldn't act on it.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

I got home and went to my room to pack an overnight bag. As I did,I called Holly, put her on speaker, and dropped the phone on my bed.

"Hello?" her voice echoed through the room.

"Holly, we have to go to Boston together," I blurted out as soon as she answered.

"Together?" she asked. "Why do I have to go to Boston with you?"

"No, me!" I picked up my phone and carried it into my closet, putting it down on the table in the center. "I was just told I have to go to Boston with Graham. This is all because I opened my big mouth in that meeting. The client has requested me and now I have to go—with Graham!"

Holly's laughter echoed through the phone. "It's like the universe wants you to be together," she joked. "There is no escaping the man."

"This is not good," I groaned. "I don't want that, Holly. I'm still trying to figure things out. I can't do that if my feelings blind me." My voice was laced with desperation. "I can't let myself get hurt again. I just can't."

Holly's laughter faded. "It sounds to me like this is part of figuring things out," she said, her voice gentle yet firm. "And I think you do want this. You kissed him back, you applied for this job, and you've never had a serious relationship since him. Stop punishing yourself for having feelings."

Defensiveness rose within me at her words. My resolve hardened against the truth she was exposing. "You're wrong, Holly," I countered, my voice tinged with frustration. "This isn't about winning Graham back or ending up with him. This is about showing him what it's like to want something so bad, to have it in his hands, and then to lose it with no justification, no explanation, nothing. Like he did to me."

But even as the words left my lips, a part of me knew that they were nothing more than a feeble attempt to hide my own vulnerability. Deep down, I knew that Holly was right, that my actions were driven not by a desire for revenge, but by a longing for closure. I wanted to know why. I wanted to understand what happened.

"You know I'm going to support you in whatever you do," she said. "And I mean that. Whatever you think is right, I've got your back. I just want you to consider the idea you can be happy. You don't have to sit back and let life go by. If you like this man and he likes you, why not go for it?"

"Because… I don't know. I just know I can't rush things."

"Alright, I'm not going to push. When are you going to Boston?"

"Actually, that's another reason I'm calling. Can you pick Sloane up and let her stay the night with you? I was going to have her go to her friend's house, but her mom, well, let's just say she's not my first choice."

"Because I am," she joked.

"You know you are."

"I would love to hang out with Sloane. It's been too long. Is she old enough for margaritas yet?"

"Absolutely not!"

She laughed. "You're so easy. You know I'm not getting that kid drunk. Not yet."

"If she's anything like her mother, she's going to love margaritas, so let's not introduce her just yet. Anyway, I told Graham I had to be back tomorrow."

"You could take a couple of days," she said. "You know I don't mind hanging out with her."

"I think one day is enough," I muttered. "Too much."

"Okay. But try to have fun at least."

"Thanks," I said and ended the call.

I hurriedly packed my bags. It was only one night, but there was a lot of pressure on this meeting, and of course, being around Graham was like walking a sexy tightrope.

I closed my suitcase and looked around my room. Nothing else needed to be packed. I let out a breath and then texted Sloane to let her know about the plans. She would be excited that Holly was going to pick her up, but I always felt guilty when I had to leave her.

She was completely fine with it, and I sometimes missed the days when she cried when I left her. It was silly, but as a mother, I was allowed to be silly about my own daughter.

I grabbed my suitcase, laptop bag, and purse and went downstairs to wait for the car. It arrived a few minutes later. I settled into the plush leather seats and took deep breaths to calm my nerves. Despite my best efforts to convince myself otherwise, I couldn't shake the lingering memories of the kiss Graham and I had shared. It had been very, very powerful.

We arrived at the airstrip, and the driver pulled directly onto the tarmac. Graham waited by the entrance, a smile on his face. I steeled myself against the rush of conflicting emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. I hated that he was so damn attractive, and I hated that he had broken my heart and made me terrified to trust him again.

"I hope it wasn't too much of a hassle," Graham said. "The short notice and all."

I shrugged. "No, it's fine. We're all set."

My things were carried onboard. I climbed the stairs and quickly found a seat. Graham took his seat in the next aisle, and to my surprise, he didn't press me for conversation. He appeared to be busy on his phone. I wasn't sure if he was purposely giving me the cold shoulder or if he was truly busy. Or maybe he was just giving me the space I needed.

The plane took off and he continued to work.

Eventually, he put down the phone. "Are you interested in moving into marketing?" he asked.

"As opposed to being your assistant?" I asked, grinning.

He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose."

"I don't know. Maybe."

"You're good with people. They like you."

"Thanks."

We talked a bit more about work. He never brought up us or the kiss or anything like that. I began to relax, thinking I had worried about the situation for no reason. Before I knew it, the flight was over. A waiting car took us to the hotel.

I walked with Graham to check in. He had booked us both luxurious rooms.

"I'm sorry, but we only have one room for you," the young woman at the counter said after clicking through some stuff on her computer.

I rolled my eyes. "How convenient," I muttered.

All the good thoughts I had were gone in an instant.

"We'll find another hotel," he said. "I did book two rooms. Well, not me personally. But the people who take care of that in the office."

"We are overbooked," the woman said. "I do see the reservation, but there was a mistake. The room had already been reserved for someone else. You have my sincerest apologies."

"Thanks," Graham said with disgust. "We'll have to find something else."

With a resigned sigh, I waved off the idea of finding another hotel. "It's fine."

With our keys in hand, we made our way to the elevator. "I asked them to book two rooms," Graham said again. "I swear I didn't plan this."

"I believe you," I said. "You're not the one making hotel reservations. If anything, as your assistant, I should have done it."

On the plus side, it was a large room. I could sleep on the pullout couch.

"Do you want to go out for an early dinner or we could order in?" he asked.

"You can go out if you'd like," I told him. "I think I'll stay in. I want to review the account. The last meeting we had with her, I was just going off whatever you guys said. I'd like to get familiar with her products and her company."

"I'll order and I can fill you in."

It wasn't exactly what I was planning, but I would be better served if he gave me the information. "That's fine."

We ordered room service and settled in for the night, the tension between us simmering just beneath the surface. It was hard to be in the same room with him and not crave him. It was like being surrounded by cookies and donuts when you were on a diet.

It wasn't fair.

We ate in relative silence. The food was pretty good, which was a nice surprise. When we were finished, I picked up the empty plates and put them back on the tray. I needed to stay busy.

Suddenly, I sensed him behind me, and I spun around, startled by the intense look in his eyes.

"I know I said I'd keep this professional, but you can't tell me that kiss meant nothing," he said in a low voice.

I remained silent, the fear of vulnerability holding me back from admitting the truth. His eyes flickered with uncertainty as well. We were both afraid to fall back into our old ways—to let ourselves feel what was clearly burning between us.

And then there was a little voice in the back of my head that said fuck it.

He must have seen my decision in my expression because, a second later, his lips crashed against mine. The world fell away, leaving only the heat of his touch and the pounding of my heart in my ears.

Every nerve in my body ignited with desire, and a fierce hunger roared to life within me. I wanted him with an intensity that bordered on desperation, my body craving his touch with a primal need that defied reason.

His hands found their way to my waist, pulling me closer, and he deepened the kiss. I responded in kind, eagerly tangling my hands in his hair. His touch was a wildfire, consuming everything in its path. My senses were overwhelmed by him—the feel of his body against mine, the intoxicating scent of his cologne, the taste of his lips. It was as if everything else had ceased to exist.

His hands trailed along the curves of my body before lifting the hem of my dress with a hunger that mirrored my own. Clarity washed over me, snapping me back to reality. With a sudden burst of strength, I pushed him away. My breath came in ragged gasps as I struggled to stop the runaway emotions tearing me apart.

"No," I whispered hoarsely, shaking my head in denial. "It didn't mean anything. Neither did this. We can't."

His expression faltered. Disappointment flickered across his features as he took a step back, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"I'm going to take advantage of that soaker tub." I rushed into the bathroom, closed the door, and locked it before slumping against it. Dammit! The man had a way of making me lose all sense and logic.

I filled the tub with steaming water and soaked until some of the tension melted away. He was still out there, blue-balled and turned upside down. I had to face him eventually, but how could I explain myself when I didn't understand what the hell I was doing either?

And now I was going to be doing it naked with only a robe to cover me. My plan had not been well thought out.

I grabbed a fluffy towel and let the water drain. Despite the snafu with the reservations, the hotel was first class, so the towel was like drying my body with a cloud. The robe was equally plush, like a warm hug from a friend. I wore it like armor when I emerged from the bathroom.

The air was thick with tension. Graham was sitting on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. I had a feeling he wasn't really seeing anything. My instinct was to be nice and talk about what happened, but I squashed those urges.

If I allowed myself to be weak, my resolve would crumble.

"I'll sleep on the pull-out sofa," I stated firmly, my voice tinged with a hint of challenge. "And I'd like to try and get some sleep. You meet with clients all the time, but this is a big deal to me. I don't want to look like a fool because I didn't sleep well."

"Dora, you're not going to sleep well on the pull-out. There's a massive bed. You won't even know I'm in it with you."

I shook my head. "We're not sharing the California King, no matter how big it is."

He grinned like I had said something funny.

Ugh, boys.I erased his grin with a steely glare, refusing to waver in my resolve.

Seeing I meant business, Graham sighed in resignation and nodded. "Fine. Have it your way, princess. We won't share the bed."

Glad I had brought modest pajamas, I grabbed my suitcase and headed back toward the bathroom on trembling legs.