twenty-fourth. Is that fine?”
“Uh, no. Simon Yates’ trial finally starts that day and Reena’s scheduled to testify. I need to be in court to support her.”
“Oh.” Joe’s voice changed now. The Yates trial was huge news, and despite the fact that she was supposed to be protected by anonymity, Reena’s name was being thrown around online pretty freely. Joe had heard about Reena’s attack, and the week before, Maggie had grudgingly confirmed what was going on. They hadn’t discussed it since, though, and her bringing it up now was a bit of a surprise. “So maybe you want to move the viewing to Friday?”
“No. Let’s just get it over with.”
He paused at her choice of words, and despair crashed over him as he realized – yet again – just how much she despised working with him. And then he wondered one more time why she’d taken the commission from a man she obviously hated.
Maybe I just wore her down with the calls and e-mails, and talking to her friends? Maybe I was just such a pain in her ass, she decided to do it to shut me up?
“OK.” He fought to stay as cool as she was. “So, Thursday evening? Six?”
“Good. See you then. Bye.”
Joe set down his phone and a wave of exhaustion just washed over him. Everything for the restaurant was working out and slowly coming together – but nothing was easy. And Maggie was the most not-easy thing of all.
But it’ll all be worth it when she does the work. No matter how tense things are between us, the fact is that I don’t want anyone on the whole damn planet to do this job. Just Maggie.
**
Mia pressed up against Nick’s large, strong body, wanting to be as close to him as she possibly could be. She was starved for his touch, for his kisses, and she arched up in to him. She rubbed herself against his erection and moaned. She was so ready for him, she thought she’d be able to come even fully clothed.
“Mia,” Nick murmured. “I love you, babe.”
“Oh, God. I love you too.”
“I wish I could stay tonight, but I can’t. I’m sorry.”
She pulled back. “Why? We haven’t spent the night together in almost two weeks… what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Nick kissed her again, but she didn’t respond this time. “Mia…”
“No.” She sat up, her brown hair tousled and her shirt halfway unbuttoned. “You come for dinner, you promise to spend the night. You pick me up and throw me on the bed, you start to take off my clothes and now, what? You just hit the brakes?”
“I’m sorry.” Nick sat up too, his gray eyes hazy with lust. “I just remembered I have to do something in the morning.”
“What?”
“It’s a private lesson with a new client.”
“A karate lesson?”
“Yeah.”
She stared at him.
“I’m really sorry, angel.” He got to his feet, wincing a bit. “I’d do anything to stay.”
“So stay. We can just sleep together, if you’re worried about being too tired after some marathon sex session.” She was trying not to beg, but she missed him so much, it was starting to hurt. “I just want you close to me, Nick. That’s all.”
“I want that too, I swear. But I don’t have any of my gym stuff here, and I don’t want to have to go home and pick it all up. OK?”
“No.”
“Mia, please.” Nick shook his head. “Try to understand.”
“I’ve spent weeks trying to understand, Nick.” Her voice was quiet. “I’m trying to understand why you’re hardly around at all and why when we are together, you’re distracted and distant. What’s happening with you?”
“Hey, now.” Nick’s handsome face softened. “Nothing. It’s just a bad time at work.”
“You keep saying that, but it only explains and excuses so much.” She stood up too. “Are you… do you want to break up with me?”
“What? No!” Nick looked shocked. “Never, babe.”
“So, what…”
He pulled her in to his arms now, and she closed her eyes as his familiar scent washed over her. His chest was broad
“Uh, no. Simon Yates’ trial finally starts that day and Reena’s scheduled to testify. I need to be in court to support her.”
“Oh.” Joe’s voice changed now. The Yates trial was huge news, and despite the fact that she was supposed to be protected by anonymity, Reena’s name was being thrown around online pretty freely. Joe had heard about Reena’s attack, and the week before, Maggie had grudgingly confirmed what was going on. They hadn’t discussed it since, though, and her bringing it up now was a bit of a surprise. “So maybe you want to move the viewing to Friday?”
“No. Let’s just get it over with.”
He paused at her choice of words, and despair crashed over him as he realized – yet again – just how much she despised working with him. And then he wondered one more time why she’d taken the commission from a man she obviously hated.
Maybe I just wore her down with the calls and e-mails, and talking to her friends? Maybe I was just such a pain in her ass, she decided to do it to shut me up?
“OK.” He fought to stay as cool as she was. “So, Thursday evening? Six?”
“Good. See you then. Bye.”
Joe set down his phone and a wave of exhaustion just washed over him. Everything for the restaurant was working out and slowly coming together – but nothing was easy. And Maggie was the most not-easy thing of all.
But it’ll all be worth it when she does the work. No matter how tense things are between us, the fact is that I don’t want anyone on the whole damn planet to do this job. Just Maggie.
**
Mia pressed up against Nick’s large, strong body, wanting to be as close to him as she possibly could be. She was starved for his touch, for his kisses, and she arched up in to him. She rubbed herself against his erection and moaned. She was so ready for him, she thought she’d be able to come even fully clothed.
“Mia,” Nick murmured. “I love you, babe.”
“Oh, God. I love you too.”
“I wish I could stay tonight, but I can’t. I’m sorry.”
She pulled back. “Why? We haven’t spent the night together in almost two weeks… what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Nick kissed her again, but she didn’t respond this time. “Mia…”
“No.” She sat up, her brown hair tousled and her shirt halfway unbuttoned. “You come for dinner, you promise to spend the night. You pick me up and throw me on the bed, you start to take off my clothes and now, what? You just hit the brakes?”
“I’m sorry.” Nick sat up too, his gray eyes hazy with lust. “I just remembered I have to do something in the morning.”
“What?”
“It’s a private lesson with a new client.”
“A karate lesson?”
“Yeah.”
She stared at him.
“I’m really sorry, angel.” He got to his feet, wincing a bit. “I’d do anything to stay.”
“So stay. We can just sleep together, if you’re worried about being too tired after some marathon sex session.” She was trying not to beg, but she missed him so much, it was starting to hurt. “I just want you close to me, Nick. That’s all.”
“I want that too, I swear. But I don’t have any of my gym stuff here, and I don’t want to have to go home and pick it all up. OK?”
“No.”
“Mia, please.” Nick shook his head. “Try to understand.”
“I’ve spent weeks trying to understand, Nick.” Her voice was quiet. “I’m trying to understand why you’re hardly around at all and why when we are together, you’re distracted and distant. What’s happening with you?”
“Hey, now.” Nick’s handsome face softened. “Nothing. It’s just a bad time at work.”
“You keep saying that, but it only explains and excuses so much.” She stood up too. “Are you… do you want to break up with me?”
“What? No!” Nick looked shocked. “Never, babe.”
“So, what…”
He pulled her in to his arms now, and she closed her eyes as his familiar scent washed over her. His chest was broad
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