swallowed hard. “You pretended that you didn’t know…things. You let me humiliate myself by showing you.”
53
Chloe Cole
She covered her mouth with a trembling hand and squeezed her eyes shut. A few seconds ticked by before she opened them again, pinning him with her gaze. “You could have stopped me and sent me home. You could have said no if you didn’t believe in me; if you didn’t need me.”
Alex’s stomach lurched. He opened his mouth to interject, but she held up a hand.
“No! No, don’t you talk. Every word out of your mouth has been a lie. I opened myself to you in a way I never thought possible. I broke all the rules for you because I thought you were worth it. I thought this was worth it. But you’re not. And it’s not.”
“How is this on me?” he shouted. “You were paid to trick me. And God only knows what else. I was willing to look past it because I thought we had a real connection. But even now, you won’t come clean, and you’re going to judge me ? I’m the good guy here.”
The words sounded hollow, even to himself.
She gave him one last look, shook her head and walked out the door.
54
Naughty Godmother
Chapter Five
By the time Alex finished all the damn paperwork and got to leave the station it was well after midnight. He opened the door to the apartment and started in but the scent of pecan pie stopped him short.
“Holly?” For a split second hope sparked in his chest. It faded quickly as he looked around.
He rewound the mental reel of their goodbye and flinched as he recalled the look on her face. Disgust, despair, disappointment. She wouldn’t have come back. Her scent lingered behind, a poignant affirmation of what a tool he was.
He shut the door behind him and went into the kitchen. Taking out a bottle of scotch, he poured himself a neat double and took a long pull. The amber liquid slid a warm path down his throat but did nothing to melt the block of ice lodged in his chest.
Looking around the apartment, he waited for the feeling of accomplishment and elation to wash over him the way it always did after a job well done; for the excitement of being able to resume his real life to creep in and give him the energy, despite his exhaustion, to pack up and get the hell out. Instead, he found himself wondering what he’d been so anxious to get back to in the first place. His house was no great shakes, he had no wife or kids to welcome him home. Shit, he didn’t even have a dog.
Before yesterday, this place had been nothing but a prison. But in twenty hours, Holly Tucket had permeated every corner. Not only did it smell like her, he couldn’t even look at the table without seeing her glorious hair—and even more glorious thighs—spread across it.
The bedroom would be even worse. Alex considered sleeping on the couch, but then realized he wanted to think about her, wanted to picture her. Because once he left here that would be it. Even on the off chance she did want to see him again, he didn’t 55
Chloe Cole
live in the city and she wouldn’t be able to find him. And he’d never see, smell or taste her again.
His stomach clenched at that. God, he was an asshole. She’d been nothing but giving and amazing. Sure, she’d told some fibs, but she’d had a job to do just like him.
And what had he done? Thrown it in her face. And there wasn’t a thing he could do but regret it.
Maybe he’d stay one more night, then clear out in the morning and be back to his own place, in his own life by lunchtime. Yippee.
Alex rubbed his eyes and took another swallow of scotch as he headed into the living room. Maybe he’d watch a movie until he fell asleep so he wouldn’t have to think.
A beige piece of cloth sticking out from under the couch caught his eye. He put down his drink and bent to see what it was.
Trench coat.
He took a steadying breath then slid a hand into one deep pocket. He felt something. Holly’s notecards. Pulling them out, he rifled through them
53
Chloe Cole
She covered her mouth with a trembling hand and squeezed her eyes shut. A few seconds ticked by before she opened them again, pinning him with her gaze. “You could have stopped me and sent me home. You could have said no if you didn’t believe in me; if you didn’t need me.”
Alex’s stomach lurched. He opened his mouth to interject, but she held up a hand.
“No! No, don’t you talk. Every word out of your mouth has been a lie. I opened myself to you in a way I never thought possible. I broke all the rules for you because I thought you were worth it. I thought this was worth it. But you’re not. And it’s not.”
“How is this on me?” he shouted. “You were paid to trick me. And God only knows what else. I was willing to look past it because I thought we had a real connection. But even now, you won’t come clean, and you’re going to judge me ? I’m the good guy here.”
The words sounded hollow, even to himself.
She gave him one last look, shook her head and walked out the door.
54
Naughty Godmother
Chapter Five
By the time Alex finished all the damn paperwork and got to leave the station it was well after midnight. He opened the door to the apartment and started in but the scent of pecan pie stopped him short.
“Holly?” For a split second hope sparked in his chest. It faded quickly as he looked around.
He rewound the mental reel of their goodbye and flinched as he recalled the look on her face. Disgust, despair, disappointment. She wouldn’t have come back. Her scent lingered behind, a poignant affirmation of what a tool he was.
He shut the door behind him and went into the kitchen. Taking out a bottle of scotch, he poured himself a neat double and took a long pull. The amber liquid slid a warm path down his throat but did nothing to melt the block of ice lodged in his chest.
Looking around the apartment, he waited for the feeling of accomplishment and elation to wash over him the way it always did after a job well done; for the excitement of being able to resume his real life to creep in and give him the energy, despite his exhaustion, to pack up and get the hell out. Instead, he found himself wondering what he’d been so anxious to get back to in the first place. His house was no great shakes, he had no wife or kids to welcome him home. Shit, he didn’t even have a dog.
Before yesterday, this place had been nothing but a prison. But in twenty hours, Holly Tucket had permeated every corner. Not only did it smell like her, he couldn’t even look at the table without seeing her glorious hair—and even more glorious thighs—spread across it.
The bedroom would be even worse. Alex considered sleeping on the couch, but then realized he wanted to think about her, wanted to picture her. Because once he left here that would be it. Even on the off chance she did want to see him again, he didn’t 55
Chloe Cole
live in the city and she wouldn’t be able to find him. And he’d never see, smell or taste her again.
His stomach clenched at that. God, he was an asshole. She’d been nothing but giving and amazing. Sure, she’d told some fibs, but she’d had a job to do just like him.
And what had he done? Thrown it in her face. And there wasn’t a thing he could do but regret it.
Maybe he’d stay one more night, then clear out in the morning and be back to his own place, in his own life by lunchtime. Yippee.
Alex rubbed his eyes and took another swallow of scotch as he headed into the living room. Maybe he’d watch a movie until he fell asleep so he wouldn’t have to think.
A beige piece of cloth sticking out from under the couch caught his eye. He put down his drink and bent to see what it was.
Trench coat.
He took a steadying breath then slid a hand into one deep pocket. He felt something. Holly’s notecards. Pulling them out, he rifled through them
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