Power (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 9) by Jillian Dodd

right now that I’m in love with her. As we end our kiss, I try to convey with my eyes the depth of my feelings.  
    She holds my gaze and then softly says, “Dawson, I lo—I um, lost something. I just realized. Um, I’ll be right back.”
    Then she rushes out of my office.  
    What the hell?

Captive Films — Santa Monica
    VANESSA

    “God, what am I going to do now?” I say to myself, marching down the hall.  
    Keatyn yells at me. “What happened? Did Jennifer break the Internet? Although, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.”
    I let out a frustrated sigh and walk into her office. “No, everything is fine—well, as good as can be expected under the circumstances. It’s Dawson. He and I—we seem so—and then I almost—”  
    “Almost what?”
    “Dawson and I are sort of seeing each other. And we’re having incredibly hot sex. It’s amazing. So amazingly good.” I roll my eyes. “I’m an attorney and a successful business woman, for goodness sakes, and just listen to me. I sound like a teenager. But he is amazing. And the sex—my god—the sex is beyond phenomenal. The best ever . But it's not just that. He’s so sweet and sincere and sweet.”
    “And that’s a problem?”
    “I asked him about Vegas. Why he didn’t sleep with anyone.”
    “What’d he say?”
    “That it was because of me. That he didn’t want to fuck up a good thing. He thinks we’re a good thing. And then he gave me this kiss—” I cross my arms in front of my chest and hug myself. “—that was so full of emotion that I almost said I love you. I wasn’t even thinking, it just naturally came out. I said I lo—realized what I was about to say then said I lost something and got the hell out of there. What the fuck is wrong with me?”
    “It’s okay if you’re in love with him, Vanessa. I loved Aiden when I first met him. Your heart knows, so don’t let your head get in the way.”
    “I feel stupid and lovesick. Hell, even my teen self would tell me that I’m clearly his rebound. His entry back into society as an eligible bachelor.”
    “Vanessa, you went through a lot—just like Dawson did. And after two years of suffering in your own ways, you're both ready to love again. I'm happy for you. You should be happy for you.”
    “If I would have let the I love you tumble out of my mouth, do you think he would’ve run the other way?”
    Keatyn chuckles and gives me a smirk. “I don't know. Maybe I should ask his best friend to ask him if he likes you back.”
    I roll my eyes. “Shut up. No. We are adults. I'm leaving this conversation now and getting back to work. Obviously, I have a lot of work to do. It would be huge for me to add Jennifer to my list of clients.”
    As I'm walking out, she says, “So, don't ask?”
    I turn around and hold the door frame. “No, I'm being ridiculous. I'll ask him myself.”
    “Hey, wait a second,” she says.
    I rush back to her desk. “Do you know something? Did he say something about me?”
    “Oh my. You do have it bad,” she laughs. “Actually, I just thought of another way you could sway Jennifer.”
    I plop down in the chair in front of her desk. “Shit.”
    “You say it like falling in love is a bad thing.”
    “It is.”
    “Enjoy it, Vanessa. Picture yourself married to him five years from now. You don't want to look back and realize you missed out on feeling this way because you were being cynical.”
    “I saw the movie, Keatyn. You have no room to talk.”
    “I was seventeen and had extenuating circumstances.”
    “So do I.”
    She raises an eyebrow at me.  
    “We all have baggage,” I simply state.
    “Well,” she says with a laugh. “You're over the weight limit. You need to take a bunch of it out, throw it away, and just take a carry-on with you.”
    “When was the last time you flew commercial?” I ask her.
    “Like, never. Okay, I was probably ten.”
    “Exactly, which means you know I can take as many damn bags as I want.”
    “But do you