Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“I know I shouldn’t have come,” Doug said, releasing her. “But after the way we left things… I thought we needed to talk. In person.”
“You’re right.” She swallowed. “Do you want to come up?”
He nodded.
Without a word, they walked out of the bar and headed for the elevator. Silence stretched between them as they rode the car up to the penthouse. Hayden wanted to apologize to him again, and yet she wasn’t sure she felt apologetic anymore. She and Doug had been on a break when she’d started seeing Brody, and though she regretted hurting him, she couldn’t will up any regret about what she felt for Brody.
“I was shocked when you told me that you were seeing someone else,” Doug began when they stepped into the suite.
“I know.” Guilt tugged at her gut. “I’m sorry I just dropped it on you like that, and over the phone, but I had to be honest.”
“I’m glad you were.” He stepped closer, his eyes glimmering with something she couldn’t put a finger on. “And it was the kick in the ass I needed. It made me realize how much I don’t want to lose you.”
He reached out and tenderly stroked her cheek.
Discomfort crept up her spine.
“I love you, Hayden,” Doug said earnestly. “I should have said it a long time ago, but I wanted to go slow. I guess I was going too slow. I’m sorry.” He moved closer, but he didn’t touch her again, or try to kiss her. He just offered an affectionate smile. “I decided we’ve waited long enough. I want us to cross that bridge. I want us to make love.”
Oh, God, not the intimacy bridge.
Hysterical laughter bubbled inside her throat. “Doug—”
“It’s finally the right time.”
Maybe it’s the right time for you, she wanted to say. But for her, that perfect moment she might’ve shared with Doug had slipped away the second Brody Croft had walked into her life.
He reached out for her again, but she moved back, guilty when she saw the hurt in his eyes.
“It’s not the right time,” she said quietly. “And I think there’s a reason we never reached this point before. I think…it wasn’t meant to be.”
He went still. “I see,” he said, his voice stiff.
She took hold of his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly. “You know I’m right. Would you honestly be saying all of this now, if I hadn’t met someone else?”
“Yes.” But his voice lacked conviction.
“I think we got together because it was comfortable. We were friends, colleagues, two people who liked each other well enough…but we’re not soulmates, Doug.”
Pain circled her heart. She hated saying these words to him, but there was no other choice.
Being with Brody had made her realize that she wasn’t going to settle for a man just because he happened to be nice and dependable. As wild and sexy and unpredictable as Brody was, he was also honest and tender. More intelligent than he gave himself credit for. Strong, funny, generous. There was so much to love about him, so many things to—
Wait, had she fallen in love with him?
No, she couldn’t have. Brody was just a fling. He might have some wonderful traits, but his career would constantly keep him away from her. She wanted someone safe, someone solid. Not someone who was bold and arrogant and passionate and temporary and—fuck.
She did love him. And wasn’t it ironic that she’d only figured it out the day he broke up with her.
“Hayden? Please don’t cry, honey.”
She glanced up to see Doug’s worried expression, then touched her cheeks and felt the tears. She quickly wiped them away. “Doug… I’m sorry,” she murmured, not knowing what else to say.
He nodded. “I know. I’m sorry, too.” He tilted his head, looking a bit confused. “But I don’t see what’s so wrong with comfortable.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. But I want more than comfort. I want love and passion and…” She swallowed. “I want earth-shattering.”
He gave her a rueful smile. “I don’t have much experience in shattering a woman’s world, I’m afraid.”
No, but Brody did.
Unfortunately, he also had plenty of experience in shattering a woman’s heart.
Twenty-Nine
“You really haven’t heard from him? Not even a text?” Darcy demanded.
Hayden wiggled her toes, which were being devoured by a swarm of tiny fish. Apparently, this was a spa treatment to get all the dead skin off, but it tickled so badly that she was afraid she was going to squish the poor things. Spa day had been Darcy’s idea, supposedly the best solution to Brody’s three days of complete radio silence, but Hayden didn’t feel at all better.
If anything, she only missed him more. And now she felt even worse, because Darcy had closed up her shop on a Monday morning just to commiserate with her.
“Not even a text,” she confirmed glumly. She jumped when she felt another tickle on the sole of her foot. “Oh, my God, can’t we just ask them to start the pedicure now?”