Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 207(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41351 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 207(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
“Yeah, what the hell? We were going to surprise you by taking you to lunch but I guess the surprise is on us.” Megan glared at him and Doreen while Riley stared at him with her mouth agape.
He glanced at Doreen for some form of explanation but the satisfied smirk on her face took the blinders completely off. “Riley, let’s talk about this.” He moved crossed the office to get to her, but Megan blocked his way.
“I can’t believe you Ethan. You’re cheating on Riley with that cheap looking skank? I thought you had better taste than that.”
“Megan stay out of this.” He looked at Riley. “Riley, I swear on my life that nothing happened.”
Riley shook her head speechlessly and ran out of the room. He tried to go after her but Megan held him back. “No. Let her cool down. There’s no point in upsetting her further.”
“She’s my wife. Let me deal with this.” He shoved past his sister.
He caught up with Riley halfway down the hall but she didn’t want to hear his explanation. Megan finally convinced him to let her take Riley home and give things a chance to settle down.
Doreen was all insincere apologies when he returned to the office to pack up but he was too furious to speak. He didn’t have the power to fire anyone in the firm without going through the managing partner but he intended to make it his mission that this woman never work with him again, whether it was in a another department or another law firm.
He didn’t say another word to her as he rushed home to make amends with Riley and beg her forgiveness for not listening to her. By the time he’d arrived home, neither Riley nor Megan was in residence. He called Riley’s phone but there was no answer. His sister didn’t answer her phone either. Ethan was frantic with worry by the time Megan called him a few hours later.
“Megan where the hell are you two?”
“At the hospital.” Megan sounded like she’d been crying.
His panic rose to a level he’d never experienced before. “Where’s Riley? Is she okay?”
“She’s a little banged up but I think there might be something wrong with the baby.”
“What hospital are you in?”
Megan tearfully relayed the information and Ethan wasted no time getting there, risking several traffic tickets on the way. By the time he was directed to Riley’s room, she’d been sedated and was asleep. Megan who had been at her side burst into tears as she rushed into his arms.
“What happened?” Ethan could barely breathe at the sight of Riley laying in the stark hospital bed looking so frail and hauntingly beautiful.
“We got into an accident on the way home. Riley went into premature labor. I’m sorry, Ethan but the doctors couldn’t save the baby.”
That day still haunted him and he vowed when he won Riley back, he’d never make the same mistake again.
9
Riley was almost certain she was falling in love with Ethan all over again but that wasn’t quite accurate. She’d never actually stopped but she’d convinced herself all these years he didn’t matter. And this scared the hell out of her. She knew what could happen when she opened herself up to him again; she risked getting her heart trampled on all over again.
She wasn’t sure how it had happened but he’d managed to work his way back into her life until she almost expected him to be there. What started out as just a sexual liaison had become so much more. They didn’t have sex every time they got together, often they’d watch movies, or play board games. They’d take walks around the harbor and go out for dinner. They’d take fun trips to the National Zoo or head up to the shore to go whale watching. They spent most weekends together when she wasn’t fulfilling her bridesmaid duties.
And the times they did have sex, it was earth shattering. Each experience was a brand new adventure and she couldn’t get enough of him. That was the scary part. With Megan’s wedding fast approaching, in a couple weeks their arrangement would end and she’d be crushed. She really didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. Ethan was out of the question because if she shared her feelings with him it could go very badly. If she told Megan, her friend would have them married off within a week. Rachel would be understanding but she was having her own problems of late. She didn’t dare tell her Mother or Raine or she’d never hear the end of it.
Riley whispered a silent prayer before pulling up into her mother’s driveway for Sunday dinner. Her family didn’t have these dinners often because of everyone’s busy schedule but when they did it was usually a fun time with lots of food. And Riley got to spend time with her nieces and nephews.