Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
The next look she gives me, laden with suspicion and understanding, tells me she knows what we got up to this weekend no matter how much I dodge and deny it.
With Destiny in my arms, I can’t argue it didn’t happen. It’s obvious to anyone who sees us like this.
And that’s why I can’t let anyone else see us when we’re so rough and too real.
“That’s all, Miss Cho,” I say. “You can get back to work. Send me an action proposal once you’ve pulled it together, and I’ll grant you whatever resources you need.”
“Thank you, Mr. Foster.” With a brisk nod for both of us, she marches to the door and heads out. I can almost see a trail of fire in her wake.
She’s going to be a one-woman hellraiser until she has answers.
Destiny pulls back then, like she’s just realized how close we are.
And maybe she’s remembered what we agreed before we returned to Seattle.
This is definitely not the norm, but neither is the fucking sky tearing up and raining shards of hell-drama on our heads.
It feels impossible.
We’ve already crossed lines that can never be uncrossed. We obliterated them.
Still, I let her step back, allowing her the space to think.
It’s a blustery summer day, the wind trying to clear a thin haze from wildfires further north. It makes the clear sunshine of what we shared on the Olympic Peninsula feel more distant than ever.
So does the silence settling between us.
The drone images that were posted online hit me fast and furious.
None were too incriminating, but I know how it looks to hungry bystanders with an appetite for scandal.
Me, Mr. Broken Engagement, spending intimate time alone with a new woman almost half my age.
Destiny laughing like I hung the sun in the sky.
She laughs a lot, but the way she did with me felt different. Or at least, that’s what I fooled myself into believing.
“At least Hannah seems to know what to do...” Destiny says at last.
“That’s her. Be glad she’s on our side.”
“She’s definitely efficient.”
“Terrifyingly so.” I nod at the chair in front of my desk. The same one she sat in, casual as can be, the first day she arrived.
To think there was ever a time when I despised her.
It’s unthinkable now.
I sit in my chair and we stare at each other, separated by my desk. I want to reach out and smooth the sadness from her face.
Hell, maybe kiss her again, if only so we can forget this hell for one bleeding minute.
Scratch that.
I definitely want to kiss her.
That greedy fire in my blood demands a lot more, too.
I grit my teeth, forcing the unsettled thoughts away. We agreed this was going to be the end, and it should be.
Mind over blue balls.
Remember how much trouble it’s caused already.
“Shepherd,” Destiny says, then pauses. “Mr. Foster...”
“If I can’t Miss Lancaster you, you’re not Mistering me, woman,” I growl.
Her unexpected smile feels like witnessing a miracle.
“Fine, but... what do I do now? What do we do?” Her tongue moistens her lips. I look away too quickly. “When I came up here this morning, everyone was—”
“Staring?” I interject.
“And whispering. Muttering a lot behind my back.”
“I’ll have Miss Cho put a stop to that. She’ll send an internal memo about the unfounded rumors today,” I say. “But since you’re here, you should go back to work.”
Her eyes dart up to meet mine, horrified. “In the office?”
“Where else?”
“But—”
“The worst thing we can do is acknowledge it. The second worst is pretending it’s going to stop us from moving ahead with revolutionizing wildlife tracking. Scandal or not, it doesn’t change the fact that our little outing convinced me your idea works.” My eyes search hers and I wait until she breathes. “Your presentation to the board is today, Dess. Finish prepping. Use everything we discussed and you witnessed over the weekend.”
“You think they’ll still want to hear it?”
“They’ll listen. If anyone breathes a word about unrelated hearsay, I’ll gladly stand in front of their firing squad.” By some miracle, I don’t snap at her.
There’s a chance that if I do, her entire body will shatter like blown glass.
She needs courage right now.
Destiny isn’t usually this fragile, and that worries me.
“We can’t deny we went out together,” I continue, making sure my voice is gentle. “However, if anyone wonders, the fact that you’re presenting our findings reinforces the idea that we went there to gather intel on the otters and our proprietary technology. There are a lot of good points begging for you to make them. Focus on that, and mute your phone.”
“Shepherd, I—” She takes a deep, slow breath and looks at her lap. “Okay.”
“I know it won’t be easy,” I tell her. “But if anyone says anything that tries to sidetrack you from this work, refer them to me immediately.”
She blinks at me. “Won’t that look suspicious? If you come charging down to defend me?”