Wyatt and Anthony stand by the door. I turn and give them a nervous smile. “I won’t be long.”
I walk through to the large reception area with my stomach in my throat. What if he doesn’t want to see me?
“Can I help you?” the receptionist asks.
“Yes.” I smile awkwardly. “I’m here to see Spencer Jones.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
She looks me up and down, and I raise my eyebrow. Who is this? The way she looks at me sparks something in my brain, and I hear the words leave my mouth before my filter kicks in. “Tell him that his girlfriend Charlotte is here.”
A frown crosses her forehead before she quickly recovers. “Just a moment.”
She taps a number on the phone and speaks through the headset.
“Yeah,” I hear Spencer’s bored voice say.
“I have a Charlotte here.” Her eyes come back to mine. “She says she’s your girlfriend.”
He exhales heavily. “Send her in.”
My stomach drops. It’s not exactly the enthusiastic response I was hoping for.
Maybe this is it?
She fakes a smile. “This way, please.”
I follow her through the office and people stop what they are doing to look over, at me. I keep my eyes on the floor. I’m so nervous, I can hardly lift my head.
She opens the last door and fakes a smile.
“Thank you.” I look nervously into the office, and there he sits behind a large black desk made of wood and glass. He’s wearing a grey suit, white shirt, and a pink tie, looking as edible as I’ve ever seen him. His eyes rise to meet mine and his jaw clenches.
The door shuts behind me.
“Hi,” I say nervously, twisting my fingers in front of me.
His eyes hold mine, and he rolls a pen across the desk with four fingers. “Hi.”
I walk around and sit on the desk in front of him, watching as he leans back in his chair.
“I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
He stares at me, devoid of emotion.
“I’m sorry.”
He nods once.
“But I’m not the only one in the wrong here,” I add.
He nods again.
“This is where you say sorry, too, Spence.”
“I was only trying to protect you.”
“From her?”
He shrugs.
“Do I need protecting from her?”
He shrugs again and remains silent. I don’t think he knows what to say.
“I saw the key was missing, and then you called to say you weren’t coming home.”
“I know how this looks.” He sighs.
“Then why are you angry with me?”
“I’m not angry, I’m disappointed.”
“That I thought you were with somebody else?” I frown.
“Yes. Why would you think that? Have I given you any reason to doubt me?”
“No, baby,” I whisper as I crawl onto his lap.
“This is about your ten years with Sheridan,” I say softly. “I don’t know how to compete with that kind of history, Spence, and it scares the hell out of me.”
He slides his hand up my thigh. “I told you I’m not in love with her.”
I smile softly. “You said you loved me.”
His eyes fall to the desk, and I place my finger under his chin to bring his face back to mine. “Is that still true?”
His jaw clenches as his eyes hold mine.
“Spencer…”
He stares at me.
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight.
“Okay, well, I have something to tell you.” I run my fingers through his stubble. “You were right, I could never sleep with someone I didn’t have feelings for.”
Spencer
My heart sinks from her admission. “Who is he?”
She smiles softly. “He has white teeth and he wears a size thirteen shoe.”
I frown.
“He’s on the navigation team for Santa Claus.”
My face falls. “What?”
“He likes naughty kittens because he’s a big naughty kitten himself.”
“I don’t understand.”
She gives a subtle shake of her head. “There was no other man, Spence.”
My eyes search hers.
“Only you,” she says softly.
I frown in confusion.
“You’re the only man I’ve ever slept with—the only person I have feelings for.”
My heart freefalls. “Are you serious?” I whisper.
She smiles and nods gently. “I wanted it to be you—”
“Why would you lie to me about that?” I breathe out, cutting her off.
I should have made it better for her. I try and remember how I took her the very first time. Was I rough? Did I hurt her?
“I knew that you were too scared to go through with it because you thought I was going to fall in love with you,” she admits.
My eyes hold hers.
She bends and kisses me softly. Her tongue gently slides through my lips, and I feel my arousal roll in.
“And it turns out you had a good reason to be scared of that… because I have,” she whispers.
I drop my head as emotion takes over, our foreheads coming together.
This feels so… real.
She puts her finger under my chin and brings my face up to meet hers. “I know this is crazy and we don’t even know each other properly yet, but I was devastated last night when I thought you were with Sheridan.”
I shake my head and look up at her. “How does this happen in ten days, angel? I don’t understand what’s going on here.”
She smiles. “You always hear people say that when you know, you know, right?”
Oh God…this beautiful woman.
“I know,” I whisper against her lips.
“I know, too. I’ve known all along.” Her lips take mine and our kiss is deep and passionate. It’s everything I’ve never had. Suddenly, I’m desperate to be alone with her—to show her what she means to me.
“Let’s go home,” I murmur into her hair.
“To your house?”
I stare at the perfect angel in front of me, and a thought of pure horror runs through my mind.
She can’t stay in my bed.
I need a new mattress before we stay at my house. I don’t want her sleeping where I’ve been with another woman.
I want a new start… with her.
“Let’s go to your house. It’s easier for the boys,” I lie. “We’ll stay at mine tomorrow night when we’ve made arrangements for them.”
“Okay.”
I stand and take her in my arms, holding her tight.
There’s no other man.
Only me!
This feeling, this overwhelming feeling I get from her is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I can’t get close enough.
It’s comforting, and yet it terrifies the hell out of me. She’s not just anyone, and I know for certain that her family are not going to accept me. I grip her tighter as the reality that I may lose her sets in.
“Let’s go home, baby,” she whispers against my shoulder.
I kiss her big, soft lips. “Let’s go.”
I pack up my desk and we walk out through the reception area hand in hand.
“I’m leaving for the day,” I tell Rosalie, my PA.
“Okay, Mr Jones.” She smiles as she looks us both up and down.
“Goodbye.” Charlotte smiles to her. “Lovely to meet you.”
“You, too!” Rosalie calls back.
We walk through to the foyer to find Anthony and Wyatt waiting patiently.
“Hi, guys,” I say to them both.
“Hey,” they both reply.
The four of us get into the elevator and I push the button.
I want to know why Charlotte is guarded. There has to be something more sinister going on than she is led to believe, and I intend to find out exactly what that something is.
“My car is out on the street today. Where are you parked?” I ask them. I don’t want Charlotte to be without them with her for a moment.
“Around the block,” Anthony answers.
“We’ll just go down and wait in my car until you come around, and then we’ll pull out in front of you, okay?” I ask.
“Okay, good,” Wyatt replies.
We walk out of the building hand in hand, across the quadrangle area.
“Charlotte?” a man calls out. “Charlotte Prescott...”
We both turn and see a photographer smiling as soon as he realises it’s her. Before we can do anything he begins to take photos. The camera clicks away picture after picture.
Charlotte’s step falters.
“Keep walking!” Wyatt snaps.
Charlotte puts her head down, and I drag her by the hand as Wyatt approaches the photographer.