Reunited in Love

Chapter Fifteen

“HEY THERE!”

Kerri looked up from her laptop and saw Natalie waving from the door, her sun-kissed face glowing. The vivid jewel tones of her top and mini skirt accentuated her golden skin and dark almond-shaped eyes, making her look even more exotically beautiful than usual. Kerri closed her computer and ran over. “Natalie!” She hugged her friend. “I had no idea you were coming today! If I’d known, I would’ve gone to the airport.”

“Don’t worry. Ethan came to pick me up, even though he didn’t have to.”

They went to the table. Kerri sat, while Natalie went to the kitchen.

“I never suspected you guys would move in together,” Natalie said.

“Well, number one, this isn’t actually his penthouse,” Kerri said. “And number two, it’s a temporary arrangement.”

“Uh huh.” Natalie grinned, then suddenly her smile disappeared. “Hey, I can’t believe you quit and didn’t tell me!”

Kerri sighed. The cat was obviously completely out of the bag. But then why wouldn’t Ethan tell Natalie? She was her best friend, and he’d probably assumed she already knew. “Well. I kind of had to leave.”

“Leave? Why?” Thankfully, before Kerri had to come up with a way to explain, Natalie snapped her impeccably manicured fingers. “Does it have something to do with your fainting? You do look thinner than before.”

“Jealous?” Kerri joked, unwilling to talk about the real reason for her weight loss. Ta-da! I got my granddaddy’s liver! “And since when do you get your nails professionally done? Is that a requirement to be Mrs. Alex Billionaire?”

“Stop trying to change the subject.” Natalie rummaged through Ethan’s fridge and dug up a couple of apples. “I mean, you were already model-thin except for your boobs, but you must’ve lost at least ten pounds.”

“Tons of work and stress. Does wonders for your figure.”

“Uh-huh. You need to tell Ethan to stock up on ice cream.” Natalie tossed one of the apples to Kerri. She caught it and bit into the crisp flesh. “And you have to tell me everything. I mean everything.”

“What is there to say? I fainted a couple of times, and so I went to see my doctor. He did some blood work and said I was in awful shape. Ordered me to give up sugar, fat, and everything else that makes life sweet.”

“But you quit your job. Why?”

“Too much stress. It was killing me.” And because I’d rather be fried in hot oil than face Barron. She’d promised herself she’d never grovel for his approval and love, and she didn’t want to see her grandfather who’d only cause her pain.

“Oh my god, you should be in a resort somewhere, getting pampered, instead of slaving away for Ethan’s empire.”

Kerri laughed. “It’s not like that.”

“Really? He can be a difficult boss.”

“Tell me about it. He keeps ordering me to rest because it’s the weekend, or because it’s after five, or because the sun is out. Like I know what to do with myself when I have free time.”

Natalie gave Kerri a theatrically sly, through-the-eyelashes look. “I bet you know what to do with Ethan though.”

“Well…I am an expert at managing difficult bosses.”

“First time you’ve slept with one, though.”

Kerri shook her head. “Don’t read too much into it. This is a temporary situation. Very very temporary. I’m sure Ethan’s going to sort out TLD’s problems soon, and then I’ll move on.”

“Move on where?”

“I don’t know. Maybe California?” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll work for your husband if he’s hiring.”

“He’s always looking for talent.” Natalie cupped her chin. “But is that what you want to do? You want to leave Ethan…whenever?”

“When one of us finds somebody else we would rather be with. This was never supposed to be permanent. And I prefer it that way.”

Natalie nodded without saying a word. But she got that “I think I know what’s happening here” look.

“What are you thinking? Spill,” Kerri said around a bite of the sweet, tart apple.

“I was just thinking that maybe Ethan proposed something temporary to lure you in. You did say he wasn’t your type because he wasn’t ‘manageable.’”

“So?”

“He just made himself manageable by saying you can walk out any time when you find someone else. The question is, will he?”

Kerri cocked her head. “Why wouldn’t he?” she asked. “He’s just like any other guy—he wants to be free to pursue someone else if he feels like it.” A sharp edge of jealousy cut into her heart. She ignored it.

“Oh I can think of a few reasons, but whatever.” Natalie shook her head. “I guess if you’re really convinced it’s temporary…”

Kerri made a face. It wasn’t like Natalie to bring something up, then be coy about it. “Don’t get any strange notions just because you’re living a romance novel right now. I know what I have.”

“And what is that?”

“Work, with money coming in. A place to stay. And” —she paused, considering what she had with Ethan, and smiled slowly— “all-you-can-eat sex.”

*



Kerri stared at the computer while Natalie dozed on the couch. So much for keeping me company, Kerri thought with a smile.

The penthouse was quiet, but Kerri couldn’t seem to focus on the numbers and notes. She kept thinking about what Natalie had said.

Will he?

Why not? Ethan could and would leave if he found somebody else.

No, not if, but when. When he found someone more suitable. Physically, their relationship was hot, but he’d want more if he intended to have something permanent. He’d want—and need—a true life partner, not someone who was simply compatible in bed. For Pete’s sake, she couldn’t even go to social functions with him if her family was going to be there as well, and the Sterlings and Wilsons were as prolific as rabbits.

Kerri scrawled a note for Natalie and went outside for a quick walk to clear her head.

The condo association maintained an immaculate lawn with brick walking paths, and the greens surrounding the condo complex seemed even more verdant in the bright afternoon sun. Kerri chose a winding path. She didn’t know where it ended, but its twisty looping pattern seemed apt, given how complicated her life was right now.


Things used to be so structured and straightforward. She’d work as an investment banker. Never see her family again. Climb the ladder. Possibly marry a man who she was comfortable with and who understood the demands of her career. Save money. Retire.

An intense man who made her entire body and heart clench with longing—that had never been a part of what she’d envisioned for herself.

Suddenly she wanted to run someplace where she could form a clear plan for her future without gut-twisting emotions and desire clouding her mind. She wanted to live in a city where people didn’t know her, didn’t try to know her. Where her family’s PIs couldn’t find her, and her family would just give up. Then she might be able to have a life that could give her fulfillment, give her a sense of belonging with someone who cared for her.

An image of growing old with Ethan flashed through her mind, and she shook her head irritably. Even if their family ties weren’t an issue, Ethan couldn’t be the man for her, though he already seemed to care a great deal about her. He aroused too many strong feelings. That alone made him too dangerous for her peace of mind.

She didn’t want anybody to have that much power over her. Experience had taught her that people didn’t always take care not to hurt her, and she could no longer abide such a position of weakness.

She strode along the path. So if Ethan threatens to be more than just a temporary fling, what are you going to do? Run?

Running was how she’d dealt with unmanageable pain and loss. When running didn’t work, she’d medicated herself with alcohol.

But she couldn’t run. Not right now. She’d made a promise. The arrangement would last until he or she found somebody they’d rather be with, and right now, she couldn’t imagine leaving Ethan, even without the stipulation.

And alcohol was out of question, not unless she wanted her liver to rot through. She had no desire to die, or worse, be at the mercy of a—what was the word?—hepatologist.

When you have to go to a doctor that sounds like a snake specialist, she thought sourly, you know it’s time to clean up your act.

Well, she’d just find an excuse to leave when the circumstances grew too unbearable. Something would present itself.

Now in completely unfamiliar surroundings, she turned around and started back to the penthouse. She should call a cab for Natalie—or maybe her chauffeur, since her husband seemed to have hired one.

“Kerri.”

She turned around. Ethan was moving toward her, his long legs eating up the distance between them. The pearly silk shirt lined his powerful torso and emphasized the shoulders her hands begged to grip. He always dressed well, and having seen him undressed, she knew it wasn’t the clothes that made the man, but the man himself that made the clothes. She almost couldn’t breathe at how stunning he was. Her heart swelled so fast, she felt a funny ache in her chest.

“Ethan, what are you doing here?” The afternoon was still fairly young.

He gave her a quick kiss. “I just wanted to see you, that’s all.”

She nodded, not saying anything. Something about him called out to her, and she couldn’t help but take his hand in hers. It felt warm and impossibly solid. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

*



Ethan curled his fingers around her hand. It was the first time she’d reached out to him like that, and the tightness in his belly loosened. “Everything’s fine. Don’t worry.”

“It’s not even four. I thought you were at work.”

“Not everyone works a hundred hours a week. Did Natalie leave?”

“No. She fell asleep on the couch.” Kerri smiled. “I left her there. She looked too peaceful.”

He nodded, then saw a couple of boys running on the other side of the street. They laughed, their thin legs moving fast. Kerri looked at them, and just like that, the familiar shadow of sorrow darkened her eyes.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said, not meeting his gaze. “Let’s go back and see if Natalie’s up.”

She started moving, but he stopped her with a tug on her hand. “Kerri. What’s the deal? Why are you looking at the boys like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re sad.”

She shook her head. “I’m not. I was just…well, they reminded me of my family.” Then her mouth abruptly shut, like she’d let something slip.

Natalie had said Kerri never spoke about her family. Gavin had been certain Kerri was Barron Sterling’s granddaughter. This was the opening for Ethan to ask. Still, care was required. She was so wary and secretive about her personal life. “When was the last time you saw them? Did you get to visit them at all while working in Hong Kong?”

“No.”

“You must miss them,” he said casually.

Silence.

“Where are they?”

“Back east,” she murmured.

Back east? They were in Virginia. How much further east was she talking about?

She was lying to him, and he was losing her. Every second they spoke about her family she drifted further away, retreating into some private fortress. It was incredibly frustrating. He wanted to understand her better. He wanted to know what made her sad, learn about her family and her secret hopes and dreams. Of course, she didn’t have to say anything for him to figure out her family was full of people who’d hurt her. It was in the way her eyes darkened with old pain.

His instincts told him to find out so he could make things right and keep Kerri happy, her bruised heart protected. But intellect won out. If Natalie hadn’t been able to learn much about Kerri’s personal life, he wouldn’t either. At least not by asking her. There were other ways, though. He was certain Gavin was wrong, but he wanted to make sure he had all the facts before some idiot decided to accuse Kerri of spying for her family. He knew how damaging that could be for a relationship. In their case it would probably be fatal, given her mysterious reticence when it came to her blood relations.

“Do you mind filling out the HR paperwork, by the way?” he said. “It slipped my mind, but I need your information for taxes.”

She nodded, her face relaxing. “Sure, I can get that done tonight. You don’t want to mess with the minions of Satan.”

He laughed. “The minions of Satan?”

“The IRS.”

“Ah. Have you been audited?”

“Not yet, thank god. But that reminds me, I need to go back to finish up some work.”

“Why bother? It’s a pretty day.”

“A girl’s gotta earn her keep.”

“How about if I pay for your time off?”

“Ethan, I don’t take charity. I’m independent, a modern woman, all that jazz.” She winked.

Some tension eased from the back of his neck. The heiress to Sterling & Wilson simply couldn’t be a woman who felt this way about money. No, she’d feel entitled to whatever she wanted.