Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
I was so glad the photo had only caught our upper bodies. I couldn’t imagine how humiliated I would feel if they’d captured him with his hand in my panties.
I sat up and crossed my legs, grabbing the Chinese-food carton on the table in front of me. Tish, for the first time in months, didn’t care that I stayed in the office late. After the fiasco from earlier, I hadn’t gotten much work done. I was too busy stewing over what Gloria had said and drowning in a pool of betrayal.
Our new products were going to be launching in a week, and I had some work to catch up on. I also didn’t want to go home and see all those pictures of me and Lew.
Besides, my office was where I produced the clearest thoughts. It was my domain and mine only, and it gave me a boost of confidence knowing I’d worked so hard to have a place like this with a city view.
I slurped noodles into my mouth as my phone rang.
Deke was calling. Again.
I ignored the call.
After that stunt from Gloria, I was so embarrassed that I didn’t want to speak to him. I had to think of the right words to say, first. He’d heard me throw everything on the table about Lew, things that were too personal to discuss with him so soon.
I was surprised to see he was still calling anyway. Any other guy who’d heard a conversation like that probably would’ve blocked my ass. But not Deke.
My phone buzzed loudly, and once again, it was Deke.
With a sigh, I picked it up and answered. “You don’t have to keep calling me. I’m fine, Deke.”
He ignored me to say, “I’m in Charlotte.”
“What?” My eyes stretched as I set the greasy carton on the coffee table again. “What are you talking about? Why are you here?”
“Where are you?” he asked, once again ignoring me.
“Deke—what are you doing? You didn’t have to come here. I’m fine, and I’m not mad at you. I just needed time to think—”
“Davina, where are you?” His voice held more bass. It sent a jolt down my spine and not in a bad way.
“I’m at my office, but Deke, you really don’t have to—”
“I’m on the way.” He hung up before I could get another word in, and I lowered the phone, shocked and confused.
I didn’t know why the hell he was in Charlotte, but I closed the lid of my food carton, placed the chopsticks in the brown bag the food had been delivered in, then rushed to the mirror in the corner to check my appearance.
I’d reapplied makeup after all that crying and looked okay, minus that one pesky curl at my temple. I tried smoothing it down, until I heard my phone vibrate on the table. I popped a mint into my mouth before grabbing it.
Deke: Come unlock the door.
I darkened the screen of my phone and left the office, carrying myself through the hallways and past the lobby, until I was at the main entrance.
I could see Deke before I reached the glass doors, dressed in black basketball shorts and a white sleeveless athletic shirt. His shoes looked like the kind players wore during games, and I remembered him saying he had a practice scrimmage earlier with a few teammates.
When he caught sight of me, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
I couldn’t help returning one.
I tapped the code into the security box and unlocked the door, pushing it open to let him inside. I took a step back as he entered, and his eyes never left mine as he twisted the lock back in place.
“You good?” His voice was low, husky.
I looked up at him as he moved closer, towering above me. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“You weren’t answering my calls, D.”
I swallowed as I looked away. “I know. I’m sorry. Please don’t take it personally.” I was apologizing a lot lately. How was he not sick of me?
Like always, Deke’s fingers came to my chin, and he tipped my head back up so I could look at him. “I dropped everything and drove here when you didn’t answer the first two calls. I know it sounds desperate as fuck, but I needed to know you were okay. I needed to see it for myself.”
“Well . . .” I threw my hands up quickly and let them fall so hard they slapped my outer thighs. “I’m okay, Deke. You didn’t have to drive all this way just to check on me.”
“I know I didn’t. I wanted to.”
My eyes softened, and my heart sped up. “Why?”
“I don’t think you realize it yet, but I care about you, Davina. You have me doing things I don’t usually do just so I can see a smile on your face.”
I couldn’t help smiling at that. “Well, it’s very thoughtful, Deke. Thank you.” I grabbed his hand that was still touching my chin and laced my fingers with his. “Come on. Let’s go to my office.”