Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
“I’ve dealt with press exposure, including speculation about my personal life, for years. I’m thick-skinned and used to the gossip. It’s you I’m worried about. I don’t want this to affect your work any more than it already has.”
“The trial is over soon,” I say.
“You were worried about us being a problem for you before, Cat.”
“We were one and done.”
“We were never—”
I press my hand to his chest. “I know. I’m just telling you where my head was. I was protecting myself. I had a wall between us and I believed it to be real, because I needed it to be, but the book deal is done anyway, and I’m not going to lose my column if readership is high, and it is. I only brought this up for you. You needed to know. And right now, you need to leave.”
“I don’t want to walk into that lobby pretending we aren’t seeing each other. We are. I don’t want to hide it.” My heart squeezes with how vehement those words are, before he adds, “But if you want to wait…”
“No. I really don’t.” I take his hand. “We need to get you to the airport and find out what’s going on with your client.”
He cups my head and kisses me. “I’m not leaving unless I have to, so don’t get comfortable for a while.” And with that, he laces his fingers with mine and guides us down the hallway.
I realize then that he leads often, but not in the wrong ways, and at the wrong times—so far. He worries about my career and makes it easy for me to worry about his. We enter the lobby, and Reese motions me to the security desk. “Let’s stop here a moment.”
We approach the counter, where a fifty-ish, stocky man in a burgundy jacket with dark, wavy hair with sprinkles of gray awaits. “Mr. Summer,” he greets Reese upon our arrival.
“Newt,” Reese says. “This is Cat. I need to put her on the approved list.”
I glance up at him. “Do you have time for this?”
“I’m making time. I can’t go anywhere until we know where I’m going anyway.” He points to Newt. “Let him set this up.”
“Okay.” I look at the other man. “Hi, Newt.”
“Nice to meet you, Cat. I’ll need identification.”
I fill out a form and show him my driver’s license, during which time Reese has his hand resting on my back. It’s during this stop that a prickling sensation forms on my neck, like I’m being watched, we’re being watched. Thankfully, the security process is quick, and in a matter of three minutes, we’re walking through the main lobby.
The slight tensing in Reese’s grip around my hand tells me he feels it, too. We head toward the front of the building, and a glimpse to the right toward the bar shows it to be packed. Reese must follow my attention, because he answers my unasked question. “Sunday Night football is also big here.”
“Do you ever join in?”
“Never. I like football, but in my own living room, and not for a few years. I never have time. What about you? Are you a football lover?”
“I follow along, mostly to cheer for the team going up against my brother’s love, the Giants. The Cowboys will work just fine for me.”
He laughs and holds the door for me. I exit into a gust of cold wind, as what is clearly our first cold front of the year is in full force. “Oh God,” I say, trembling and hugging myself as Reese joins me. “What happened out here?”
He slides his arm around me. “Winter is coming.” He points to a black Escalade. “That should be Royce.”
We hurry in that direction, and Royce rolls down a window just long enough to confirm he’s the driver. Reese ushers me forward and opens the door. I climb inside and all the way over. “How’s Lauren?” I ask, as Reese joins us and shuts the door.
“Sick, and everyone that is normally close to her is out of town,” replies Royce.
“Even Julie?” I ask of his brother’s wife, who is a friend of mine, and darn near a sister to Lauren.
“She and Luke went to Paris on business they plan to turn into pleasure. Kara and Blake are meeting us at the airport to travel with Reese to get his client.”
“Oh. Well, you want to just drop me there and I can stay with her?”
“Already planning on it,” he says, glancing in the mirror at me. “Because I assumed your concern.”
“I think I just got rolled over, but it’s acceptable,” I say. “I love her, too.”
“I know that,” he says, and he glances at Reese. “Vermont.”
Reese follows his lead instantly. “Nelson went to his place in Vermont?”
“We assume,” Royce says. “He hasn’t landed, but his wife arrived there this morning. I’d bet my right hand, and I really fucking like my right hand, that he’s going there.”