He withdrew his hands and straightened my clothes, then turned me to face him. “Now, get back to work,” he said, with a small trace of a smile.
I rested my forehead on his chest. I wasn’t sure I could even walk, let alone focus on work. We stood in silence for several minutes before I looked up at him. “I might be tied up for lunch. I may have kinda agreed to go with Bailey and some of the girls here and I’m not sure I can cancel. I think he already is getting suspicious.”
Nathan kissed the tip of my nose. “No, it’s okay. Go. I have some work to do anyway. I’ll see you later?”
“Yes, you will,” I promised.
I stared into the darkness, unable to sleep. Nathan was softly snoring behind me, his arm securely tucked around my waist. We were at his apartment again, and he’d fallen into an exhausted sleep hours ago. I hadn’t yet, though, and as I saw the first streaks of dawn stretch across the wall beside me, I doubted I would get the chance.
I was unsettled. ...anxious. At some point during the night, when he’d had me against the wall, the sex slow, burning and erotically intimate, I had opened my eyes and drank in the sight of my arms around his neck. The sight of his blonde head burrowed in the wall beside mine, his powerful arms wrapped around my thighs. I heard his muffled grunts and mindless words that fell from his lips as he lost himself in the moment between us. And I realized something as I took all that in. Something completely devastating and certainly not something I’d expected. Something that hit me like a ton of bricks, and yet was so clear it couldn’t be anything but true.
I was no longer just falling in love with Nathan Preston.
I was already there.
I loved Nathan. I loved him.
How had this happened? It wasn’t supposed to.
How could I have been so stupid to let this happen?
I couldn’t deny it was true. The realization had hit me so strong that I’d bitten my tongue to keep from blurting it out, right there against the wall. And in the hours since, I’d wrestled with what to do about this newfound knowledge.
Of course I couldn’t tell him. For all the time spent together, this was still new. And there was still so much we didn’t know about each other. Loving Nathan changed things; it complicated things. It made things messy. I had no delusions that he might love me back, and when this thing between us inevitably ended, it would be me that would be left picking up the shattered pieces of my broken heart.
I wiped a silent tear that had fallen down my cheek.
Because I had no doubt that his leaving would indeed break me.
“Guess what?”
I twisted my hair up on top of my head and stared at Brooke through the vanity mirror, where she stood behind me in the bathroom doorway. We were getting ready for dinner with Gabby and Paul, and she’d changed from her standard woe-is-me attire of sweatpants and a tank, and was now wearing a mustard yellow sheath dress and brown heeled sandals.
“What?” I questioned as I began applying makeup.
“I think I found a job.”
I paused mid-eye and turned around. “Are you serious? Where?”
She walked into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub. “It’s for a doctor. He needs someone to kinda run the office, book appointments, that kind of thing.”
I turned back to the mirror and started in on my eye again. “So is this for sure, then?”
“I think so. I have to meet with Dr. Miles—that’s his name, Dr. Miles—I have to meet with him again tomorrow to finalize everything, but yeah. I think it’s a done deal.” She leaned her elbow on the vanity and watched as I continued applying makeup. “I’m kinda nervous, though.”
I rolled my eyes. “You single-handedly ran the thirteenth floor of Elite. This doctor’s office will be a piece of cake.” I finished my makeup and yanked out the band holding up my hair. “Good for you, Brooke. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, babe. Speaking of Elite, Dr. Miles knows Nathan, I think. He didn’t elaborate but while we were talking about my past work experience, he mentioned that he knew the Preston family. Small world, huh? And can I be just shallow enough to admit that Dr. Miles is hot? Like teeth-melting hot.”
I cast a glance at her, while dragging a brush through my hair. “Brooke,” I began in warning.
“I know, I know,” she said, holding up her hand. “Too soon. And I’m not that dumb, promise. But seriously, Reagan. The man is swoon worthy.”
“I wanna hear details. What kind of doctor is he?”
Brooke delved into telling me how she heard about the opening, and her subsequent interview as we headed down to Gabby’s. “The office isn’t completely ready yet so I won’t for another week or two, but he’s gonna bring me in and show me the ropes, introduce me to the nurse he hired, that sort of thing. Like I said, I’m a little nervous, but excited, too. It’s a change.”
“You’ll do great.” We entered the elevator and I pushed the button for Gabby and Paul’s floor.
“No Nathan tonight?”
My cheeks flushed. “He’ll be over later,” I murmured. I hadn’t told Brooke how I felt about Nathan, hadn’t told her much, really, beyond the gratuitous ‘is he a good kisser’ and ‘what’s he like in bed’ details. But the knowledge was gnawing at me. It was like I expected him to leave at any minute. Everyone I loved—with the exception of Helen—did so, sooner or later. Why should he be any different?
Brooke groaned. “Great,” she wailed. “An evening spent binge watching Sons of Anarchy in my room, with the volume turned up enough to drown the sounds of my roomie getting laid across the hall. My life sucks!”
I pushed aside my depressing thoughts and laughed. “Girl, you know I put those headphones in your room for that very reason.”
Brooke knocked on Gabby’s door and stuck her tongue out at me. “You’re so considerate.”
“I have an idea.”
It was late, and my room was shrouded in darkness. Nathan’s fingers were tracing circles on my stomach, his head resting on my chest.
I closed my eyes. “An idea? Should I be scared?” I teased.
He didn’t laugh. “I’m not sure. I kinda am.”
My eyes flew open. An idea that scared him? Hell, what did that mean for me? I stared up at my ceiling, forming a response that hopefully wouldn’t give away how nervous I was, when he suddenly lifted his head to look at me, his chin resting on my boob.
“You wanna move in with me?”
I. Did. Not. Expect. That.
Move in with him? Seriously? What about Brooke? What about work? People would find out. There was no way we could continue in our little world of neither confirming nor denying the rumors. Moving in together was huge. Gargantuan huge.
He was ready for this? Was I ready for this?
My heart pounded heavily as I stared at him in the dim light. I opened my mouth, but promptly closed it again when nothing came to me.
“Sorry. I should’ve given you a little more warning.” He tilted his head and laid it back down on my chest. “Anyway, it’s just a suggestion. Doesn’t mean you have to pack up tomorrow or anything.”
I absently tangled my fingers in his hair, refusing to acknowledge the sudden burning in my eyes. This is what I wanted, right? I mean, yes, it was entirely too soon. We’d just had that ‘are we exclusive’ talk less than a week ago. And we’d only been together—unofficially—for a few short weeks beyond that. And yes, there were things to consider. But the flip-flopping back and forth between apartments, each of us slipping out in the early morning for the sake of appearances, was getting old. People did it all the time, but still. I was coming to hate it.
And I loved him; there was that, too.
So I wanted this, right? Why was I so terrified?
I still hadn’t spoken. His hand came up and rested on the hollow beneath my breast. “I can feel your heartbeat,” he whispered. “It’s okay, baby. No pressure. Think about it and we’ll talk later.”
There was something diffe
rent in his voice, something I couldn’t place. A sudden anxiety seized my chest and I pulled his head up to kiss his mouth, desperate to dispel the sense of impending doom.
Nathan
“Nathanial.”
I clenched my jaw but said nothing as my father strode into my office and planted himself squarely in front my desk, his arms crossed. Nancy stood in the doorway and shrugged apologetically at me. I dismissed her with a curt nod and she shut the door as she left. My father never waited to be announced.
“Yes?” I inquired, attempting to gauge his mood. He looked pissed, but this wasn’t uncommon. And yet, I sensed he was here for more than his usual pissing match, and I wasn’t in the mood. Reagan had been different this morning, and I knew asking her to move in with me had freaked her out. I had no idea where we now stood and that infuriated me. The biggest decision of my life thus far, and I should have just kept my mouth shut.
“A situation has been brought to my attention.”
Knowing the list of things that could send my father into an irate state was lengthy at best, I leaned back in my chair and stared back up at him. “A situation,” I repeated. “And that would be what?”
“Tyler Winston. He’s making accusations about Reagan Andrews. Claims she came on to him while she was out there working on his opening.” He placed his hands on his hips, and stared back at me over the rims of his designer glasses.
My rage was instant. Cold sweat collected on the back of my neck as I stood up. “Bullshit. That’s absurd. Ms. Andrews did nothing of the sort. Why is this even an issue?”
I would kill him. I needed to go find her.
My father leaned forward and placed his hands on my desk. “Because his little complaint has potentially cost me three million dollars! Winston backed out of his hotel deal and is threating to file a sexual harassment claim against Elite and Ms. Andrews personally!”
Christ, I never saw this coming. This had to be the most asinine thing Tyler Winston had ever done to date. “Look, I’ll talk to Tyler. This is obviously a gross misunderstanding on his part and I’ll take care of it.”
My father laughed. “You,” he emphasized this by pointing his finger at my chest, “are going to stay out of this, do you hear me? It’s your damn fault this is happening.”
It was my turn to laugh. “My fault? Tyler’s an ass and it’s my fault?”
“Isaac says it was you who all but demanded he hire that girl in the first place,” he accused.
“I simply recommended,” I corrected him. “And she’s proven to be an asset in the short time she’s been here, so how she was hired is really a moot point.” I dragged my hands through my hair. “This shit with Tyler is ludicrous. I think it was he that made a pass at her and was rejected. This is him feeling sorry for himself.” I cursed myself for not having pressed Reagan for the details of that week in Vegas.
“Who knows what would have happened had she stayed?” my father shouted. “Oh yes. Isaac was also quick to explain how you demanded her return early for some mysterious emergency on the J & J account.” His tone left little doubt that he knew exactly why I had requested Reagan come back home.
Damn Isaac! He was so far up my father’s ass that every time Roger Preston took a shit, Isaac had to wipe his head. “Isaac is an idiot who will tell you whatever you want to hear, regardless of his understanding—or lack thereof—of the matter.”
“Be that as it may, you are to stay out of this. I am absolutely serious about this, Nathanial. You are to have zero contact with her. I’m not going to lose anything to the likes of Tyler Winston over some skirt you couldn’t keep your dick away from.”
“We really gonna go there?” I challenged.
My father said nothing, and just stared me down. And then, “One more thing. Winston’s had a restraining order filed against you, as well. You’re not to contact him at all. Just in case you were planning to defy me and stick your nose in this anyway, well, you can’t.” He turned to leave, apparently satisfied I was now safely in check.
My mind reeled. Of course, Tyler would know as soon as I found out about his ridiculous lawsuit, the first thing I would do was come to him. I didn’t know when or how, but I would find a way around this and I would take him apart with my bare hands. “So, what now?”
My father stopped and looked back at me. “What do you mean, what now? Now I have to meet with our lawyers and determine our next steps. And I—“
“I don’t care what you do. I’m talking about what happens to her.”
He smirked. I realized I was giving too much away by my evident concern, but couldn’t see an alternative. I had to make sure she would escape this unscathed. “She isn’t your concern any longer.”
“Let me be clear.” My voice was low, calm, even steady. A complete contradiction to the emotions warring inside me. “This doesn’t touch her. You do what you need to, make whatever underhanded deals you need to make so this goes away. But this doesn’t reach her. She’s done nothing to deserve this. You hear me? Nothing.”
He turned back to the door. “Well, Nathanial, it’s simple, really. Cease your relationship and all personal contact with her and this lawsuit will never see the light of day. Think of what will happen to Ms. Andrew’s career if this gets out.”
“Are you seriously blackmailing me right now?”
“Stop being so dramatic. I am simply reminding you how ugly these situations can be. It’s obvious you believe yourself to care about this girl. Do her a favor and let her go.” He didn’t wait for further response and swept out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
This wasn’t happening. It just wasn’t. Let her go? It wasn’t even an option.
For the first time in my life, I was uncertain of what my father would do next. I had basically given Reagan to him on a platter by all but professing how I felt about her, and he was going to use that—and her—to his advantage. To keep me in line, as he saw it. How he was going to do that I didn’t know. And it was the not knowing that had me racing down to her office.
I stepped off the elevator and hurried to her door, ignoring Mr. Cooper as he tried to flag me down. I didn’t knock, and flung the door open to find Isaac and Reagan in what appeared to be deep conversation. She didn’t look upset or scared, though, so I took that as a good sign.
“Find something to do,” I barked at Isaac, not taking my eyes off of her. Regardless of what was currently going on, I was still Nathan Preston, and he was still just an employee.
Isaac stood and gathered up a stack of folders. “She has a meeting in an hour,” he muttered as he walked past me out of the office.
I shut the door. I didn’t care what the rest of her day looked like and Isaac could go to hell!
“Nathan? What’s wrong?”
“What did Isaac want,” I demanded, ignoring her question.
She raised an eyebrow. “We were going over some updates for a few accounts I needed help with. Why?”
I moved away from the door and walked around to where she sat, leaning against her desk. “Nothing. Sorry, it’s been one hell of a morning.”
She reached out and took my hand. “Is this about what you asked me last night?”
God, yes. Let her think that was all it was. I hadn’t even thought about that since my father had dropped his bombshell. And now I wasn’t even sure how living together would be possible, all things considered. I kissed her fingers. “No, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have mentioned it this soon, but I—“
“I’m sorry, too. I kinda freaked out on you. Can we talk about it?”
“Yes.”
She paused, as if waiting for me to go first. “Okay, then. Nathan, are you sure me moving in is what you want?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t.” Except now there was a lawsuit to consider. And a restraining order, and my father’s mandate to end this thing now. But she didn’t know any of that. “But I realize it was a bit premature to ask of you. We barely know each other. . .things about our pa
sts. And who knows what will happen, right?”
Shadows clouded her gaze, and I could practically see her instant withdrawal. I was back-peddling and she knew it, and was already preparing her mental walls of defense and protection. I needed to explain to her, let her know that this had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with despicable men and their insatiable greed. Men like my father.
But I couldn’t. I had been given orders, and while I usually complied with my father’s demands only if it suited me to do so, this was different. This was, at the heart of the matter, between me and my father.
Despite his claims otherwise, we had a legal team worth every cent of the hundreds of thousands we paid them. Tyler’s lawsuit, while implying seriousness, was really nothing more than a nuisance. And had it not been for the fact that he had backed out of his business with Elite, I may not have even been notified. But Roger Preston hated to lose money, and probably hated me as well. I had played into his hand when I’d made a few Reagan-specific demands of my own.
He didn’t care about her. She was just a pawn in his feud with me. He wanted to strip me of anything that could remotely bring me true happiness, and this lawsuit gave him the perfect opportunity. Bringing her into this would accomplish nothing except ruining her career, making her a casualty of our war, and giving my father the satisfaction of further hurting me. While I didn’t care what he did to me, I did care about Reagan. This would destroy her, and I had to prevent that.
“Right,” she said softly. “You’re absolutely right. There are things about me you don’t know and I can’t tell you. We should probably just leave things as they are for now, I guess.”
I hated the distance in her voice. “One day at a time, remember?”
Made to Love Page 25
