Perfectly Honest
Page 18
They planned to drive together. Thankfully it wasn’t far because her nerves were already screaming and the butterflies in her stomach in overdrive.
Sam looked gorgeous. If the whole tall, dark, and handsome thing he had going didn’t make her heart stumble, then the addition of the brooding, sexy expression did. Worse, she knew what was under that perfectly tailored suit.
Mikaela plastered a fake smile on her face and stepped into the room. Sam looked up, and she faltered at the hunger that flashed in his eyes. He dropped his gaze and when he glanced at her again, it was with the disdain that had plagued her in the past week.
“Ready to go?”
“I am.”
He helped her with her coat, being careful not to touch her, and held the car door open. The ride to the banquet hall was thankfully short. There was only so much you could say about the weather without the air becoming tense and awkward.
Once they entered the hall, Sam held her hand and smiled naturally. He greeted others and introduced Mikaela warmly to those she hadn’t met. They sat beside each other at dinner and, despite the enormous effort it took to appear like a happy couple, they laughed and joked with the others at the table.
The tables were cleared and the music started. They continued to socialize with the couples around them until the others got up to dance, and they were the only ones left sitting at the table.
“Would you like to dance?” Sam asked.
Mikaela glanced over, but she couldn’t read his expression. “Sure.”
Sam stood and held out his hand to help her up. She could feel the pressure of his hand in the small of her back as he followed her to the dance floor.
Mikaela turned and held her arms out stiffly for the embrace, but he pulled her close and held her against him. She rested her arm across his shoulders and his soft hair brushed her hand. With her leg between his, she felt the ripple of his thigh as he glided her around the floor. Mikaela was caught up in the sensation of his body against hers and shivered without hearing what he whispered in her ear.
He pulled back slightly and smiling for the first time in a week, repeated what he said. “I hear I have you to thank for the extra OR time.”
She struggled to focus.
“Your proposal went through and I’ve been given an extra day of OR time.”
“Really? That’s great. I didn’t realize they’d made a decision.”
“Thank you.”
Guilt swamped her. “Please don’t thank me.”
“Why?” He drew back in surprise. “You gave up a chunk of time and because of your ideas, I gained a full day.”
“Well, I’m glad. Really I am. But my first instinct was to protect the department, and I’m not very proud of that,” she admitted.
“Why not? That’s what you’re supposed to do. That’s why you’re the department head.”
“But it was you. I knew it was you who needed the time.”
“Fair enough. But the responsibility didn’t, and shouldn’t, rest solely with you. Your responsibility should be to patient care and your department. That just makes sense.”
“Really? It doesn’t upset you that I didn’t put you first?”
“Of course not. Not for this. Now, if you considered a new job and picked a hospital that didn’t need an ophthalmologist, that, that might upset me.”
She stared at him. “That upset you?” she asked, unsure whether he was joking or not.
He didn’t answer as the music transitioned into another slow song.
“Sam? Did that upset you?”
“Yes, that did.”
“Why?”
Sam debated. He couldn’t go on like he had this past week. Living with her, but not living with her had killed him. Not living with her at all he couldn’t fathom. “I don’t want you to take another job and live in another city. Unless I’m with you.”
“You don’t?”
“No, I don’t.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I love you, Mikaela. I want to be with you wherever you are. I can leave the house and the job. I can’t live without you.”
“Really?” Mikaela beamed.
“Really.”
Mikaela hugged him close. “I love you. I didn’t want to leave you, but I couldn’t stay and watch you with someone else after the year was up.”
“I don’t want anyone else. Just you. I love you.”
Sam caught Mikaela in a passionate kiss. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Let’s go home.” They smiled at each other.
Epilogue
Written in the Stars by Esmeralda Garnet
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Keep moving in a direction that is sure to bring you pleasure and adventure. Don’t sweat the little things. Enjoy the moment. Embrace new people, places and situations. Be perfectly honest.
December twenty-fifth came with a new tradition. Make love before presents are unwrapped. Cook French toast together with a lot of French kisses. Then exchange gifts in front of a crackling fire and a tree sparkling with tinsel. Mikaela unwrapped a new peignoir.
“That’s actually for me,” Sam said with a laugh.
Then a stunning aquamarine and diamond ring.
“That’s for you. It matches your eyes,” Sam said.
Sam unwrapped a new tennis racket.
“It’s the same racket as mine. I thought you needed an upgrade. Otherwise I’ll have an unfair advantage during those strip tennis games.”
Sam laughed. “Thank you. It’s great.”
Mikaela handed Sam a tennis ball canister … filled with lacy underthings.
“This may set my game back.” He grinned. “But in a good way. I should thank you properly,” he said, reaching for her.
“You should,” Mikaela said, as she melted into his embrace.
On the way to airport later that afternoon, Mikaela looked over at Sam.
“So maybe now would be a good time to tell you a bit about my parents,” Mikaela ventured.
Sam glanced over at her in surprise. “I thought you said your dad was retired and your mom a busy matchmaker.”
“Well, that is true … sort of.”
Sam parked and they headed into the airport terminal. “Which airline?” he asked.
“Actually, that’s part of what I wanted to tell you.” She led him through the building, through private security, and out onto the tarmac.
Sam didn’t say anything, but glanced questioningly at Mikaela.
They were led to a small aircraft with a Palent Enterprises logo. An attendant greeted them at the door. “Welcome aboard, Dr. Finn, sir. Make yourselves comfortable. When you’re ready, we’ve been cleared for takeoff.”
“Thank you.” Mikaela grasped Sam’s hand and pulled him into the cabin. Luxurious seats surrounded a small table. Mikaela guided Sam to the seats and sat down.
“Would you like anything to drink before we take off?” the attendant asked.
“Sam?”
He shook his head, still speechless.
“No. We’re fine. Thanks. We’re just anxious to get underway.”
“Great. If you’ll fasten your seatbelts, we’ll be off.” She disappeared into the rear cabin.
Sam looked at Mikaela. “Something you’d like to tell me?” he asked mildly.
“Well, you know my last name is Finn. That’s actually my mother’s maiden name. It was easier and well, maybe safer, for me to use that. My dad’s surname is actually Palent.”
“Palent?”
“Yes, as in Palent Enterprises.”
“As in Palent Plastics and Palent Nanophysics and Palent Aeronautics?”
“Well, yes,” she admitted reluctantly.
“As in the international, multimillion dollar corporation?”
“It’s probably closer to a billion, but yes.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me the truth about this until now?”
“I told you the truth,” she said defensively. “Well
, maybe not the whole truth,” she admitted sheepishly.
“Anything else you need to tell me?”
“No. That’s everything. Except … well, to be perfectly honest … I love you.”
A Note from the Author
To the Reader,
Thank you so much for reading PERFECTLY HONEST. Having readers eager for the next installment of a series is the best motivation to create new stories. If you enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoy writing my stories, you might want to:
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Laugh every day. Love every minute.
Linda O’Connor