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Not ten minutes after Lana had finaly managed to push Caleb’s silent presence out of her mind, her ex-fiancé, Oran Sinclair, came striding into her office. He moved with the arrogant confidence of a man who was sure that everyone around him was watching and enjoying the view. Lana’s stomach twisted at the sight of him, sending up a flare of anger and disgust—anger that he’d come waltzing in here like he owned the place, and disgust that she hadn’t come to know him for the selfish man he was before he broke her heart.
He was just as handsome now as he had been when she’d falen in love with him during her sophomore year at MU. With his perfectly trimmed blond hair and those al-American, camera-friendly good looks, he’d swept her off her feet. She’d been too young then to realize that she’d only land on her ass a few years later.
So much for true love.
Oran straightened his power tie and gave her a disarming smile—the one he used when posing for the press after a successful trial.
He gave Caleb a speculative glance as he strode over to her desk. “Lana,” he greeted, taking her hand from her side when she didn’t offer it.
His fingers were cold and a little clammy, as if he was nervous, which was ridiculous, because Oran hadn’t been nervous a day in his life. He fed on pressure, bloomed under stress—like some sort of exotic fungus.
Lana puled away from Oran’s grip a little too fast, giving away her dislike for the man. Caleb saw it and stood from his seat, taking a warning step forward. She gave Caleb a smal shake of her head, and although his frown was grim, he stayed on his side of the room.
“Who’s your friend?” asked Oran with a nod toward Caleb.
“He’s not my friend. Just ignore him. That’s what I’m trying to do. ”
Oran’s smile widened, and a touch of victory lit his eyes.
“What do you want, Oran?” she demanded. “Troling for campaign contributions for that lofty political career you’ve had your eye on?”
He gave her a handsome smile that crinkled the corners of his flashing blue eyes. “Nothing like that, darling. I haven’t heard from you since Easter. Why haven’t you returned my cals?”
“Because I have nothing to say to you. Mom never should have invited you to dinner. ”
“She’s worried about you. ”
Nothing new there.
He continued, “She told me how strapped you are for cash these days. I wanted to discuss what I could do for you. ”
Warning bels gonged in Lana’s head. Oran never did anything outside of his own self-interest. “No, thanks,” she said and sat down, dismissing him without explanation.
“You didn’t even hear me out,” he said, puling up a chair too near her own.
“Don’t need to. Whatever it is, I’m not interested. ”
“Not even if I told you that I’m wiling to fund your foundation for the next five years?”
Lana’s hand stiled its scribbling and she looked up. He wore that same disarming smile that had made her give her heart away to him so easily six years ago. The same one that would win votes.
His offer of funding sounded too good to be true. Oran was not a generous man. “You only give to charity when the press is watching. If I actualy believed you, I might listen, but I know better. ”
He reached out toward her, and it was al she could do not to flinch away and draw Caleb’s attention. She hated having an audience for this. It was hard enough without one.
His fingers settled against her cheek in a mockery of a caring touch. “You look tired. You’re working too hard, Lana. I know how much this place means to you, and I want to help. ”
“Why?” she asked, knowing she’d regret being puled into his world—a world where nothing else mattered beyond his political aspirations. She had to remember that.
“Would you believe I want to help because I care about you?” he asked, sounding sincere.
“No. ”
He gave a self-deprecating smile that reeked of long hours of practice in front of a mirror. “I didn’t think so. I know things didn’t end wel between us, and I just wanted you to know how badly I feel about that. I should have been more understanding. ”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Caleb watching them without even the pretense of trying to give them privacy.
Lovely. As if she hadn’t had enough awkwardness today.
“You told me that I was no good to you in a wheelchair, Oran. You told me that a woman who might not be able to give you children just wasn’t an option for you. Tel me how you could have been any less understanding. ”
Oran threw a quick, questioning glance at Caleb, then lowered his voice. “I was an ass. I’m sorry, Lana. I want a chance to make it up to you. ”
“By helping fund my foundation?” she asked in disbelief.
“By giving us another shot. You and I were good together. ”
“Apparently not good enough for you to stick around. You dumped me before I was even out of the hospital!”
Caleb surged to his feet, and from over Oran’s shoulder, she pinned Caleb with a hard glare. “You stay out of this. It’s none of your business. ”
“Who is he?” asked Oran. “Can you send him away so we can talk in private?”
“Send him away?” she nearly screeched. “That is so like you, Oran. Everyone is your servant to be ordered around as you please. ”
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Caleb in a warning growl. His dark eyes were fixed on Lana, daring her to try to get him to leave. As if she needed to cause any more of a scene than she already was with Oran.
“Just ignore him,” Lana told Oran. “He doesn’t live here, so he can’t vote against you. ”
“I’m hurt that you think that’s al I care about,” said Oran.
“I know that’s al you care about. ” She jabbed a finger hard into Oran’s chest. “You couldn’t wait to unload the burden of having a handicapped woman hanging around your neck. I’ve told you over and over that it’s over between us. Period. What makes you think I’d give you another chance?”
“Because if you do, I’l make sure the First Light Foundation doesn’t fold. I know how important it is to you. ”
He knew it and was using it to shameless advantage. If she had even the slightest reason to believe him, she might be tempted to play along, but she knew better. “Are you saying you want to buy my forgiveness?”
“I know better than to try to do that. Al I want is for you to see how sorry I am for the way I treated you. ”
“Why now? Why not six months ago, when I was struggling to get the foundation started? Did you just now realize what a complete asshole you were? Or did one of your campaign managers run the numbers and find out that I’m a better attachment than Brittney?”
A guilty flush rose up from under his colar.
“You do remember her, right?” asked Lana. “Brittney? The woman you’re supposed to marry?”
“She can never be to me what you were. My first love. ” His fingers stroked along her jaw, and Lana pushed his hand away with a hard shove.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Caleb’s big hands tighten into fists, but he stayed put.
Lana wanted to snort at Oran’s ludicrous statement. Once upon a time, his comment would have made her go sappy, but that was a lifetime ago. “Then perhaps you shouldn’t marry her. ”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d say. Somewhere deep down, you know we belong together. ” He reached for her again, but Lana leaned away and he took the hint, letting his hand drop.
“What I know is that the only person you’ve ever truly loved is yourself. I don’t care how much money you’re offering the foundation, it’s not enough to buy my forgiveness. ”
“Then what about your time? Al I want is another chance. Come have dinner with me. Just dinner. ” His voice was coaxing.
“Why do you keep asking me out? Didn’t you just get engaged?”
“It’
s not working out,” he said.
“What happened? Did Brittney use the wrong fork while dining with the governor?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve just been doing a lot of soul-searching and realized that you’re the woman I want. If that means supporting your chosen career, then that’s what I’l do. ” He made it sound like he would be making a sacrifice to let her do her job.
Lana had a flash of insight and decided to test her theory. “What if I want to quit my job?”
“You love it too much. I wouldn’t want you to do that, darling. ”
“Why not?” she asked sweetly.
“You’re doing good work. The press loves you. Why on earth would you want to quit?”
The press. That was it. Lana had been the focus of several major news articles lately, and Oran wanted a piece of the coverage. “We’re done here, Oran. See yourself out. ”
Lana went back to her work, trying to focus on the page in front of her. The words made no sense, but she stared at them as if they held the meaning of life.
How could she have ever believed he loved her? It was so clear to her now that that emotion was beyond him. He was just one more foolish mistake she’d made.
“Don’t do this, Lana. ” That gentle, caring tone he used nearly kiled her. He was offering her everything she wanted, but she knew it was an ilusion. No matter how much she loved him, he’d never be able to love her back the way she wanted. Needed.
“I’m not doing anything,” said Lana. “I didn’t ask you to come here. I didn’t ask anything of you at al. But now I am asking you to leave. ”
Caleb took a step forward, scowling, looking hugely intimidating. Oran didn’t seem to notice the threat, but then, he didn’t know what Caleb was capable of the way she did. She’d seen him kil the man who’d beaten and tortured her. In fact, he made kiling look frighteningly easy.
“I don’t want to leave things like this. You and I can have a future together. Come back to me and let me prove it. ”
“There is no future for us. You ruined any chance of that when you abandoned me when I needed you most. ”
“I told you I’m sorry. Can’t we move past it?”
“It’s too late for that,” said Lana.
“The lady asked you to leave,” said Caleb, his voice low and steady. He was stil several feet away, but no less threatening because of it. “You should do so. ”
“Who the hel are you, anyway?” asked Oran, his nose twitching as if he smeled something bad.
Lana wasn’t quick enough to think of a reason for Caleb to be here.
“I’m the man who’s going to help you find the door if you can’t do it on your own,” said Caleb. His voice was even, calm.
Oran looked up and down Caleb’s big body. “Do you work with Lana?”
“Yes,” said Caleb at the same time Lana said, “No. ”
Oran looked between them, his photogenic smile nowhere to be found. “Think about what I said, Lana. I’l give you some time to think things over, and then I’l be back for your answer. ”
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