Page 74 of Without Regret

She slid out of the bed, throwing on a robe and striding out to the kitchen, effectively closing the subject before I could grab her. I lay there a minute, knowing there wasn’t one ounce of me that suspected she had any romantic inclinations towards the bastard, but there was still something bothering me.

After slipping on my boxers and jeans, I went out to the kitchen and wrapped my arms around her where she stood in front of the refrigerator. I loved the sensation of her back pressed to my front, her curves settling into my body as if they were made for them. She’d come so far from the woman who would have nothing to do with a relationship that the last thing I wanted was to put the whole thing in jeopardy by coming across as jealous. But I also didn’t want any secrets between us.

“One last question, and I promise not to bring him up again.”

“Okay. One last one.”

“Why do you hate him so much? Don’t get me wrong; I definitely get the guy is a dick, but it seems to go beyond that.”

She hesitated before finally speaking. “I don’t care for how he treats people. Makes them feel inferior. His wife is a lot nicer than he is, thankfully.”

I was shocked. “Tom is married?”

“Yep. For the last decade.”

“But he doesn’t wear a ring. Never even mentions a wife—” And I’d seen him get the number of a girl he’d met at a restaurant in New York. “Ah, I just answered my own question about why you can’t stand him.”

“Exactly.”

It was all clicking into place now. “And because of your history with a married man who cheated, I take it you loathed him from the minute he first asked you out.”

She laughed dryly. “Asking me to fuck is not the same as asking me out on a date.”

My jaw clenched, and I instantly I disliked him a little more.

She winced after her words. “I shouldn’t have said that as it was a long time ago. Bottom line is I can’t stand him, but I’ve been forced to work with him on deals over the last few years because he’s Phillip’s nephew and invited himself onto the team. And I’ve already said too much because you have to work with him, too. You certainly don’t need me poisoning the water with my opinion of him. We all have to deal with him if we want to continue working with the Stone Group.”

I turned her around, meeting her gorgeous, jade-colored eyes. “I’m sorry I wasted any of our time together talking about him, but thank you for telling me.”

“What did he say to you outside?”

“Nothing you’d want to hear.”

Her expression made it clear how she felt about that statement.

So I repeated what he’d told me outside, watching the anger flicker in her eyes. But to her credit, she stayed calm, walking to her pantry. “I have no food, so we can order delivery unless you’d rather go to the store.”

“Sugar, you’re pissed, I can tell. But I’d rather you be upset with what he said than about me keeping it from you.” As long as we were honest with each other, we could get through anything.

She gave me a small smile. “And I appreciate that. What pisses me off the most isn’t what he said about me. It’s how he implied that once we ruin this, you can go running to your father to save you. Arrogant bastard gets all of his money from his wife’s family and barely lifts a finger while working for his uncle. You work hard trying to make a name for yourself and—”

I cut her off by pulling her to me and kissing her lips. Nothing was sexier than having the woman of your dreams all indignant on your behalf. The silky robe covering her naked body didn’t hurt, either. “Thank you.”

She kissed me back. “’Welcome. Now feed me before I get hangry.”

I chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

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