Page 38 of Without Regret

“What did the symbol mean?”

“Unfaithful.”

I burst out laughing and propped up so I could see her face. My reaction appeared to wash instant relief over her. “And you didn’t sleep with him after that?”

She shook her head, smiling. “Nope. Never. He wasn’t happy about my decision. Then again, I’m certain his wife and kids wouldn’t have been happy if I’d chosen otherwise.”

“How does Tom know about it?”

She hesitated. “Unfortunately, there was a scene in the office in New York where I was working the receptionist desk. The guy confronted me. It got loud and ugly. I’m not proud of that situation. I may be a bitch sometimes, but I’m not cruel. I suppose my permanent inked retribution for a cheater is debatable.”

“Did he break your heart, this guy with the tattoo?” I wondered if this was why she had a tough time with relationships.

“No. It was never serious. But he hurt my pride, not to mention my trust.”

It explained why she was wary although I sensed there was more to the story. “Tom is a jackass for having brought it up.”

“Yes, he is. We all have to work together, but I would caution you to be careful with him.”

“I’d gathered that before I even met him. I get he’s Phillip’s nephew, but if he’s such an ass, why does Phillip keep him around?”

She shrugged. “My guess is Tom has something on him. Or maybe Phillip’s simply loyal to family.”

“Why didn’t you defend yourself about the tattoo at dinner when he brought it up? Why let me believe the worst?” I could already guess the answer, but I wanted to hear it from her.

Her sigh filled the room. “I don’t do relationships. I figured the best way to ensure you’d keep your distance was if you believed the worst.”

I guessed there was a lot more she wasn’t telling me, but since we’d already made so much progress, I didn’t want to push. “What does your ink mean?” I was curious about the small Chinese character on her hip.

She appeared surprised I’d noticed it. “Peace or something like that.”

One more piece of the enigma making up Emma. I knew for certain she wouldn’t have gotten anything permanent without knowing exactly what it was. But she wasn’t ready to tell me yet, and I needed to be patient.

“When did you get yours?” she asked.

“After college. My best friend Mason was home from Iraq, and we spent a the weekend in Austin and both got our first tattoos. I’d love to say mine had some deeper meaning, but honestly, I just thought it looked cool.”

Her fingers slid over the design. “It’s good work. And the piercing?”

“Lost a bet for fantasy football and had to get something pierced. Didn’t mind it as much as I thought I would, and the ladies—” I immediately stopped what I’d been about to say.

She laughed. “Enjoyed it, I’m sure.”

“Something like that.” Nothing like inadvertently bringing up other women in bed. But for some reason, my slip-up seemed to relax her. Almost as if it emphasized this wasn’t serious. One step forward. Two steps back.

“So, um, I’d better get going.”

I captured her wrist, giving the inside of it a quick kiss. “What’s the hurry?”

She leveled her gaze at me. “This isn’t the type of thing where we’re going to be spending the night, sleeping, and waking up together.”

I smirked, reaching both of our fingers down to her wet center and enjoying the catch of her breath. “I don’t recall saying anything about sleeping, sugar.”

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