Page 40 of Without Regret

“Hello, Trevor.”

“Good morning.”

“Ready to start the pre-work on your very first possible acquisition?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

I watched as both men walked into the conference room, trying in vain not to stare at Trevor’s ass.

***

I went to the gym after work. A workout was not only a mechanism for keeping my ass in shape, but it also allowed me to stow my inner bitch. The one that tended to creep out when I was feeling unsettled. After exhausting myself with a spin class, I drove home. I was unable to prevent myself from searching for Trevor’s truck in the lot. When I saw it parked in his spot, I was a mixture of excited he was home and annoyed at myself for being so damn—well, excited.

I halfway expected he might come out to greet me, but no such luck. Since when had I become so used to his ‘random walks of Rufus’? And why was it annoying me that he was no longer trying to accidentally run into me? Had he finished the chase? Gotten his prize, and now needn’t bother to put in the effort? Even recognizing I was being irrational didn’t stop me from feeling in a huff about it.

I’d been the one to say I didn’t do relationships, and now I was getting exactly what I’d said I’d wanted. So why was it making me feel so empty?

Fuck. This is exactly why I avoided this type of thing, where the next day I had to see the person I’d slept with. Despite telling him and myself I wouldn’t get attached, I was already missing his stupid face.

The knock on my door after I’d been home ten minutes had me taking a deep breath. The last thing I wanted was for him to see I was upset. Especially since I wouldn’t be able to give him a comfortable explanation.

“Hey,” I greeted, only to have any other words die on my lips. Because there he was, handsome smile, bottle of champagne, and two glasses in hand.

“Hey, yourself. I came by earlier, but you weren’t home.”

“Oh. I was at the gym.”

“Can I come in?”

I’d been standing there dumbfounded. “Yes. Sorry. Um, I take it with the champagne, we’re celebrating something?”

He grinned, landing a kiss on my lips as if he’d done it a thousand times. “You bet. We’re about to embark on my first deal, and I got a kudos today from Simon that I was ready. Which, if I’m being honest, is both exciting and daunting.”

Wait. So what part was worth celebrating? I wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but normally I reserved a celebration for the end goal, not the beginning. He must’ve read my thoughts on my face.

“My mother always used to say to celebrate the small things within the journey because endings are over too quickly.”

It was the first time I’d seen him show any insecurity whatsoever. And far be it from me to rain on his parade. Besides, he’d said the adage so sweetly, and now I remembered he’d said something about having lost his mother. “I’d say that’s good advice. So congratulations. Is it Houston we’re traveling to?”

He went to my kitchen to set the glasses down on my counter and pour. “Yes. Sorry it doesn’t get you out of the Lone Star State.”

“It’s okay.” Suddenly I wasn’t quite so anxious to leave the state of Texas, which was weird.

He handed me the glass of bubbly and held out his own.

“To my first acquisition. May I not have to lay anyone off.”

I clinked my glass to his and realized his toast was revealing. “You going to be okay if you have to?”

“I have to be as it’s an unfortunate part of the job. I realize it may make me sound twelve to say this, but I have something to prove to my father. Big shoes and all that.”

“I’m sure it’s natural.” Not that I would know. I don’t think anyone had ever been proud of me. While growing up, I hadn’t had any expectations of myself other than finding my next meal and getting the hell out of the foster care system. I literally shook the thought from my head, not wanting to feel selfish. This was his journey, not mine. “You should be proud. You’ve caught on quickly.”

I went over and put my arms around him, enjoying the look of surprise on his face as I did so. Yeah, clearly I could be sweet, and this felt—well, it felt nice. Especially when he simply held me there. No copping a feel, nothing sexual, just pure comfort without agenda.

“Did you eat?”

He stepped back, cupping my chin. “Not yet. How about I take you out for a proper celebration.”

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