Page 4 of Stay

Much like my heart.

“Let’s start over,” she suggests, and I refuse to recall how she used to say those exact words whenever we’d explore some new kink or role play scene and one of us fucked up. “Hi, Cole.” Haley holds her hand out for me to shake. “Long time no see.”

I stare at her, ready to play along, but when she tucks her hair behind her ear with her free hand, something glittery catches my attention.

There’s a massive diamond ring on her finger.

My stomach plummets. Every fantasy, every memory, every dream, every hope that this meeting is the universe’s way of bringing us back together like some kind of fated second chance romance bursts into flames.

My professionalism slides back into place as my mind goes white with numbness.

I shake her hand like a professional, feeling my heart lay bricks around itself. “How have you been, Haley?”

“Good,” she half laughs. It’s her nervous giggle. I remember it well. “Really good, actually, which is why I’m here.”

While my throat tightens up, I point at a chair. “Have a seat.” She obeys while I gather my composure and sit across from her. “Now, what do you need from me?”

Chapter 2

Haley

“What do you need from me?” Cole asks, peppering hot kisses down my body.

“I need you to make me come.” Arching my back, I groan as he latches onto my pussy and shoves his f—

Nope. Stop that. I can’t be thinking dirty thoughts of the man I’m trying to hire to design my new office. It’s so unprofessional and awkward.

And embarrassing.

I gave his secretary my name and said it was important that she relayed it. Did he think some other Haley Davis was meeting with him this morning? Or maybe he’s forgotten all about the shit we used to do together.

Either way, he doesn’t look happy to see me.

I shouldn’t be surprised. We parted ways so coldly back then. As if walking away as fast as possible might make the heartache less agonizing. At least, that’s how it was for me.

Who knows why Cole let me go.

You weren’t that special to him, Haley. Get a grip and be professional. Don’t make this worse.

He asked what I needed from him, so here goes. “I’d like for you to design my new office space.” My hands shake when I pull out the blueprints for my new investment. “I have the third floor, but it’s not conducive to my business with the way it’s set up now.”

I hand him the drawings, and he carefully unrolls them on his pristine desk. To my left is a huge drafting table and stool that I’m sure he uses a lot more.

“What is it you do now?” His big hands spread out the paper, and he places weights down to hold the corners in place.

I remember how he used to hold me in place and use those big hands to spread my body, too.

“Ummm. I have a party planning business. Event coordinating, I mean.” Oh my god. I sound so stupid. It’s just that I’m beyond flustered. Sitting across from the love of my life and pretending like it doesn’t faze me is absolute torture.

I want nothing more than to crawl into his lap and kiss the hell out of him.

How on earth did Cole get hotter? Is that even legal?

Cole’s eyes snap to mine and a huge smile blazes across his face. “You did it?” He leans in and looks absolutely ecstatic. “You fucking made your big Silver Lining Events dream come true?”

He remembers that?

Don’t read into it, Haley.

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