Page 21 of His Dark Desire

He shakes his head. "No, you were right. I've treated you badly. As hard as I've tried to put a professional distance between us, I haven't managed that at all. Instead, I've been drawn to you, I've tried, fuck me, but I've tried, but I can't. The night at the event, I gave up fighting what I felt."

I suck in a sharp breath, my gaze locked with his. "Joe," I whimper. I'm unsure as to what to say. "You're married."

He nods. "I am, I'm in the midst of a divorce, the bitch is trying to fight me at every fucking turn." He scrubs a hand down his face, he looks exhausted. I hate that. "I don't want her to taint you, baby," he says thickly. "She's a viper. She's always been a fucking viper. She'll poison everything she touches, and I won't let her do that to you. It's why I've tried to stay away."

"What happens now?" I ask. I need to know how he wants to move forward.

"I don't know. You've been gone for two months. You wouldn't answer the door, you don't return my calls, the only time I can speak to you is via email."

"I fell for you," I say softly. "I let myself fall for a married man." I shake my head. "I knew better, when we kissed, that's all that I could think about. There was this pull between us and nothing. You were a married man and you acted like the kiss didn't faze you, that it meant nothing. I tried. God, I tried so fucking hard to push it aside and carry on as though nothing happened." Tears burn the back of my eyes. "I was finally getting there, and that fucking event happened. Why couldn't you just walk away?" I ask, wondering why he didn't do exactly that.

"You think you're not the only one that fell?" he snaps. "You think you're not the only one that felt something? Fuck, Hazel. You are all that I fucking think about. I've got a kid, a grandchild, and a fucking bitch who won't leave me the fuck alone. I'm trying to sort my business out and then there's you. So fucking beautiful, so fucking innocent and I want you more than I want my next meal. But I need to protect you from my world, from that viper, and there's only so much of your beauty that I can withstand."

I stare at him, completely shocked by his words.

"You asked what happens now?" he says and I nod. "I'm done with waiting around. Two months I've not seen you; I'm not waiting any longer. I want you, Hazel."

"What about your wife?"

His grin is feral. "Soon to be fucking ex-wife. Trust me, that bitch doesn't matter any more."

Can I believe that? Is there really nothing between them? Yes. He's always made that clear. I know that he wouldn't lie to me about that, he's been forthcoming about their relationship, I just didn't know they were getting a divorce. For the first time in over two months, I feel at ease, like I'm able to breathe free.

"I think you need to sit down," I tell him. "I have something to tell you."

His brows knit together. "What's going on?"

I bite my lip, wondering what's the best way to go about telling him this? I decide to just come out and say it. "I'm pregnant."

His eyes widen in shock, then quickly soften with so much tenderness that it takes my breath away. "Pregnant? You're pregnant?" His voice cracks with emotion, it's filled with awe. "Are you sure?"

I nod slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes," I reply softly. "I took multiple tests just to be certain."

He stands there for a moment, staring at me with a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes. Then, unexpectedly, a smile breaks out on his face - a genuine, joyful smile that lights up his features. "Fuck, that's great news."

"It is?" I stutter. "Really?"

He closes the distance between us, pulling me tightly into his arms. "Yes, fuck, you have no idea how happy this makes me. Sure, it wasn't planned, but a baby?"

Relief unlike any other fills me. I press my face into his chest, trying my hardest not to let the tears fall.

His arms tighten around me, and he holds me close. "Fuck, Hazel, you've made me a happy man."

"Does this mean I can come back to work now?" I ask and smile when he bursts out laughing. "I'm going a little stir-crazy working from home."

"Yes baby, you can come back to work. I've missed you."

I stay in his arms, loving the support that he's giving me. Maybe things won't be as bad as I had been thinking. I never expected him to be this happy. But seeing his reaction, it erased all the fears that I've had.

Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to see where this connection we have leads us.

CHAPTER 9

Joe

I bring the tumbler of whiskey to my lips. I take a sip of the bourbon, it’s a bottle from New Cut Bourbon, the company that I’m in the midst of purchasing. I love the burn as it slides down my throat. It’s been a fucking hell of a week. The only reprieve that I have is coming home and having Hazel in my bed.

Things between us have been better than ever. Not seeing her for two months almost killed me. I’ve never been a man that’s ever felt tied to a woman, but Hazel is different. I don’t feel like the uncaring bastard I was with Christina, instead, I feel love for the woman I care about.

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