Page 27 of Hayes

He was in her bed, and she was no longer going to fight him. But she was not some idealistic teenager anymore. She had been forced to grow up when she was just seventeen, and it had been rough, but she survived.

Hayes Marsden was simply out of her reach. "We can see each other and- and when you are ready to settle down, you are going to find someone–" She stuttered to a stop at the furious look on his face. "I am not saying that to hurt you–"

"Imagine if you were." His deep voice reeked of sarcasm. "You want a fling, is that it?"

"No." She plucked at the sheets restlessly and wished he had not brought up marriage. "I love you–"

"You have a damn funny way of showing it."

"I am asking you to listen–"

"Go on." He inclined his head haughtily and had her sighing. "I wrote that piece on the airline takeover and I did my research." her eyes shone with admiration. "I know we spoke often about the changes you wanted when it was your time at the realm.

You had seen the lack and made suggestions to your dad, ones that had been ignored. You implemented those changes, and Hayes, I am so impressed. I traveled—my aunt and I traveled on one of your planes, Jet Spring, and I took note of the uniforms. Bright, cheerful colors. The attendants were friendly and very nice.

The meal was unlike anything I had ever had when flying. Most airlines are cutting costs by doing away with meals and entertainment, but flying is scary for some people and taking their minds off the fact that they are in the air, is something that should be taken into consideration, and you have that nailed."

"You are proud of my accomplishments. Thanks. What I want to know is where this is going."

She faced him squarely. You are a big deal in the business world. Someone tried to take a hit at your reputation with the takeover of Southern Airlines, and the press was all over it. You or your PR team had to do damage control." She took a deep breath.

"The scandal surrounding me—what my parents did to each other, the gory details of their lives have been told and retold several times.

There is a tell-all book about them. The directors and producers called me several times to receive permission to make a story, and I refused." She shook her head. "I need a break; I need to be normal for a change. And getting together with you is going to open everything back up again. I cannot take that chance. I am sorry."

"So, what are you saying, Camelia?"

Whenever he called her by her full name, she knew he was struggling with anger. "I am saying we should see each other but be discreet about it."

"You want to hide."

"Something like that.” She gave him a pleading look. "I am thinking of you as well."

"Is that right?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Did I ask you to do that? Has it occurred to you that I can think for myself? Be responsible for my own actions? You claim you love me–"

"I do! You know I do."

"And yet, you sit there and tell me calmly that you would be comfortable and accepting of me marrying someone else. What the hell are you really saying?"

Her eyes shied away from the fury in his, her heart pounding inside her chest. "I would not be comfortable. That's not the word I would use.

When I was away, I tried to get over you, and I managed to stop obsessing over who you were with for a while. Then I would see you photographed with some beautiful blonde or brunette, and my heart would break into tiny pieces. I resented you," she said woodenly.

"I thought to myself that there you were, enjoying your life and moving on, and I was frozen in time. I tried to - to go to bed with someone I met in Spain and –" She closed her eyes briefly.

"He tried kissing me, and I couldn't stomach it. When he started to take off my clothes, I fled because I was sickened at the thought of being with someone else. I tried two more times and then gave up. But it was easy for you–" She gasped as he wrenched her face around, eyes blazing.

"Easy for me? Easy for me? How the hell can you say that? Easy for me? Let me tell you how 'easy' it was for me. I used women to try and get over you. It didn't work. I drank so that I could fall asleep without dreaming about you.

When that didn't work either, I took two women into my bed at a time, thinking that that would make a difference. Guess what? It didn't. So don't you dare say that to me, again. I went through hell, and you damn well knew it.

We shared something that was extraordinary, frightening at times and we spoke about it. We knew even then that it was going to last a lifetime. We knew that we would never ever love that way again. And you want me to marry someone else." Letting go of her chin, he swung his legs off the bed.

"Hayes, please."

"You pissed me off!" He rounded on her, green eyes blazing. "How can you say that to me?"

"I don't know what to do." she whispered tearfully. "I am just trying to make you understand that I cannot do this right now. I cannot go back to being the girl I was before."

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