Page 113 of Undeniable

He was smart enough to look at least a little shameful. I couldn’t say that I was completely surprised, though. Since James’s company had acquired another smaller company, he hadn’t been happy. The hours were wearing on him, and after years of making his job his life, his priorities were no longer the same.

I stayed at his townhome more often than not and every day that he came home late—sometimes when I was already long asleep—he’d say the same thing: that it wasn’t worth being gone all the time.

Not to mention that a few of the new people they’d brought on with the merger were gunning to get James out. He was too good at his job and they didn’t like the competition. I’d witnessed it firsthand at their company Christmas party. Between the near-constant scathing looks and the snide comments, I had to work to hold my tongue. As protective as he was of me, I was also protective of him. James was one of the hardest workers I’d ever known and he didn’t deserve any of what they were putting him through.

“I don’t know. Probably because I was worried what you’d say,” he remarked with a shrug, and I turned to him, propping my hip against the counter and crossing my arms over my chest.

“And what do you think I would’ve said?”

He sighed. “That I probably should’ve had something else lined upbeforeI put in my notice.”

I thought for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s exactly what I would’ve said because that’s the smart move! You don’t know how long it might take you to find something else.”

I could see the argument on his face, and I knew he was going to make some comment about how awesome he was and how easily he could find something else. So I continued before he could say anything else.

“Yes, I know you’re great at what you do and blah blah blah. But you have other things to worry about. You can’t continue driving around in your old truck, so you need to buy a new car. And you have rent and other bills—”

“So, I’m guessing this would also be a bad time to ask you to move in with me?”

Every one of my thoughts ceased.That one,I hadn’t seen it coming. And he was right. It was a very bad time to ask that.

“You just quit your job and you want me to move in with you?”

“Yes.”

Again, there weren’t any signs that he was messing around. He was completely serious and absolutely insane.

Unsure what to say or do or how to respond, I pivoted and walked out of the bathroom, finding my suitcase empty on top of the bed. Quickly, I sifted through the clothes I’d dropped next to it and found the jeans and sweater I’d planned to wear.

I heard James’s soft steps on the plush carpet as I jumped to pull my jeans over my hips.

“How are we going to pay rent if you don’t have a job? I can’t believe you justquit.I can’t move in with a man who doesn’t have a job.”

James laughed and sat, still with only the towel around his hips, on the green chair tucked in the corner of the room next to the bedside table.

“I have more than enough savings to last us both for a while, but I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was drained, and I didn’t know what else to do. I made the decision one morning and put in my notice that afternoon. I didn’t want to worry you and that’s why I didn’t tell you.”

His tone was serious, and after I’d clasped my bra, I turned to him. The sunlight streamed through the open window to his right and highlighted the softness in his features. It stifled the frustration I’d felt only moments earlier.

He had seemed lighter and less stressed in the past few weeks, and I guess not having to worry about returning to work after the holidays was a major contributing factor.

“You do plan on getting another job, don’t you?” I asked with a small smile.

His eyes lazily perused my body. With only jeans and a plain black bra on, he still looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Yes, Killer,” he said in a low voice. “However, the idea of hanging out atourhouse and waiting for you to come home and ride my face every evening is very tempting.”

I shook my head. “I’m trying to be serious.”

“So am I,” he said casually, and I narrowed my eyes. Slowly, he leaned forward and reached out a hand. I hesitated for a moment, considering his offer, but there wasn’t anything to really consider. I took his hand, and he pulled me closer until my knees bumped the inside of his parted thighs. He gripped the backs of my own thighs to keep me in place, and his blue eyes captured mine as he peered up at me.

“Where does that leave us then? Will you move in with me?”

The butterflies in my stomach were going to make me nauseous.

“I guess so,” I said, and with the way James smiled, you would’ve thought I’d given him the world.

“We might end up killing each other,” I added, and he laughed, pulling me down on top of him until I was straddling his naked body.

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