Page 68 of Kiss Me Forever

She sucked in a quick breath. "Do you know what you're asking, Alex?"

"Yes." He met her gaze head-on. "I'm asking you not to tell the world about my past, about my mother. I know it will make your story better, and you have a career to build, but I'm asking you not to go there."

"I need to think," she said slowly.

It was not the answer he wanted to hear. "Do you really need time to think about whether or not it's worth protecting two innocent children?"

"That's not fair, Alex. You've given me three seconds to digest this information."

He got to his feet. "You should go then, and think—think hard. Then do what you need to do."

She stood up and pulled an envelope out of her bag. "I really don't want to give this to you now, but your mother asked me to make sure you received it, and I promised her I would do that. So here it is."

He couldn't bring himself to take the letter.

Andrea put it on the table, then walked out of the room.

He followed her to the front door, waiting for her to stop, to tell him that she would keep his secrets, that she would protect his sisters, that she would protect him... But she left without a word.

Chapter Fourteen

Andrea was still thinking about what she wanted to do with Alex's story when she walked into her office building just after eight on Friday morning. She was tired and in a bad mood, having once again slept very little the night before. Alex's story had gone around and around in her head. She could still hear the pain in his voice and see the hurt in his eyes when he spoke about being abandoned by his mother. He'd opened up to her, and he'd begged her to keep his secrets. A part of her really wanted to do that. The other part of her knew she still had to come up with a worthy cover story or her job would be on the line.

She needed to figure something out fast because her boss was standing by the receptionist's desk when she entered the lobby.

"How's it going with Donovan?" Roger asked, falling into step with her as she walked towards her cubicle. "I'm really hoping there's more to his story than just benevolent millionaire."

"That's a pretty good story on its own. You said it yourself when you gave me the assignment. Everyone likes a good success story, and Alexander Donovan is certainly that. Plus, he's a rich, attractive bachelor. You'll get the women readers with just that."

He gave her a speculative look. "What is wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You sound like you're going to give me the same story Alex has given every other news outlet in town. This is the cover, Andrea. We need something no one else has. You've been following the guy around all week. Surely, you've come up with more?"

She shrugged. "Not really, and I can't make something up, Roger."

"I'm not asking you to do that, but there's not a man alive who doesn't have a few embarrassments or skeletons in the closet. Keep looking. Are you seeing him this weekend?"

"No, it's my sister's bachelorette weekend. I'm leaving for Napa tonight. I'll follow up with Alex on Monday."

Roger didn't look happy at that piece of information. "I need a draft by next Wednesday."

"You'll have it."

As Roger left, she sat down at her desk with a sigh. She didn't have to keep looking for more dirt on Alex. She knew everything now, every little dirty secret. It was what to do with that information that she didn't know.

Alex had done an amazing job pulling himself out of the hole his mother had thrown him into when he was ten years old. All his success was a testament to his strong spirit, his determination to find a better life, his willingness to keep looking up and out instead of wallowing in the darkness.

He'd done it all on his own, and in many ways he was still on his own. She wondered if keeping the secret of his past was why he hadn't become seriously involved with anyone. Or maybe that reluctance went deeper than secrets. He'd loved his mother, and she'd rejected him, abandoned him, broken the most sacred trust of all, that between a mother and a child. It would be completely understandable if Alex had a problem with trust.

She'd broken his trust, too, she thought with a sorrowful sigh. By reading that text and going to see his mother, she'd betrayed him. He'd let her into his house. She'd used the advantage she'd gotten to get what she needed—a better story.

Roger would like her initiative, but she just felt bad. And she had no idea what to do next.

Alex had asked her to keep his secret, to protect his half-sisters and maybe to protect him, too, although he hadn't come right out and said that. He'd put it all on her, and there was a big part of her that wished she'd never learned the truth. But she had, and she had to deal with it. She had to make a decision that would affect a lot of people, including herself.

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