Page 53 of My Not So Wicked Boss (My Not So Wicked 3)

“Right,” Leland sneered. “I’ll leave you to your friend.”

As soon as Leland walked off, the adrenaline coursing through me drained out of me. I was back to shaking and tears. This time, though, I found myself in my friend’s arms. Miles wrapped me up so quickly I didn’t have time to react or reject the gesture. I stood stunned for several seconds. I hadn’t been in a man’s arms other than my father’s or Brad’s in a long, long time.

Miles wasn’t deterred by my stiff posture. He ran his hand down my hair. “I’m here for you,” he whispered.

I believed him and sank into him. Um . . . oh . . . wow, did it ever feel nice.Chapter Twenty“Can I ask you something?” Miles whispered across the bed from Henry who was out like a light after only one bedtime story. I should take the kid to the Ranch every day.

“Sure?” I whispered back.

“Why did you feel the need to tell your wanker ex we weren’t a couple? We could have had some fun with that. Used it to your advantage.”

I sank down on my knees and thought about what to say. As far as Leland knew, I worked for Taron Taylor, not Miles Wickham. For a split second, the abandoned young woman in me wanted Leland to think I had moved on to much greener pastures. I wanted Leland to think I was wanted. But I didn’t want to be ruled by that abandoned girl anymore. “I don’t ever want another pretend relationship. I felt like that was all my marriage was. If I decide to be in a relationship again, I want it to be all real.”

Miles lowered his head. “You deserve that and more,” he sounded melancholy.

“I’m not even sure I’m brave enough to attempt one again.”

Miles lifted his head. “But you’re open to the idea?”

I stood up and tiptoed toward the door. “I don’t know about that. Right now, all I can think about is that I have to go tell my daughter that her sperm donor is back in town.”

Miles met me at the door. “I don’t envy you that task.”

We stood at the door together, staring at one another awkwardly like we had just been on a first date and were saying goodbye, like we wanted to keep the conversation going but didn’t know what else to say.

“Well . . . good night.” I stared down at my black ballet flats. “I hope you get in some good writing.”

“Aspen.”

I tilted my head up and met his gorgeous eyes.

“Thank you for today. And I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable leading your ex to think we were more than we can be. I was out of my head. I haven’t been that riled in a long time.”

I noted his language, more than we can be. “I appreciate what you tried to do. And I enjoyed helping you today.”

“I look forward to many more days like it.”

“Will we be going on more field trips?” I hoped the answer was yes.

“Count on it, love. Good night.”

“Good night.” I watched him walk down the hall. Something felt different. Maybe it was me.

On my way downstairs, my phone buzzed. I answered when I entered the mud room that had an exterior door which allowed easy access to the path that led to the cottage.

“Hey, Emma.”

“Hey there yourself. How was your day?” She was fishing for some juicy details. She knew full well I was at the Ranch with Miles. I’d called her first to see if her dad would mind.

“It was interesting.”

“Oh, come on, I heard it was more than that. My dad said the two of you were awfully cozy together and he could sense a spark between you.”

My first instinct was to say there wasn’t, but that wasn’t true. “Even if there was, nothing is going to happen.”

“So you are admitting to sparks between you two?”

“We’re friends.”

“I used to say that about Sawyer and me, remember?”

I sat down on the upholstered bench and kept my voice down. “Yeah, well you didn’t sign a contract agreeing to no romantic entanglements, and we all tried to tell you Sawyer was into you.”

“True, but contracts can be amended.”

“That’s not going to happen. Miles has made that very clear. Besides I had this weird epiphany thing happen to me today and I’m not really sure what to do about it.”

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“I think so, but I’m not going to lie, I’m a little freaked about it.”

“Do you want to talk?”

“It’s kind of embarrassing and I don’t even know how to say it.”

“It’s me, Aspen, you’ve seen me in panda pajamas and burping the alphabet. And let’s not forget half naked in a vat of slime singing to the Spice Girls. It doesn’t get more embarrassing than that.”

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