Page 93 of Unexpected Kisses

“You know I never knew the name of his assistant because he always referred to you as his ‘assistant.’” Her eyes widen. “Yeah.” I nod and hold out my hand to Sarah. She studies it but makes no move to take it. “We need to talk.”

She glances back at the door as boisterous laughter comes from Grandfather’s office. “Not now, I’m working,” she hisses.

“When you get home, then.”

Her shoulders jump up to her ears. “About that.” She glances at the door again, then leans closer, dropping the volume of her voice. “I’ll need to pick up my things.”

“No!” I shout, then lower my voice. “I know what you’re gonna do and I won’t let you.”

“This is my job, AJ.”

The muscle in my chest pounds heavily and I search for something to say. “And I’m your boyfriend.”

She shakes her head. “You can’t be. You’re gonna be my boss,” she whispers, her shaky hand coming up to push a lock of hair roughly behind her ear.

I lean over her desk, closer, locking my eyes with Sarah’s, imploring her to listen to me. “I don’t give a fuck if I’m going to be your boss. I’m not letting you go. Not now. Not ever. Don’t throw away what we have for this.” I drill my finger into her desk.

She presses forward and my eyes drop to her cleavage as her top gapes open. “It’s okay for you to expect me to give up this job, you have your own company and then you’ll have this one,” she hisses. “How will I support myself? This is one of the best paying assistant jobs around.”

“I can support you, Sarah. You and our baby when we have one. You won’t need to work.”

She huffs out a sarcastic chuckle. “So, you’re like your grandfather then. You think women should be at home with the children, not in the workplace.”

What the fuck?

I draw my head back as though she slapped me. “No. Of course not. How can you say that? All I’m saying is you don’t needthisjob. You’ve got me.” I jab my thumb into my chest. “But maybe you don’t want me. This only ever started out with you wanting a donor. Is that all I’m good for, Sarah?” Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. I snap my mouth closed and hold my hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said any of that.” My anger at the situation and fear of losing Sarah has crumbled my usual control.

Grandfather’s door opens, catching Sarah and me staring at each other in disbelief that we’ve just fought. If I was worried I’d lose her before, then I’m pretty sure I just hammered the nail in our coffin. “I thought you’d left.” He steps to the side of the door, waving his arm inside. “Come back inside, we’ll hammer out some of the details.”

My eyes bounce between Sarah and Grandfather, and I grasp the back of my neck and squeeze it tight. “No. I can’t. I have a project I need to get done today.” Without another word, I spin on my heel.

“Are you okay, Sarah? You don’t look so well,” I hear Grandfather say. Every molecule in my body is telling me to stop. To go back. To make things right. To check she’s okay. But I can’t. I’ve said too much and crossed too many lines today. I need to regroup.

* * *

I climb into my Jeep and slam the door, then thump the steering wheel. I start the car and drive. I need to think and I need to calm the fuck down. I never lose my cool like that, but the fear of losing Sarah was overriding my common sense and I couldn’t seem to shut my damn mouth. It felt as though a knife stabbed me in the chest when Sarah chose her job over me. I knew it was coming the second I realized she worked for my grandfather, but I had hoped that she loved … no, cared for me enough that she would choose our future together over her position in the company. A company that doesn’t even respect or value her.

Glancing at the back seat, I check if I have my climbing bag in the car and I do. I turn right instead of left and head toward the gym. I can’t sit in an office with this pent-up frustration inside of me. I need to burn some of it off.

Grant does a double take when he spots me walking through the door. “You’re not usually here at this time of day.”

“Need to expend some energy. Is it okay if I climb?”

“Go for it. You know you’re always welcome here. I can come and belay for you in a minute, once I finish updating my books.”

“Thanks, Grant. Appreciate it, man.” I head to the locker room to change and start with some basic bouldering while I wait for Grant.

Taking a few deep breaths, I focus my attention, pushing this morning to the far recesses of my mind. It won’t do me any good to be unfocused while I’m climbing. Grant’s changed the holds since I was here last, something he does regularly to keep the climbs fresh, making it easier to narrow my focus from one hold to the next.

“Looking strong there, AJ.”

“Thanks.” I make my way to the other end of the wall easily and climb down to the mat. Grant’s waiting ready to give me a high-five. Chalk dust flies in the air and we make our way over to the rope section.

I spend most of the day climbing, using the ropes when Grant’s available, and bouldering when he’s not. I direct all of my focus toward climbing the route better than the previous time, using faster more efficient moves. My muscles burn and cramp and my stomach feels as though it’s going to revolt. I’ve experienced this before when I’ve pushed myself too hard—I need to stop.

I climb down carefully and drop onto the mat, exhaustion taking over my body. Sucking air into my lungs, I shake out my arms and legs. Dipping down to my bag, I grab my water bottle, coming up empty. Damn it. I didn’t have one with me. I spot the water fountain and make my way over there slowly. Pressing the button, I gulp the cool water like my life depends on it and this is the last of the available water on the planet. Lowering to a nearby bench, I drop my head into my hands. I could climb all the way to the top of Mount Everest, but it won’t help me keep Sarah. I should be devising a plan to make her see reason, rather than escaping up a damn wall.

Collecting my bag, I check my phone. Missed calls and messages from Hayley and Dylan fill the screen. Nothing from Sarah. I blow out a breath, my heart feeling heavy in my chest. I wave at Grant on my way out and make the drive home.

---