Page 29 of Harry

“About what?” She stared at him with a frown.

“About my feelings for you.” He smiled wryly at the stunned look on her face.

“I will take that as a no.” Taking one slender hand in his, he studied her unadorned nails. “I want to be a husband to you and a father to those twins.”

She shook her head and started to speak when he stopped her. “It’s not something I expect you to agree to just now. You would need time to think”

“Why would you want to saddle yourself with another man’s babies?”

“Because I care about you.” His expression was sincere. “I happen to think you’re quite a woman and I admire your strength. Not to mention the fact that you’re beautiful.” He jerked his head towards the room. “We could live here.”

“Oh David.” For just a minute, she felt her heart melting and wishing for what could have been. Here was this very lovely man willing to take her on and offering her marriage. When the man she was head over heels in love with, the man who had planted his seeds inside her was nowhere to be found.

He had left her two mornings ago and had not called to even check on her. As much as she loved him, there was the resentment that it could be so easy for him to leave and not look back.

“You cannot believe how much I want to say yes.”

“Then say it.”

She shook her head and squeezed his fingers. “I am in love with him. And as screwed up as this entire thing is, he is the only man I will ever love. He is a jerk and I want to kill him for doing this to me – to us, but it will always be him and no one else.”

A sigh escaped her. “he says he needs time, and I am giving it to him. While I am doing that, I can only be your friend and nothing more. I understand if you want to discontinue our relationship.”

He felt the disappointment spearing through him and had to force a smile. “I am still hoping and no, I am still your friend.It just sneaked up on me. One day I was thinking that I would never get over my wife and then there you were. Sweet and beautiful and utterly captivating.” He squeezed her hand. “That man is an utter fool.”

“I have to agree with you there. Let’s finish checking out the rest of the place, shall we?”

*****

“It’s Halloween.”

“As evidenced by the several bags of chocolates we have left over.” Janelle pointed out. It was after work hours and everyone had already left for the day, except the two of them.

They had an annual tradition of handing out candies to the children who stopped by for trick or treat. She had decided to hang around instead of going straight home, even after they had handed out the last bag of treats.

They were now lounging in the conference room with Janelle stretched out on a comfortable red velvet sofa after consuming more than a bag of chocolates herself and a gallon of milk that Michael had thoughtfully stocked in the fridge.

“And here we are, two lonely souls keeping each other company.”

She shot him a curious look. “I thought you were seeing someone.”

“Goes to show how long we have not spoken about personal stuff.” He waved an elegant hand as he crossed his Italian shod feet at the ankles and stretched languidly. He had gotten rid of his sports jacket and unbuttoned his pale pink cotton shirt. “Ramon says he wants space.”

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”

He shrugged. “I have lousy tastes in men and should stop while I’m ahead.” He glanced at her. “David proposed.”

She nodded. “You knew he felt something.”

“I figured it out. The man kept coming around for the weirdest reasons and whenever he was near you, he could look at nothing else.” He paused and picked an invisible lint off his tan trousers. “He’s quite a catch.”

She sent him an amused look. “Then you should go out with him.”

He grimaced. “He prefers you. More is the pity. “he paused again. “He hasn’t called?”

“I would have told you.”

“I want to say that sleeping with him that night was a bad idea, but I can understand why you did.”

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