Page 29 of Six Nights in Paradise

“That’s true,” she admitted easily.

After dinner, we headed to our respective homes. I fought the urge to pull Taylor in for a kiss, knowing her brother would see and we’d have to explain ourselves. She opened the passenger-side door to Aiden’s silver Beemer and looked my way. She hesitated, glancing longingly for a moment before settling into the seat next to her brother. I watched their tail lights as they drove away, wondering when I’d get to see her again.

It would be a while.

I spent most of Sunday unpacking my suitcase and catching up on laundry. My day didn’t start until after noon since I was so exhausted, I slept through three different alarms on my phone. When I finally rolled out of bed, I discovered a text from Taylor.

Taylor: I have a job interview Wednesday. Wish me luck.

Me: That was fast. How did you land an interview in the sixteen hours we’ve been home?

Taylor: Aiden knows the manager. He got me the interview last week while we were gone.

Aiden was doing everything he could to help his sister succeed. He was so protective of her. He would lose his shit if he knew what happened with her professor and the university. I was half tempted to tell him, then we could go down there and give them a piece of our minds; but Taylor confided in me, trusting me to keep her secret. She didn’t want her family to know what happened, what she’d done. If her parents and brother found out, she would forever feel as though a red letter “A” was burned onto her chest.

Me: That’s great! You’re going to nail it.

Taylor: Thanks!

Silence stretched between us and I wondered what she was thinking. If she was in front of me right now, I wouldn’t have to guess. She’d tell me, either with her words or by her expression. She was an open book, and quickly becoming my favorite read.

I set my phone down, thinking our conversation was over, but it chimed with an incoming text a minute later.

Taylor: My interview is downtown. Want to meet for lunch?

Jeez, was I going to have to wait until Wednesday to see her? I’d spent nearly every waking minute with her the past week, and sixteen hours was already too long to not see her, kiss her, or touch her. I wanted her here with me tonight. I wanted to ask her to come stay with me, but I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep tonight with her in my bed, and my day back in the real world would start early tomorrow morning. Besides, her absence at home after a week away would raise too many questions. Ones we weren’t ready to answer yet.

Me: I’d love to.

Taylor: Great, it’s a date.

A date. With Taylor. I loved the idea of going on a date with her. I’d just have to figure out how to either tell Aiden about us before then, or avoid being seen out together. If he heard about us from someone else, he would most definitely murder me.

***

When my alarm went off Monday morning at six a.m., I slammed my hand down on my nightstand, patting around for my phone. I found the button to silence it and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I tossed and turned last night, missing the feel of Taylor’s warm body snuggled against mine. Maybe I should have just asked her to come over and stay the night.

I showered and dressed in my blue pinstripe suit, leaving my house in plenty of time for my usual Monday morning stop. After picking up a coffee from my favorite little cafe, I headed into the office. Opening my email, I winced at how many were waiting in my inbox. While I tried to stay on top of them while I was gone, I’d gotten distracted too many times to count, finally giving up when Taylor and I started spending more time in the bedroom.

I spent an hour sending out replies and scribbling notes on my legal pad about things that would need my attention in the next few days and was tapping away on my keyboard when my boss barged into my office. His face was pinched and a little ashen, his tired eyes full of panic.

“Is everything alright?” I asked as he strode up to my desk.

“We have a problem.”

His serious tone made my hackles rise.Did I screw something up?I’d been so distraught over my broken engagement during the week leading up to my trip, it was entirely possible that I’d made a major mistake and he was waiting until I got back to confront me.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s an issue with our facility in Seattle, and Jim’s out after his knee replacement.” Jim was my counterpart on the West Coast, and if he couldn’t take care of the issue in Seattle, they would send…

“I need you to fly out there.” His request cut off my train of thought, confirming my fears. “I know you just got back, and I’m sorry to do this to you after…” his voice trailed off and his gaze shifted away from me, “everything,” he concluded. “But we’ve gotta get ahead of this, and you’re the only person I trust to take care of it.”

His eyes pleaded with me and for a moment, it almost seemed as if I had a choice. But in reality, I didn’t. Refusing him would jeopardize my career, and truthfully, I didn’t have a good reason not to go. Wanting to stay close to Taylor didn’t count. Even though I wasn’t yet privy to the details of the West Coast disaster, I had a feeling I’d be gone for more than a few days. This felt big, like something that would have me on the opposite side of the country for at least a week, maybe longer.

“When do I need to leave?”

“Tonight,” he replied.

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