Page 32 of Storm's Embrace

She shook her head and looked up at him again, her features set. “I told you. It’s not about the money. I just needed a job where the pay was the same or close.”

“I still don’t get why you’ve made this decision.” He tried to keep the frustration from his voice as his shins hit the edge of the seat. “You’ve already said you love your job. You’ve said you love the people you work with. You’ve said it’s not about the money.” With each of his points, her hands fidgeted more, so he reached over and covered one to still her restless fingers. It was cold as ice. “Why would you hit me with something like this out of nowhere?”

She remained silent, her eyes dropping to his hand covering hers.

Wait. It couldn’t be. Could it?

“Is it me?”

She didn’t answer, but pulled her hand from beneath his as she averted her face from him.

He searched her tense profile. “I’ll be damned.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, her breath catching.

“I know I’m not the easiest man to work for.” He knew he could be a pain in the ass sometimes. “And maybe lately I’ve been more on edge than normal.” He couldn’t tell hershewas to blame for that. “But have I been such an asshole you can’t stand to be around me? Does it make you hate me so much you can’t stay here? Stay with me?”

“You’re not an asshole…” She turned her face and met his gaze with a slight grin. “Well, at least not all the time.” She shook her head. “And I don’t hate you.”

“Obviously you do if you’re ready to leave a job you love because of me. I had no idea…”

He paced away and went around his desk to stare out the window to keep from pulling her into his arms. Because if he did, she’d know exactly how much he wanted her to stay.

“Eli,” she said from right behind him, and he closed his eyes at the sensation of her light touch stroking over his shoulders. He’d wanted her to touch him for so long, but not while telling him she was leaving him. “I don’t hate you. I just can’t work for you anymore.”

“Tell me what I can do to make you stay,” he said, her startled gaze flying to his when he quickly turned around and grabbed her hands. “Tell me and I’ll make it happen.”

“There’s nothing.” He grimaced at the determined set of her jaw. She truly was serious. “I just need to make a change.”

He squeezed her hands and pressed them into his chest as he held her gaze. “You’re not telling me something.”

“I…” She shook her head and pulled at her hands, but not hard enough to dislodge them from his gentle grip, while the tears gathering in her eyes tore at his heart.

“Don’t.” He let go of her hands and pulled her into his embrace, taking in a sharp breath at the realization of how empty his arms had been until they’d surrounded her soft form. How long had it been since anything or anyone had felt so right?

Too long. He closed his eyes. Eight years too long.

Whatever was compelling Miriam to quit, hewouldmake it right. Because after holding her—even like this—he wasn’t going to be able to let her go.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He rubbed his cheek over the top of her head as her trembling body pressed into his and her fingers gripped his shirt where her hands stayed trapped between them. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He gathered her closer and brushed his lips over her forehead, whispering, “It’s going to be okay.” Her little sob of dismay had him rocking her back and forth, as his hands ran circles across her shoulders and back before moving one hand up to let his fingers sift through her hair. The dark strands were as soft and silky as he’d always imagined.

And now that he’d started, he couldn’t seem to stop himself—regardless of what his head was telling him. Especially when Miriam raised her face to his as he continued with soft kisses across her brow and down the side of her face where his lips captured a lone tear that had escaped down her cheek.

“Don’t cry.” His words murmured against her skin as he trailed his lips to the corner of her mouth. He lingered there for several moments while her plump lips beckoned him to taste them before pulling back enough to take in her widening, liquid eyes.

“Eli?” Her questioning gaze strayed to his mouth, and then back up to search his.

He had her where he’d wanted her for quite some time, and let his gaze trace over her flushed face while his own filled with heat. She raised into him as he leaned in until they shared a breath. God, she was a tempting armful—and he wanted more. He gently pulled her closer and was unable to hold back a groan at the feel of her pressed so fully against him.

“Yes, Miriam.” He let his lips fall back to the corner of her mouth, her whimper urging him to fully taste her almost more than he could stand.

“What are we doing?” she murmured as she pressed even closer and wrapped her arms around his waist—effectively pulling his hardening cock against her soft belly.

“Something I think perhaps both of us have wanted to do. Needed to do,” he whispered, before sliding his lips over hers.

Finally.

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