Page 40 of Storm's Embrace

Several minutes later, Miriam sat facing him with a frown firmly in place—one that had gotten more and more intense the further he’d gone into the details of hisengagement.

“So, let me get this straight,” she said, shifting until she fully faced him. “Because she didn’t want to be embarrassed by you breaking up with her, she faked an engagement soshecould break up withyou? And then to get you to go along with it, she basically blackmailed you with the shelter donations?”

“That about covers it.”

Miriam let out a short, snorting laugh and shook her head. “Who does that?”

“Obviously, Deidre.”

“Amazing.”

“Now, can I ask you something?” He scooted closer to her. “Is Deidre the real reason you quit?” She didn’t answer him right away, her expression falling. “Miriam?”

She twisted her fingers in her lap and grimaced. “I couldn’t stay. Plus,” she said, holding his gaze. “Ms. Bennett told me she would have me fired.”

Anger coursed through him. “She…”

Eli closed his eyes and held in what he wanted to say about Deidre. If not for Miriam’s presence, he would have let loose a string of expletives that would probably have made both of them blush. Deidre had more to answer for than he’d realized. After he’d calmed down enough he felt he could speak in a normal tone of voice, he opened his eyes to find Miriam staring at him intently. “She had no right to do that.”

A small smile spread over her face. “You have no idea how glad that makes me. She…” Miriam reached out and laid her hand on his jacketed arm. “She had me doubting you—the you I’ve known all these years.”

He covered her hand, and then pulled it up to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “It was stupid of me not to tell you everything sooner,” he said, holding her hand to his chest. “So, now. About your job.”

“Yes.” She pulled her hand back and cleared her throat. “I’ll be in tomorrow to start working out my notice.”

“No.”

“Oh.” Her face fell. “Can I at least clear out my desk?”

“I mean. No, I don’t want you working out a notice because I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay right where you are.”

“I can’t. I’ve already accepted the job from Mr. Simmons.”

“No wo—“

“Worker?” Miriam asked with a raised brow.

“Woman,” he clarified with a grin, “of mine is working for Tyler Simmons. You know there’s something between us.” He leaned closer. “I think it’s always been there. I think that’s why I’ve been such a cranky ass the last few months.”

“Crankier,” she said, peering up at him through her lashes. She took in a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll tell Mr. Simmons I’m staying. Honestly, I’d dreaded the idea of leaving anyhow.“ She let out a sigh. “But if I’m going to continue working for you, I don’t think we can have a relationship. It wouldn’t be right. So, we just need to forget about the kiss and—”

“How my hands felt on your body? How my body felt with yours molded to it? That’s a lot to forget.”

Eli—”

“Hear me out.” He took her hand back and held it on his thigh. He needed to touch her—to have her touching him—even in this small way. “I won’t lie to you and tell you I haven’t thought about what it would be like to have you exactly where we were this morning.” He grinned at her quickly indrawn breath and blush rising in her cheeks. “I also won’t lie to you and say I don’t want it to happen again.”

“Well,” she said, her eyes going to his turning shy. “The idea may have crossed my mind a time or two as well.” She shook her head. “Truth be told, I’m still in a bit of disbelief it happened at all. I went in this morning with the intention of handing in my notice, not…” Her free hand went back and forth between them.

He let go of her hand and took her by her rounded shoulders, his gaze searching her face. “You can believe it. You can also believe I’ll never want anyone but you.” God, how he wanted her. “Do you? Believe me, that is?”

“Yes.” She didn’t resist when he pulled her into his arms. Her gaze lifted to his. “But how can I work for you and—“

“You worry too much.” He wasn’t about to let her convince herself this wasn’t right for them, so he cut off any other argument she might have in the best way he knew how and groaned.

Would he ever grow tired of the taste of her? Or how his heart raced when she sighed and opened up to him?

He didn’t think so.

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