Page 73 of Undeniable Temptation

“Is it bad?”

She continued to nod as she stared at the table. In comparison, it didn’t hold the weight of Blake’s drug addiction scandal or Mason’s leaked sex tape. It was a bitter attack. A defensive, soon-to-be ex-wife lashing out. But this time it was personal. The assault was aimed at Leah’s career. Her future. Her happiness. And Julie had successfully struck gold.

“What did she say?” Ryan crouched beside her, his hands resting on her thigh.

The touch shot through her, the sensation painful in its pleasure. “The day you were handed the divorce papers, you said I was the cause of your failed marriage.” She gave a derisive laugh. “I thought you were attacking me in an attempt to release your anger. But you weren’t, were you? Ididruin your marriage. I’m the reason the two of you were never happy.”

“She said that?”

“Yes, she did.” Leah met his gaze, those wide eyes staring back at her. “On a popular podcast that is now being distributed to god knows how many radio stations.”

“Fucking hell.”

“Don’t ignore the question, Ryan.” She turned to him and tried to read his expression. What was done, was done. There was still no looking back. But she needed to know if she’d been kidding herself about her superior level of professionalism. Had her feelings been obvious? Had she wordlessly convinced him to sabotage his marriage? “Am I really the reason Julie asked for a divorce?”

“Yes.” His unreserved response stabbed through her stomach as the hand on her thigh tightened. “I fell out of love with her because I was in love with you. Because I wanted to be with you. Because I couldn’t stop imagining how great we’d be together. So yes, you are the reason for the divorce, and I’m not going to feel guilty, because she fell out of love with me years before I gave up on the marriage.”

“But we haven’t been close since Australia. We’ve barely been friends.”

He nodded. “And she knew that. She also knew being at odds with you had changed my mood more than any argument with her ever had.”

A brief flicker of adoration sparked and was soon smothered by shame. There was no denying she’d crossed a line. A big, fat line her boss wouldn’t approve of. But the threat to her career wasn’t what hurt the most. It was the amassing destruction she’d caused.

Ryan’s divorce was her fault. Even though she’d tried to hide her feelings, she’d cost him his marriage.

“Don’t feel guilty, Leah.” His eyes turned lethal. “I welcome the divorce. I don’t want to be with her.”

“You didn’t always feel that way. I was there when the document was handed over. I witnessed the devastation on your face.”

“You witnessed my shock at being blindsided. And my anger at being a failure. You didn’t witness heartache over her leaving me. We stopped being in love a long time ago. We’d merely been going through the motions.”

“Then why did you stay?” His jaw flexed, his nostrils flared, and the unmistakable loosening of his palm on her thigh told her he was contemplating a lie. “Tell me the truth.”

“I will.” He nodded. Cringed. “I wanted a family. I wanted to be a father. And she kept promising we’d make a start. It wasn’t like I could be with you. And no other woman has ever tempted me. So I stuck around in the hopes a baby might revive the marriage.”

“You would’ve stayed with her if it meant having children?”

His lips parted, the brutal words poised to devastate her when Mason pulled the curtain back from the bunk area and strode forward.

“I just got off the phone to Sid.” His hair was tangled, his face creased from sleep. “She said we have another nightmare on our hands.”

“Yeah.” Ryan stood, forgetting their interrupted conversation. “How did she find out?”

“She heard something on the radio and wanted to give me a heads up.”

“Who told you?” Leah stared at Ryan.

“My lawyer. That guy is making a mint because of Julie’s bullshit.”

Silence descended, the weight of indecision settling between them.

“You won’t let this affect what you’ve got going on, will you?” Mason eyed her. “The two of you are still good, right?”

She sucked in a breath, held it, and became strengthened by her impending response. “Ye—”

“Julie’s not going to bring us down.” Ryan tugged her to her feet. “I won’t let it happen.”

His determination starved her shame and she went willingly into his arms. “It’s going to make things harder, though. We’ll need to lay low. I can’t take any more trips on your bus. There’ll be no more hiding in plain sight.”

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