Page 92 of Plus Size Player

He didn’t ask.

He told me.

And due to the circumstances, I didn’t question it.

“Okay,” I murmured.

I didn’t know what else to say so I ended the call.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock at my door. Even though I knew who it was, I peered through the peephole. Seeing him caused my heart rate to spike. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.

“Russ,” I greeted him.

“May I come in?” he asked, a serious look on his face. “Please.”

“Of course.” I stepped back, shifting from one foot to the other. “Come in.” I locked the door behind him and gestured to the couch. “We can talk over here.”

There was a chaotic energy between us. It felt anxious and uneasy, unlike every other time we’d been together. While it was strange, it was a little reassuring knowing that the laid-back man I’d grown fond of was just as out of sorts as I was. There was something different about him—an emotion I’d never seen in him was seeping out of his pores.

He got halfway to the couch and then spun around. Running his hand over his beard, he searched my face before he spoke. “You are one of the brand ambassadors…?”

It was a statement and a question all rolled into one. I wasn’t sure if he wanted confirmation or not, but I gave it to him.

I nodded. “And RLF is your company.”

“So, you weren’t at The Player’s Ball on Saturday as a guest of someone.”

“Technically, as an invited guest of Lori. When I was hired, they told me to come out and meet everyone.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “So, the people you were rushing to meet with…”

“Were the other models,” I finished. “And when you said you were meeting with people trying to give you money, you meant investors…”

He nodded. “For RLF.”

Twisting the bracelet he’d given me around my wrist, I shook my head. “That never dawned on me. I was told there were lots of different people from different businesses there. You being the CEO of RLF never even crossed my mind.”

“We met at a fashion event where I was meeting with investors, so I didn’t question why you were there. Youworkingfor my company never crossed my mind.”

We stared at each other for a few seconds.

I’d started my day in his arms, and now we were arm’s lengthapart. I was unsure of how to act around him. What seemed so easy and carefree that morning felt hard and complicated that afternoon.

Maybe there’s a perfectly logical explanation—

“Did you know?” he asked with a quiet sharpness that took me by surprise.

I know he’s not asking me what I think he’s asking me.

I gave him a look. “Did I know what?”

“Did you know who I was when you took the job?”

I made a face and took a step back. “Obviously not.”

Confusion creased his forehead. “Then how did this happen?” He said it more to himself than to me, but the insinuation got under my skin.

“I don’t know.”

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