Page 108 of Playing the Game
I hate people following me.
Jami holds his body rigidly. “You don’t need to explain. I know what I saw. The question is, why didn’t you tell me you were meeting with him again?”
I shift to stand before Jami, my eyes begging him tounderstand. “I wasn’t meeting with him when I left. We ran into each other, and he asked me if I had a minute to talk about my job. We went to get a cup of coffee. That’s it. It wasn’t planned. It just happened.”
“These types of events are going to continue to happen.” Jami cups my cheek. “Sweetness, this is why I want to move and start fresh. I want us to have a fighting chance.”
Warmth fills my heart. “I want that too.”
He shuffles to me and rests his forehead against mine. “We deserve to have some peace. It won’t happen if we stay here.”
“I know.” I press my lips to his.
He relaxes the moment my tongue reaches for his, and we kiss for a tender moment. He’s more forgiving than I would be.
If he met with someone he was in a relationship with before me after he told me he wouldn’t, I’d be furious.
This man is a saint.
With a sigh, he pulls away. “Why aren’t you with Mel?”
“She texted and said she needed another hour. The movers are taking longer than expected.”
“They always do.” He rests against the wall. “What did Hunter have to say about your job?”
“Nothing new. He thinks they can get me reinstated, but I told him I don’t want to consider the option unless it’s presented.”
“And if it is?”
The elevator doors open to Jami’s floor. We follow Tom out and down the hall as I take the time to formulate what I want to say.
We enter Jami’s apartment and stand in the kitchen while Tom sweeps the place, checking for threats. This is ridiculous since Jami was probably gone for five minutes.
I want to roll my eyes, but I refrain. Jami’s just trying to protect me.
He takes my hands in his. “I understand how you feelabout your job. You worked your ass off to get there, and you did it when you were going through one of the most difficult times of your life. That doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Oh, he’s talking about my first miscarriage and how I focused on finding the perfect job to take my mind off of that loss.
My heart flutters. “How are you always so considerate of me?”
“Knowing how much you put into finding that job doesn’t make me considerate. It makes me aware.” He taps the tip of my nose. “I’m not going to discount your feelings. They’re valid, but I want you to help me understand where your head is.”
This man.
“I love you so much, and every day that grows. You understand me better than I understand myself.”
“Well, I’ve kinda kept tabs on you for the last sixteen years.”
I smile at the thought. “That’s sweet to say.”
He shrugs his good shoulder to his ear. “I love you, Dori. That’s never going to change. You can hold me away for fear I’ll go cold on you again, but it’s not going to happen.”
I turn away and pull out a stool to sit on. He’s asking me to communicate. He’s trying for me, so it’s time I suck it up and get honest with him.
“It’s hard for me.” I gaze at him from across the island. “Not just to walk away from my job, but to walk away from Hunter.”
“And what does that mean?”
