Page 63 of Bigfoot Boss
I move from my resting spot and head for Sacha.
“Sorry for taking so long.” He swoops me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my lips that I can’t seem to rouse the energy to return. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah. I got to talk to Mimi for a moment.”
“I saw, that’s really great!”
“She gave me this.” I hold up the carved figure. His eyes drop to my hands, his face changes subtly, but he doesn’t say anything. I wait for several long breaths that feel like eternity before I start talking again. “Don’t you think it's pretty?”
“It’s beautiful, my Beast.” He agrees, but lets go of my hand.
“It’s us.” I add quietly.
“That’s lovely,” He says as he climbs into his car.
I slip the figurine back into the linen bag and boost myself into his large car. Sacha glances at me but says nothing as heturns on the engine and pulls out onto the road. I chew on the inside of my lip, waiting for him to mention the meaning, to bring up the fated-mates, to explain.
Maybe he doesn’t know what the figurine represents? Or maybe he just doesn’t want to say I shouldn’t have it? That I’m not his mate? My stomach twists at the thought of him leaving me for another woman.
I’m falling for him, like the idiot I am, wanting him to love me back, when he already knows if I’m the one, or just another stepping stone until he sniffs the right female. He already knows and he hasn’t said anything, probably because I’m not it for him.
I don’t have the energy or the bravery to ask him in the car. Not after our beautiful day together, and the way he made me feel so perfect and wanted in the forest. I should just leave now, take his money. Do it now, before I fall for him any harder.
“Is everything alright?” Sacha asks tentatively as we enter the city.
“I just—I need to stay at my place tonight. I’m tired and I’m out of clean underwear and–”
“No problem,” Sacha assures me, but he can’t hide the trepidation in his voice from me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yea. Of course you will.” I try to smile, but the turmoil in my stomach won’t let me. I don’t know if I can handle another person I care about walking away from me.
36
OFFER OF UNCONDITIONAL AFFECTION
Bailey
I don’t sleep well that night. I walk into the office twenty minutes late the next morning, with a wrinkled outfit and messy hair. I place the figurine Mimi carved for me beside my monitor. Even if it doesn’t mean what Mimi thinks it means I like looking at it; I like the warm feelings it invokes of familial ties and belonging. Even if all of that is temporary I’ve decided to savor it.
And maybe to force Sacha to confront the truth.
I settle into my chair, opening my email and mindlessly clicking through the messages. My brain is so full of fuzz that I forgot I have a video chat scheduled this morning. I click on the link in the email distractedly, it opens a window to download some program for the chat.
“Bailey.” Sacha’s voice pulls my attention from the loading bar. He’s standing in front of my desk in a pristine suit and a neatly combed beard, appearing perfect as always. He doesn’t look like he was up all night worrying that I will never love him.
“Morning, sir.” I smile, hoping I am reading too much into his clipped tone.
“You can’t have that on your desk. Not where people will see it.” He glances over his shoulder like we might have spies in the cubicles.
“What?”
“If someone recognizes it, they could figure out what—what we are to each other.” He picks up the figurine, turns his back on me, heading for his office.
I leap from my seat, chasing after him, closing the door to his office behind us.
“So you know what it represents?” I ask, hoping he will give me the response I need to hear.
“The board members can’t see this. If they realize what I’ve been doing. What I made you do?—”
