Page 35 of The Enemy's Daughter

“It has taken a long time to perfect it. I don’t like it too sweet, but I also don’t like it bland.” She shrugged. “I’ve enjoyed this, a lot.”

He walked behind her, banding his arms around her waist. “Me, too.”

****

“You’re falling for her,” Rex said the following Monday.

“What?” They were sitting in one of the conference rooms waiting for several clients to come in for the last meeting of the season. He would be working up until Christmas Eve, and would probably do some hours on Christmas day. He rarely believed in time off. The last few weeks with Bella was the most time off he’d ever had.

He sitting sat at the large table but staring out of the city.

“Bella Reed. You’re starting to fall for her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m your closest friend, Alaric. I know you. I can see how different she makes you. You’re happier.”

“Please, you’re over exaggerating.”

“Yeah, you can keep saying that all you want. I’ve known you since we were kids, and you even went out shopping for her present, Alaric. This is not just some twisted revenge anymore. You want her. Why don’t you come clean?”

Alaric didn’t say anything. Coming clean had been on his mind for so long now. Either way, he was going to hurt her. Bella believed him. She trusted him, and he’d been lying to her from the beginning. No way was she going to forgive something like that. Even he didn’t forgive himself.

“I can’t. She’ll never forgive me.”

“The longer you live this lie, the more it’s going to torment you. I know you.”

“Yeah, and then you know I deserve this. I’m a fucking asshole.”

“That too, but you’re not a monster. Bella isn’t like anyone else, and keeping her on false pretenses is never going to work out well for you.”

Rex kept talking about what he should or shouldn’t do. Alaric tuned him out. It was easy to tell him what to do. His friend didn’t have a clue what he was going through, and he wasn’t about to enlighten him.

Never had he stepped away from a challenge or a plan. This wasn’t like all of his other plans. He’d actually found a woman who meant everything to him. Rex only shut up when the first of their clients arrived. He had a business meeting to organize, which had to come before his love life. It sucked, and he hated it, but those were the needs he’d been putting first for many years now.

“What are you doing to do?” Rex asked, getting ready to leave.

“What I do best.”

He left his office, and made sure to grab some flowers on the way. Buster had his first lot of injections, and in another week, he’d be able to get his second, and then he could take him out.

You’ve got to get rid of him soon.

She still has her father.

No matter what happened, this was never going to go in his favor. When Bella realized that he’d been lying to her, she would cut him out of her life. He’d seen the damage other boyfriends had done to her. She had even told him that was how close they were getting, and it was all his fault. He wouldn’t allow her to create any kind of space.

He had her cell phone number. Texted her regularly throughout the day, and then he left work early to come and see her. This was all his fault. No one else’s

Bella walked out of the veterinary practice, and the smile on her face blew him away. He couldn’t believe that he had ever thought this woman plain. She was utterly beautiful. Breathtakingly so.

“Hey,” she said, going straight to him, and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you today.” She kissed his lips, and frowned. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing.” He pulled away, and leaned into the car. “I got you some flowers, and I’ve also got us a table at a restaurant. How do you feel about Italian?”

“I love it. I told you that, duh.” She chuckled. “They are so beautiful. You don’t have to get me flowers.”

“I want to. You deserve flowers, and chocolates.”

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