Page 45 of All Mine

“Tell me.”

“I did that day you worked at the bakery.”

My hands go to her hips and pull her against me. Her arms remain rooted as a barrier, posture rigid.

“There has to be more to it,” I whispered in her ear.

She didn’t move or speak for so long. I feared she wouldn’t. I rubbed small circles in the small of her back with my fingertips. Then she exhaled, slumping against my chest.

“It’s the only thing that I’ve ever done that’s all mine.” She sniffed.

“That can’t be true.”

“The divorce took everything else, and it was worth it to get rid of him.” Her voice had an edge. With her face buried in my chest, I couldn’t see her expression, but her body shook against me.

She’d been married. And to someone who’d not been good to her. I’d kick his ass.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I said, wrapping my arms tighter around her. “Here’s the thing,” I started, broaching this carefully. “The business is still all yours, and I’m not going to diminish that, but in a renting situation, the landlord can always take the building away. Even for me, all the buildings where my company was located were temporary.”

“And not just that,” she cried into my shirt. “Those Victorian houses are part of the landscape of this town. And I can’t let the town disappear… I won’t.”

“Guess how long this office space has been empty before I rented it?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” she looked up, tears filled her eyes.

“Everything,” I said, swiping a thumb under one eye to wipe away a tear. Her eyebrows pinched. “Eighteen months is the answer. And a town with a healthy economy shouldn’t have storefronts open for that long.”

“Well, if it’s so bad, tell your client to look elsewhere then.”

I’ve tried but couldn’t convince him. “Here’s the chance to revitalize your town.”

“Or completely sink it with an expensive building that no one can afford and no one will go to.”

“It’s literally steps from a lake and marina. People will come.” I stepped into her again, this time planting a kiss on her neck.

She inhaled sharply. “We shouldn’t do that.”

I kissed her neck again. “It’s exactly what we should do.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, and I peppered kisses up her neck and nipped her earlobe.

“Come to my room tonight,” I breathed in her ear.

“What?” she laughed, “I organized a protest against you.”

I worked my way back down her neck. “And you can make it up to me by sliding your little naked body in my bed. Come on. You know how good it’ll be.”

“You’re quite full of yourself, aren’t you?” Her hands rested on my chest, but she hadn’t pushed me away.

I pressed my mouth to hers, claiming it in a not so gentle kiss, pushing her body backward onto my desk, grinding my hardness into her core. A reminder that she’d needed me last night, and I’d delivered.

“We both know that last night was great,” I whispered in her ear. “Now imagine what I could do after getting to know your body better.”

Eighteen

Lauren

Coming to his hotel was reckless and stupid. I’m never reckless—except last night. I’d changed my mind every other minute on the drive over. The taupe hallway and the green door of his room didn’t settle my nerves any. But, if Camden couldn’t talk his client out of buying, then maybe I could if I could only get a name.

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