Page 93 of Off the Record

She couldn’t break the moment, not for anything, not even something this important…not even to tell him she loved him.

Chapter 23

JUST TELL ME

Liz shrugged Brady’s button-down back on, and he pulled a pair of loose basketball shorts out of a gym bag in the hall closet. He slid into the shorts and padded into the kitchen. He pressed a few buttons on the wall and soft music filtered in through hidden speakers.

Brady opened the refrigerator and rummaged through the contents. “I’m starving. Are you hungry?”

She yawned and got to her feet. “I think I’m all right. ”

“What about some wine? I have a couple bottles of red,” he told her.

“Sure. I could go for some wine. What do you have?”

“I think this is a Pinot Noir,” he said, holding a bottle up. “That okay with you?”

She walked a few feet forward to examine the bottle. “Perfect. ”

“You know, I think I could get used to the idea of coming home to you in my shirt, lying practically naked on my couch,” he said as he uncorked the wine bottle and poured them each a glass.

Liz’s heart stopped. Was he serious? She swallowed back her confusion about where they stood and accepted the statement for what it was.

“I would lie on that couch just waiting for you to come home and fuck me,” she said, stretching her arms over her head and letting his shirt ride up her thighs.

He walked a glass over to her. “You keep talking like that and I’m going to have to fuck you again. ”

Liz took a glass out of his hand and tilted her head up to kiss him on the mouth.

“What the fuck is this, Brady?” someone practically screeched from the entranceway.

Liz broke away from Brady, and they both snapped their heads to the side. Heather was standing in the open doorway, wearing a black pantsuit and shooting daggers at them. Liz’s mouth hung open and she pulled Brady’s shirt down farther to try for some decency.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Heather?” Brady demanded, fury being an understatement. He pushed Liz behind him, but it was well past too late for Heather not to notice.

“The fucking door was open and I had some really important news for you. You weren’t answering your phone, so I came over in person, but apparently you were too busy fucking…” Heather shook her head in utter disbelief and red-hot anger. “Too busy fucking some college reporter to do your damn job!”

Brady shook his head and clenched his fists. “I don’t need to hear this shit from you. Just get in my fucking office, and I’ll be there in a minute. ”

“Are you kidding me right now?” Heather yelled. “Do you know what this could do to you?”

“Heather!” he shouted, losing it completely. Liz jumped in surprise.

Heather stood up straighter, caught off guard by his outburst. Liz had never seen Brady look so angry before, and judging by Heather’s reaction, she hadn’t either.

“I will deal with you in a minute,” he growled.

“I’m going to get Elliott from the car,” Heather said, her eyes spitting fireballs at him. “He will talk some fucking sense into you. ”

“Elliott is here, too?” Brady asked, his hands shaking with anger.

“Yes, and he deserves to know what shit you’re getting into, if we’re to salvage any of this. ” She turned on her heel and walked out.

Brady turned around as soon as the door slammed shut and wrapped Liz up in a hug.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. ”

He said it over and over again, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

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