A Weekend of Misbehaving - Carmen Falcone Page 0,57
and she probably had stuff to do for her sister.
Damn it. Sleeping with her in Texas, in his home, in his bed had been beyond stupid. How could they go back to their boss and nanny relationship? He had been trying so hard to convince her to go with him to New York he even threw in some help with her stylist career. Why was it so hard to say good-bye to her?
Last night had been a relapse. From here on, they had to go back to the old dynamics. He walked over and gave her a gentle nudge on her elbow. “Alice, you should wake up. It’s seven o’clock.” His voice came out softer than he had wanted. Well, no need to make it a military wake-up call. When he told her what was on his mind she would catch the drift.
Truth was, a part of him had wanted her to pick his room last night. He was to blame. If he had been clear about the sleeping arrangements, the best sex of his life wouldn’t have happened.
She rubbed her eyes and sat upright. One of his shirts covered her all the way down her legs. Better this way. No distractions. “Good morning. Thanks for waking me up.”
He pulled up a chair. “We need to talk.”
“Yes,” she said with a gleam in her eyes.
No. No, no, no. Could she be misreading the situation? He coughed. “It’s about last night.”
She lifted her hand. “Let me go first. There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you. I guess I was fighting the idea without even meaning to.”
“Go ahead.” Could this be about New York? His pulse spiked. She had come to her senses—maybe the recent event with her sister opened her eyes to the harsh reality: she needed her own life. He’d see to it that her sister got the best care available, but damn it, she couldn’t be a doormat any longer. “Tell me what’s on your mind. Whatever it is.”
“I love you.”
All his muscles tensed. Love? If a UFC champion had punched him in the gut, he doubted he’d experience the same defenselessness. A guy he could hit back. “You love… I didn’t catch that,” he said, just to make sure. Maybe she meant to say she loved his room, or his bed. Maybe she had started a sentence and just didn’t finish it.
Alice lifted her chin, and her smile broadened. Her gorgeous brown eyes responded to his question before she did. They glowed. His stomach clenched, and he balled his fingers into a fist.
“I love you. I always had a crush on you, but didn’t think anything would ever come of it. It shouldn’t have. But after last night, I just can’t hold it in anymore. I know you have feelings for me, too. You brought me here, where no one else has been. You said it yourself. And what you said about not having control…”
He sucked in his breath. There was a hot pulse in his throat, impossible to swallow. What the hell was he supposed to say? There was no way this could work if she loved him. Whenever love was involved…things got messy and often disappointing. The whole reason why he enjoyed Alice was because they had been able to keep it strictly sexual. Well, maybe not completely. But love? No. He shook his head. It couldn’t be. “I don’t know what to say.”
The bumpy relationship with his father had showed him how emotionally strenuous it was to put yourself in such a vulnerable state. And his marriage had been the cherry on the top during his adult life. If she loved him, he couldn’t take her with him to New York. If she loved him—
The smile faded from her mouth, and she brought her knees to her chest. “Am I wrong? You don’t feel anything for me?”
“I care for you.” He shifted in his seat, hating himself for the sad expression washing over her pretty face. “You are an amazing woman, Alice. But I can’t take things further. In fact, I shouldn’t have last night.”
She folded her arms over her knees. “Why did you come home early from Capri? You could have stayed there.”
“I thought by coming with you, I could help you see I can be a better employer. That I pay attention to your needs. And that going to New York is the best option for you. It may look like your family needs you more than ever, but just think objectively: