“Yes… possibly even more. I saw it in him when he beat me to a pulp. It was more than a hot temper, it was intense passion, intense fear. He was afraid to lose her, and he wanted to kill me because he thought I’d stolen her from him.”
“That kind of love is scary,” I point out. “The man sounds intense.”
He laughs. “He was… he still is, I suppose.”
I don’t want to ask him the next question again, but I can’t help myself. I need him to reassure me. “Do you still love her?”
He traces a finger along the curve of my cheek. “Yes. I always will. A small part of my heart will always belong to her.”
My heart sinks. Yet again, I wonder what I really am to him. We’re playmates. Employee and boss. I’m probably just a fun distraction.
“But I have a big heart, Gretchen,” he goes on. “And right now, all I can think about is you. I was still hung up on her until you came along. But you’ve changed everything.”
I kiss him on the lips. “You always know the perfect thing to say.”
He smiles, and takes me in his arms again.
I feel safe. Physically and emotionally. And I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
32
Unfortunately, real life beckons, and when I get back to the office, Rosetta is in fine form. “A little adult nap time?” she teases. “A little bam bam in the ham?”
I roll my eyes. “Knock it off, Rosetta.”
“Hey, did you notice the security guard downstairs? I certainly wouldn’t kick him out of my bed for eating Oreos.”
I laugh out loud. “I would. I don’t care how hot he is. I hate cookie crumbs in bed… it’s the most annoying thing in the world.”
“And Boss Man is having all the locks in the building updated,” she goes on. “Did you know that?”
“I know… I saw the email.”
“He’s being very protective,” she points out. “Very mama bear. He must really care about you.”
I smile. I appreciate that he’s trying to protect me so fiercely. Short of killing Samuel, it’s the best he can do I suppose. I wonder if the security guard is permanent. I’ve never really had someone looking out for me before. Not since Donovan anyway. It feels nice.
“You like that story the best, don’t you?”
He nods his head enthusiastically. I flip the book shut, and stare at the cover, a very rudimentary drawing of a caterpillar with a red head. Its big green eyes stare back at me ominously. The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Sometimes I imagine what life would be like if Donovan were still around. Would he be the one sitting next to Ethan now, reading him this book? He’d probably do all the voices. I’ve never really been good at that. I hate the fact that Ethan doesn’t have a father. He doesn’t realize it now, but when he grows older, he’ll know he’s different. Especially on Father’s Day when all the kids at school are making Father’s Day cards and he’s left out. I sigh at the thought.
“Booboo,” he says with a pout. I turn to see him pointing at the bandaged scar on my forehead.
“It’s okay. Mommy’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.”
I’m so glad he didn’t see the commotion with Samuel. It might have scarred him for life. He might have not remembered as he got older, but his subconscious would have surely been affected.
He grabs his soft elephant, one of the three stuffed animals Weston gave him. “Do you like that one the best?”
He nods and hugs the elephant.
“That was nice of Mr. Weston to give you that. Do you like Mr. Weston?”
He grins widely. “Sten!”
I laugh. “Yes, Sten! He’s pretty cool, right?”
He kisses the elephant’s trunk. So darn cute.
“We should give him a name,” I suggest. “What do you think?”
He raises a brow in thought, and in that moment, he looks so much like Donovan, it hurts.
“How about Dumbo?”
“Dumbo!” he cheers.
“Yes, his ears are kinda big,” I point out. “It’s perfect.”
He hugs Dumbo again.
“We’ll have to name your other stuffies too. I think they all deserve a name.”
“Dumbo!” he cheers once more.
It’s another lovely afternoon at the penthouse when I finally finish my pamphlet design. I can’t wait to show Weston. I usually try not to disturb him too often because I realize how busy he is. Rosetta has warned me more than once that Boss Man doesn’t like to be disturbed. And I’m sure the fact that I’m almost fucking him does not give me any