serious. “Careful, Cara. I’m already pissed off about all this. Don’t piss me off any more.”
“Or what? You’re going to fire me? Maybe that’s what you were thinking about this morning. Regretting not only that we ever got together, but that I even work for you. Maybe this video just gives you the perfect excuse to do it.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
At the incredulous look on her face, she closed her eyes. She knew she wasn’t making sense. But the memory of his distant behavior this morning, coupled with the shock of this new video—it was too much for her to handle. And more to the point, her feelings—feelings that clearly went beyond sexual—for Branden were too much to handle.
“You want to know what I was thinking this morning, Cara? Why I probably seemed distant?”
“No.”
“Well, I’m going to tell you. I was dealing with the fact that what I told that bastard after I hit him was the complete and utter truth. I was dealing with the fact that my days as a single man are over. That you are mine, Cara, whether you’re ready to admit it or not. I was thinking of how to do it—how to feel what I feel for you, yet give you the time to come to terms with it and sort your own feelings out, too.”
What he was saying caused both joy and terror to soar through her. She was too wary of the transient nature of joy to hang on to it, so she grabbed on to the fear instead. The fear was what would keep her safe. “This was all a mistake. Whatever you feel for me, Branden, whatever I feel for you, it’s too complicated. I can’t continue seeing you. I can’t continue working for you.”
“Of course you can. You’re not a coward, Cara.”
“No. But what I have been—careless and reckless and stupid—ends today. You know what happened with my father, Branden. You know how he died. It’s horrible, but I think some part of me always blamed him for giving up. For having a heart that wasn’t strong enough to get past all the stress and shame that Davies caused him. But the truth is, I’m just as weak. You make me forget what’s important and risk things I can’t.”
“No, I’m not making you do that. You’ve finally allowed yourself to go for what you want. You said so yourself. I believed you when you first came to my penthouse and told me that, and I believe it now. Cara, life is about taking risks. About feeling. Enjoying. Allowing yourself to have the things—and people—you want. Things you haven’t let yourself have for a damn long time. And I’m telling you right now, you’re not quitting.”
“Not right away,” she conceded. “I have three weeks of vacation time. I’m going to take that first while we try to track down the person responsible for this. But I can’t—I can’t be here, I can’t stand all the looks I’m going to get from people—”
Her voice broke and before she knew it, Branden had pulled her into his arms. For a second, she leaned her head against his chest, wanting the comfort he so readily offered, but that just made her feel weak. “Please let me go,” she said, her voice brittle with tension.
Slowly, he did. “Maybe you’re right,” he said. “Maybe it is best if you take some time off while I look into this. It’s probably safer for you.”
She pulled back. “Safer? Do you really still think this is about personal safety? Because I think this must be about revenge. Someone is gunning for you and using me in the process.”
“You’re right. And I’m sorry about that, Cara. I really am.”
She stared at him, then sighed. Rubbed her temple. “I know you are, Branden. I’m not blaming you. I got myself into this situation with my careless actions. It’s just finally time for me to act like a mature adult for a change.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Which means denying yourself any kind of life, you mean? Any form of entertainment or pleasure as you take the world’s troubles on your shoulders?”
She shrugged those shoulders. “We can’t all be millionaires. Some of us have to live in the real world.”
“And your real world doesn’t include me, is that right?”
“No,” she said after taking a deep breath. “It doesn’t.”
“Cara.” Branden put a finger under her chin and tipped her face to his. Her lips parted as she