His Unexpected Lover Page 0,29
wasn’t fair. She had no idea what could happen in the future but he was purposely being stubborn about admitting that anything could happen. “But you have people coming and going all the time. It isn’t like The Thorpe Group is a be all and end all for employment.”
“It could be for you!” he came right back, furious with her for not investing more in their relationship even though it had only started up again the previous night. “You can’t tell me that you thought The Thorpe Group was offering you employment only for a limited time.”
She shifted uncomfortably, wishing he weren’t so perceptive. But that was one of the reasons she’d fallen in love with him. He was amazingly astute and intelligent and he’d seen things in her that even she hadn’t known existed. He thought she was pretty, he liked her freckles and he’d made her laugh at the ridiculous things in life. That didn’t help her now though. “No, but that isn’t the point.”
“What is the point?” He was so furious with her he could barely think straight. She’d come back, but not to him. He’d thought last night…but everything he’d hoped for as he’d made love to her, as he’d held her in his arms last night had been a lie. “Am I just a stepping stone?” he asked with an emotionless tone of voice.
Kiera’s neck snapped around, shocked that he would ask that kind of question.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Am I only your next lover in a long line of stepping stone lovers?”
She gasped. “I haven’t ever…” she stopped herself and closed her mouth. “Don’t…” she was so hurt that he would think that of her, especially when she hadn’t been with any other man besides Axel. All these years she’d dated, but no man had ever made her feel the same kind of intensity that Axel could do to her with just a look. “Get out!” she snapped. She wasn’t going to admit that to him. Ever! Let him think the worst of her. He meant nothing. He was just a jerk who thought the worst of everyone!
“Gladly!” he growled back, grabbing his softball shirt and snapping it over his shoulders. He didn’t even bother straightening it, just grabbed his shoes and socks and walked out of her apartment.
Kiera watched him leave, furious and hurt and aching, wishing she had the courage to call him back. But what could she explain? He was right. She had accepted this offer and considered it just a stepping stone. All lawyers worked their way from one law firm to another, gaining experience until they had the ability and reputation to open their own law firm or made partner in a firm that was prestigious enough to keep them. The Thorpe Group was the cream of the crop of legal firms in the United States, but that didn’t mean something might not come along that would serve her future better. Only a stupid person would go into a job thinking they were there to stay. Things happened, the world changed, opinions shifted and companies were bought and sold.
He was wrong about the way she thought of him though. She never would have thought of him as a temporary lover much less a man who was one in a long line of lovers. She whipped her robe off and marched to the shower, trying to scrub off the touch of him, his scent. But no matter how hard she scrubbed, she couldn’t get the incredibly alluring scent of Axel out of her mind.
She hurried to get ready for work, needing something to take her mind off of his hurtful words.
Her thigh ached and she took some ibuprofen, stuffing the bottle into her purse, knowing she would need more later. It was a work day and she didn’t have time to waste pining away about a man who had unrealistic expectations of her. And unfair ones!
She was fully dressed once again, feeling protected in her business suit and heels. She had a full day of client meetings today along with strategy meetings. She had several briefings to type up and so many things to do that didn’t have anything to do with considering where she would be in a year or two. She definitely didn’t have time to mess around with Axel Thorpe and all of his obnoxious assumptions.
At the last minute, she remembered that she’d agreed to meet Autumn, Mia and Cricket after work for a workout. So she