“I’ve moved on past that.”
“Have you?”
“I’m with someone I love, who loves me.I don’t spend time thinking about you and what we used to have.I’m in a good place, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Love?I don’t think you ever said those words unless prompted by me first, when we were together and lived together.Are you living with her?”
“Look, Paige, I’m not going to talk about my relationship.You know I like to keep my personal life separate from business.You of all people should know what happens when I don’t.”
“Nick, I said I was sorry for that.You hurt me when you said you weren’t sure you ever wanted to marry me.When you told me you thought we needed some time apart, I was angry.I did something stupid that I wish I could take back.We were good together.We couldstillbe good together.We’re a match in the boardroom, courtroom, and in the bedroom.”
“Do us both a favor and forget about it.Move on, I have.”I put my head back on the couch and rub my hand over my eyes.I keep my eyes closed and turn off the TV with the remote in my hand.She’s so close to me I feel her leg brush against my thigh.
“What’s her name?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“It will make her seem more real, like you’ve moved on.Telling me her name isn’t giving away anything about your new private life.”I hear her voice soften and drop a little with her next words.“When you called me after the holidays and we were together…”
My eyes open, and I see something in her akin to uncertainty or maybe insecurity before I close my eyes again.It’s not my job to reassure her anymore.“Paige, you knew what it was.It was sex.I didn’t make you empty promises of a life together and a happy ending.It was just sex for me.”
“You were using me,” she says, the tone in her voice going a bit flat.“Is she the same girl you were talking about the Sunday morning I saw you in the office?”
“Yeah.”
“So you were still with her when we were together in January?”
“No.We broke up right before that happened.”
“Like I said, you were using me to get over her?Silly me.Here I was holding out hope one day we would get back together.Be the perfect legal team with the perfect powerhouse family.The Sinclairs and the Alexanders.What’s her name, Nick?”
Exasperated, I give in.“Catherine.Her name’s Catherine.”
“It’s a nice name.Nicholas and Catherine, has a nice ring to it, regal.She must be drop- dead gorgeous to hold your attention.With all I have going on, I couldn’t keep you.What does she look like?Does your father like her?I know he likes me, and he’s a hard man to please.”
She’s fishing, and I’m not giving up any more information where Cat’s concerned.The more she knows, the more trouble she’s going to be.I’m done with this talk.I’m about to tell her so when I feel her hand on my face.Before I even get my eyes open, her tongue darts across my parted lips, slipping inside.The kiss lasts two seconds too long.My brain finally recovers, registering what’s happening.I push her back, wiping my hand across my mouth and jerking forward.
“What the hell was that, Paige?”At my anger, she stands up quickly and walks to her room out of my reach.
“Relax, Nick, it was one last kiss.You don’t have to tell your girl.Neither will I…but, I’m sure if you do decide to tell her...or she somehow finds out you were alone with me for days and nothing happened…she’ll believe you.Love is blind.See you in the morning.”
“Fucking bitch.”
As sweet as can be, she says, “Don’t worry.I’m not offended by that, since you never loved me in the first place, right?”She tosses her hair back and smirks at me before going in the room and closing the door.
Needing to hear Cat’s voice, I go into the bathroom and lock the door.I sit on the bench outside the shower and lean my head back against the wall, dialing her number.When I hear her voice, it’s music to my ears.I feel like shit for not telling her what’s going on.If I tell her, she probably won’t believe me.I don’t want to go home to an empty house without her or my baby.
“You must miss me an awful lot.Didn’t we say goodnight already?”
“All right, fine, bye.”
“No!I’m playing.You can call me a hundred times a night if you want.”
“I might have to do that, I miss you so much.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you did.The bed feels empty and cold without you next to me.I miss my occasional morning wakeup call.”
“I’ll be home soon to fill that empty space, tuck you in at night next to my heart, and give you an extra special wakeup call that will curl your toes and your hair.”
