“Would have made logical sense, wouldn’t it?” I murmur sarcastically. I hate that my life’s a three-ring circus. I also know I need to be honest with her. “Before Claud was born, I was dating a girl who I didn’t know as well as I thought I did. It was before I became CEO, trying to prove I deserved this position. She didn’t mind my long hours, and it was nice to have someone to come home to because, I had no time to date. It was either that or do what all the rest of the industry does—pay for high-class prostitutes.”
From her side profile, I see she scrunches up her nose at the idea, and I chuckle, “I’m not saying I did, but it’s what most people do. You have needs, you want them met, but you have no time. It’s convenient.”
She shakes her head in disgust. “This would be a great time to skip forward.”
I smirk. “Then things turned ugly, and she became an entirely different person. It was right before Claud was born. I ended up needing to get a restraining order against her.”
“You did?” Her voice raises in shock.
“Mmm hmm. It’s why I don’t do relationships. I made a promise to wait until Claudina’s older to ever date seriously. I don’t want to fuck up and bring the wrong person home.”
She reaches over to grab the wine she hasn’t touched to take a sip. She’s trying to hide her feelings.
But I don’t miss it, she’s pissed.
“Don’t give me that look, Juliette. Claud will always be my number one priority.”
“Why am I here, Harrison?” she snaps, putting her drink down with force. “And do you truly think I’m the type of person who would want to come before your daughter?”
“All right, calm down for a second.”
She whips her head around. “Word of advice. Don’t tell a woman to calm down. It will have the exact opposite effect.”
I move her hair over to one side and kiss her neck, trying to distract her from spinning out of control—just another part of her I’m obsessed with.
Something about the curve of her neck turns me on.
“I told you, Juliette. One night wasn’t enough.”
“And I told you, I don’t want anotheronenight.”
I sit straighter, annoyed. “Will you let me finish?”
“Fine,” she huffs, and I take a deep breath.
I saw this going differently.
“Day in and day out, you’re on my mind. Ever since the masquerade party?—”
“Not the restaurant?” She raises a brow.
“No. I wasn’t wasting precious time thinking about a stranger, Juliette.”
Her face falls. “Oh.”
Fuck.
“That came out wrong.” I take her hand in mine. “Ididthink about the insanely hot girl from the restaurant. Just not in the way I do now. You consume all of my thoughts.”
“I’m waiting for you to get to the punch line.”
“Why are you so defensive? Where’s my sweet Juliette?”
“Back at the restaurant,” she deadpans.
I squeeze her hand in warning and clench my jaw, so I don’t snap at her snarkiness and continue. “I don’t want it to be one night. I?—”
She waits patiently for me to finish, but when I don’t, she asks, “You what?”
