Page 33 of Reveal

“So you’re dating, then?” I ask to call his bluff. “Isn’t that grounds for termination at your job?”

Joey’s instant stammering over what to say next is answer enough. She’s not home, and he thinks he has the balls to stand up to me, but when the rubber meets the road, he’s a pussy.

“Thanks, man.” I pat him on the shoulder a little harder than necessary. “I appreciate the help, though.”

And when I stride back down the walk toward the car with him staring at my back, I’m not any fucking better off than when I got here.

She’s not here.

I am.

Once again, we’re in two different places, seemingly wanting two different things.

I’m beginning to think fate has it out for us.

Either that or I’m fighting an uphill battle.

Thank fuck I know a thing or two about fighting.

“Where to?” Al asks when I climb back into the car and slam the door.

“Hell if I know,” I mutter and lift the glass to my lips. “Home, I guess.”

The night flies by outside. The lights of the city. The red of the stoplights. The darkness as we cross the bridge. The brightness as we enter downtown and then uptown.

Every woman I see out and about, I swear could be Vaughn.

But nothing eases in my chest during the drive.

Not the ache. Not the worry. Not the want.

I blow out a resigned breath when we pull up to the curb of my building. A small part of me hoped she’d be sitting here in the lobby. Nothing. It’s empty. My only companion is the hum of the elevator car as I ride to my floor.

The door dings, then slides open.

At the end of the hallway of sorts is someone sitting on the floor with her knees to her chest.

Vaughn.

This time it really is her.

Her thick lashes flutter and look up so that those aqua-colored eyes of hers meet mine across the distance. Emotions war through them—confusion, hurt, forgiveness—each one trying to win its place, and hell if I’m not rooting for forgiveness to win.

Followed a close goddamn second by lust.

I stop in my tracks as she rises to her feet. It takes everything I have to stop when all I want to do is pull her against me and take the rest of what I started earlier tonight.

But she came to me.

She’s waiting for me.

While it feels like a victory, I know with Vaughn there’s always so much more than meets the eye, so I’ll let her take this on her terms.

I’m the one who fucked up.

I’m the one who risked this all.

“Long night, huh?” It’s all I say.