Page 132 of Branded Betrayal

“I’d like to propose a toast to the youngest member of our management team, Savannah Carlson!” My boss, Tom, lifts his glass, and we all clink in celebration.

The champagne is perfectly chilled and goes down easily. Too easily. Alyssa pours me a second glass.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whisper-shouts, giving me a quick hug. “You’re going to run this place. Tom and Caroline should fear for their jobs. You’re such a boss bitch!”

My grin stretches from ear to ear as Luke, my boyfriend of four months, appears next to me with a glass of water. “Figured you might need it since Tom just ordered another bottle of champagne.”

“Aw,” Alyssa says, cocking her head to the side. “Aren’t you the sweetest?”

Luke’s face flushes, and he flashes a half grin, winking at me over her head. “What can I say? Savannah brings it out of me.”

I rise up on my tippy-toes to plant a kiss on his lips. “Thanks for coming out. I know you’re superswamped with your own client work.”

He hugs me close. “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. And I’m definitely looking forward to more celebrating once we get home.”

I still.

Home.

For some reason, the word is like a machete to my chest.

The hairs on the back of my neck lift, but I shrug off the feeling. I don’t know why I’d be so put off by him saying that. We stay over at the other’s apartment several times a week. Moving in together is something we’ve already mentioned in passing.

So why am I getting all bent out of shape now? We go “home” together all the time, from work, dinner, happy hour.

But there’s still some inexplicable sense of unease slithering through my insides.

I down my second glass of champagne, hoping the fizzy bubbles will take over and create a nice, fuzzy distraction from whatever’s niggling my brain.

“So do you guys have plans for the holidays?” Alyssa asks, topping me off again. My God, does she want me to be carried out of here?

Luke looks at me. “Well, actually, we haven’t really talked about it, but my sister’s having Christmas this year at her ranch in Montana, and she . . .”

Ranch.

Shit. Why did he have to mention the word ranch?

“I, um, I have to talk to Nash. I missed so many holidays before, I was really hoping that we could see him, especially since he’s by himself.”

“Oh, sure,” Luke says. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to assume. I just figured . . . since you said you usually don’t go home for the holidays, you’d be here by yourself. And I wouldn’t want to leave you alone. We can also just stay here in Denver. Have a cozy little Christmas together.”

“Hey, Luke,” Tom calls out. “Come on over here for a second. I want to introduce you to someone.”

Luke drops a quick kiss on my forehead. “I’ll be back.”

Alyssa clutches her hands to her heart, watching as he walks away. “Oh my God, he is just too deliciously perfect, isn’t he?”

I nod. “He’s great. Checks off all the boxes. Handsome, funny, smart. We have a great time together. He makes me feel like I’m the center of his world.”

She looks at me. “And you’re . . . happy? Right?”

My answer should be yes. Without hesitation. I have an amazing boyfriend who would move heaven and earth to please me.

Who in her right mind wouldn’t be happy with that?

Except . . . something’s missing. That passion and fire. The pull in my chest. The yearning ache.

Of course, all of those things got me into trouble more than once. Passion led to lies. Fire led to betrayal.