couldn’t believe I’d made such a rookie mistake.
A tiny, horrendous thought crept into my mind that my subconscious had done this on purpose.
I brushed it away.
But would it really be so bad to have to stay in the same room with Cole?
Yes, it would be. It would be temptation and it would go directly against my initiative to eliminate my crush on him and focus on John.
It would lead me down a path that I couldn’t come back from, even if nothing happened between us. It didn’t matter, anyway, since it was an unrequited crush.
Was having feelings for someone else just as bad as acting on it? Were feelings considered cheating?
At what point was I crossing the line?
If having feelings for someone else meant cheating, then I’d been cheating for a while. I’d chalked it up to a crush, but it was time to be honest with myself.
Crushes came and went, but my heart fluttered every time Cole walked into the room. He treated me like shit half the time, but it was better than the indifference my husband treated me with. I dressed every morning with the intention of impressing a man who wasn’t my husband. I did my hair and make-up thinking about him. I went to the office, working hard and staying late with the hope I’d have more time to talk to him.
It had grown into more than a crush despite my best efforts to suppress it.
“I’m so sorry, but the closest hotel with vacancy is about five miles away. Would you like me to book that for you?” Gretchen looked directly at Cole, not me.
Cole sighed. “With traffic that’ll be a nightmare. Just give me two keys.”
She printed our keys and gave us directions to our room, and then we headed toward the elevators.
I thought back to the night on the elevator when I’d wanted him to kiss me after the MTC dinner. I wondered how different this elevator ride would be.
He remained silent as we boarded the small car alone. I chanced a glance in his direction, and he was scowling as he stared at the floor numbers on the electronic panel of the elevator.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Benson.”
He ignored me, which felt an awful lot like being at home.
We entered our room, and I was glad I’d at least booked a suite. It had two rooms—one with the king bed in it, and another that was a living area with a couch, some recliner chairs, a television, and a wet bar—in addition to the large and luxurious bathroom complete with a soaker tub.
“Take the bedroom,” he said.
“No, you should have it. You need good sleep for your presentation.”
“I insist. I’ll take the couch.”
“I’m sorry again,” I said, surprised that he was being such a gentleman after I’d made such an idiotic mistake.
“You know how I feel about apologies.”
I nodded, because I did know. He expected me to work efficiently and never make mistakes.
A knock sounded at the door, and the bellhop dropped off our luggage. He put my suitcase in the bedroom.
“Be ready for dinner around seven,” Cole said, pulling his laptop out of his suitcase. “I’ll need to prep you on a few things before we go.”
“Yes, sir.” I went in the bedroom and shut the door to freshen up after our long flight. I didn’t have much time to kill.
I shot off a quick text to John. Landed and safe at the hotel.
I waited for a response while I brushed my hair, and I still didn’t have one after I’d applied my make-up, changed clothes, and spritzed on some perfume.
I wanted to give Cole as much privacy as I could, so I stayed in my room until about five minutes before he’d requested me to meet him. I found him sitting on the couch, a tumbler in his hand filled with ice and some amber liquid. He took a sip as he stared out the window. He was lost in thought, and he hadn’t heard me. I indulged in a few seconds of shameless staring. He’d freshened up, too, and he looked spectacular in black pants paired with a charcoal shirt. He was the picture of professionalism. And
A tiny, horrendous thought crept into my mind that my subconscious had done this on purpose.
I brushed it away.
But would it really be so bad to have to stay in the same room with Cole?
Yes, it would be. It would be temptation and it would go directly against my initiative to eliminate my crush on him and focus on John.
It would lead me down a path that I couldn’t come back from, even if nothing happened between us. It didn’t matter, anyway, since it was an unrequited crush.
Was having feelings for someone else just as bad as acting on it? Were feelings considered cheating?
At what point was I crossing the line?
If having feelings for someone else meant cheating, then I’d been cheating for a while. I’d chalked it up to a crush, but it was time to be honest with myself.
Crushes came and went, but my heart fluttered every time Cole walked into the room. He treated me like shit half the time, but it was better than the indifference my husband treated me with. I dressed every morning with the intention of impressing a man who wasn’t my husband. I did my hair and make-up thinking about him. I went to the office, working hard and staying late with the hope I’d have more time to talk to him.
It had grown into more than a crush despite my best efforts to suppress it.
“I’m so sorry, but the closest hotel with vacancy is about five miles away. Would you like me to book that for you?” Gretchen looked directly at Cole, not me.
Cole sighed. “With traffic that’ll be a nightmare. Just give me two keys.”
She printed our keys and gave us directions to our room, and then we headed toward the elevators.
I thought back to the night on the elevator when I’d wanted him to kiss me after the MTC dinner. I wondered how different this elevator ride would be.
He remained silent as we boarded the small car alone. I chanced a glance in his direction, and he was scowling as he stared at the floor numbers on the electronic panel of the elevator.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Benson.”
He ignored me, which felt an awful lot like being at home.
We entered our room, and I was glad I’d at least booked a suite. It had two rooms—one with the king bed in it, and another that was a living area with a couch, some recliner chairs, a television, and a wet bar—in addition to the large and luxurious bathroom complete with a soaker tub.
“Take the bedroom,” he said.
“No, you should have it. You need good sleep for your presentation.”
“I insist. I’ll take the couch.”
“I’m sorry again,” I said, surprised that he was being such a gentleman after I’d made such an idiotic mistake.
“You know how I feel about apologies.”
I nodded, because I did know. He expected me to work efficiently and never make mistakes.
A knock sounded at the door, and the bellhop dropped off our luggage. He put my suitcase in the bedroom.
“Be ready for dinner around seven,” Cole said, pulling his laptop out of his suitcase. “I’ll need to prep you on a few things before we go.”
“Yes, sir.” I went in the bedroom and shut the door to freshen up after our long flight. I didn’t have much time to kill.
I shot off a quick text to John. Landed and safe at the hotel.
I waited for a response while I brushed my hair, and I still didn’t have one after I’d applied my make-up, changed clothes, and spritzed on some perfume.
I wanted to give Cole as much privacy as I could, so I stayed in my room until about five minutes before he’d requested me to meet him. I found him sitting on the couch, a tumbler in his hand filled with ice and some amber liquid. He took a sip as he stared out the window. He was lost in thought, and he hadn’t heard me. I indulged in a few seconds of shameless staring. He’d freshened up, too, and he looked spectacular in black pants paired with a charcoal shirt. He was the picture of professionalism. And
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