pulled the comforter around them, using it as a cocoon, then settled more comfortably against him, their faces inches apart. “Work issues. I love my job and I love Richmond. But there’s a problem. One of the partners has been coming onto me. Nate is married and old enough to be my father.”
“Son-of-a-bitch.” Anger poured from Aiden’s voice. “You told him to go to hell, of course.”
“Not in so many words. It’s complicated.”
“What’s so complicated? File harassment charges, then find another job.”
“He’s a lawyer, remember? And he’s smart. He knows exactly how far he can go. He’s never said anything overt, but his meaning is loud and clear. If I file charges, it’s his word against mine. I have no proof. I’d derail my career. No other firm, at least in Richmond, would hire me. And in this economy, finding another job, even without scandal following me, could take months or years.”
“I’m sorry.” He placed a tender kiss on her lips. “There’s got to be a solution that doesn’t involve you going to bed with him.”
She returned his kiss, then moved away to lie on her back and stare at the ceiling. “No way would I ever go to bed with him.”
Aiden grabbed her hand under the comforter and gently squeezed. “The thought of you making love with any other man…. Go on. Tell me everything.”
Right or wrong, Aiden’s touch of jealousy sent a thrill through her. She dragged air through her lungs and continued. “There may be a solution, but I’m not sure I want it.”
He kept silent, giving her time.
She gripped his hand. “The firm I work for is a very prestigious, international one. I worked my butt off in school and interned for them. It was my dream job, but now not so much.”
“I can see why. So what’s the solution?”
“There’s an opening in our London office. If I take it, the experience will boost my career. I can’t practice law in England, but I can advise the firm on American law and make valuable contacts.”
Beside her, she felt him stiffen. “London?” he echoed. “Richmond isn’t that far, but London? I’d never see you.”
He wanted to see her again? Her heart sang with joy, but she tamped it down. It would be so easy to use him as a crutch, to flee back here to escape her problems. She wouldn’t use Aiden like that. Not again.
“Do you want to go to London?” he asked quietly.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. But if I accept, I’ll work at least eighty hours a week, even more than I do now. I haven’t got much of a personal life in Richmond, but in London, I’ll have no personal life at all.” She released his hand and turned to face him, bracing herself on her forearm. “And moving to London won’t entirely solve the problem with my boss. He visits the London office at least twice a month.”
Aiden made a sound of disgust.
She shot him a wry smile, pleased by his outrage on her behalf. But then she sobered. This wasn’t high school. She was a big girl now and needed to handle her problems on her own. “Somehow going to London feels like I’m running away. I keep telling myself I should stay where I am and fight.”
“What do you really want, Sam?”
“I’m not sure.”
A mask seemed to slip over his eyes. “Marriage? Kids? Family? You don’t want any of that?”
“I’ve never had a real family. My grandparents died when I was a baby, and Aunt Rosie was busy in Richmond raising her own family. Growing up, it was just Mom and me. I don’t even know who my father is.” She fought the tears that threatened to spill. “I’d like my own family, but I’m scared too. I’m afraid I won’t know how to be a good mother. I’m afraid I’ll be like my own mother.”
He touched her face, softly, gently. “I think you’ll make a great mother.”
“Thanks. I wish I were as sure. I like working. At least I have control over that part of my life.”
“Do you?”
“Not as much as I’d like.” She stilled,
“Son-of-a-bitch.” Anger poured from Aiden’s voice. “You told him to go to hell, of course.”
“Not in so many words. It’s complicated.”
“What’s so complicated? File harassment charges, then find another job.”
“He’s a lawyer, remember? And he’s smart. He knows exactly how far he can go. He’s never said anything overt, but his meaning is loud and clear. If I file charges, it’s his word against mine. I have no proof. I’d derail my career. No other firm, at least in Richmond, would hire me. And in this economy, finding another job, even without scandal following me, could take months or years.”
“I’m sorry.” He placed a tender kiss on her lips. “There’s got to be a solution that doesn’t involve you going to bed with him.”
She returned his kiss, then moved away to lie on her back and stare at the ceiling. “No way would I ever go to bed with him.”
Aiden grabbed her hand under the comforter and gently squeezed. “The thought of you making love with any other man…. Go on. Tell me everything.”
Right or wrong, Aiden’s touch of jealousy sent a thrill through her. She dragged air through her lungs and continued. “There may be a solution, but I’m not sure I want it.”
He kept silent, giving her time.
She gripped his hand. “The firm I work for is a very prestigious, international one. I worked my butt off in school and interned for them. It was my dream job, but now not so much.”
“I can see why. So what’s the solution?”
“There’s an opening in our London office. If I take it, the experience will boost my career. I can’t practice law in England, but I can advise the firm on American law and make valuable contacts.”
Beside her, she felt him stiffen. “London?” he echoed. “Richmond isn’t that far, but London? I’d never see you.”
He wanted to see her again? Her heart sang with joy, but she tamped it down. It would be so easy to use him as a crutch, to flee back here to escape her problems. She wouldn’t use Aiden like that. Not again.
“Do you want to go to London?” he asked quietly.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. But if I accept, I’ll work at least eighty hours a week, even more than I do now. I haven’t got much of a personal life in Richmond, but in London, I’ll have no personal life at all.” She released his hand and turned to face him, bracing herself on her forearm. “And moving to London won’t entirely solve the problem with my boss. He visits the London office at least twice a month.”
Aiden made a sound of disgust.
She shot him a wry smile, pleased by his outrage on her behalf. But then she sobered. This wasn’t high school. She was a big girl now and needed to handle her problems on her own. “Somehow going to London feels like I’m running away. I keep telling myself I should stay where I am and fight.”
“What do you really want, Sam?”
“I’m not sure.”
A mask seemed to slip over his eyes. “Marriage? Kids? Family? You don’t want any of that?”
“I’ve never had a real family. My grandparents died when I was a baby, and Aunt Rosie was busy in Richmond raising her own family. Growing up, it was just Mom and me. I don’t even know who my father is.” She fought the tears that threatened to spill. “I’d like my own family, but I’m scared too. I’m afraid I won’t know how to be a good mother. I’m afraid I’ll be like my own mother.”
He touched her face, softly, gently. “I think you’ll make a great mother.”
“Thanks. I wish I were as sure. I like working. At least I have control over that part of my life.”
“Do you?”
“Not as much as I’d like.” She stilled,
Similar Books
