That was the one part of her life she’d always kept hidden.
He couldn’t fathom going back to that place. To wondering if she was with another man and where they were or what they were doing.
Noah wanted to be the only one to hear her intimate whispers, to know the gentle touch of her lips. To know the sweet, borderline annoying way she sometimes snored as she slept, and the way she always rubbed lotion on her legs before getting into bed every night.
He’d never considered himself a jealous man. Despite loving her all these years, he’d always kept his distance. Watched her live her life the way she wanted.
But that was before.
Before he stood in front of a judge and promised to provide for her and care for her. Before they lived together and shared a bed and their bodies. Before he knew the true meaning of the word intimacy and connection.
There was no part of him that wanted to go back to the way things were before this all started. Unfortunately, it might be his only option, because he couldn’t let her out of his life completely.
Even if he was willing to try to go back to being just friends, he didn’t have the first clue how to get there.
It was almost dinnertime when they walked out of the tattoo parlor. Just as he was about to ask if she wanted to grab something on the way home, Noah happened to glance at his phone.
“Shit.”
Mia paused before opening the car door. “What’s wrong?”
“I have a bunch of missed calls from work.” Julia had called a second time, and James had called, too. Julia had texted as well, and he sat in the driver’s seat and pulled up the messages.
Julia:Answer your damn phone.
Julia:David got fired.
Julia:James knows.
James knows. What did that mean? Did David tell him about Noah and Mia? Panic ripped through him as he tapped on the voicemail James had left. His tone was impossible to decipher.
“Noah, we need to talk. Call or come by my office before the end of the day. I’ll be here until six. It’s urgent.”
His stomach plummeted. James knew. He had to.
“Is everything okay?”
His eyes darted to Mia, sitting beside him with concern in her brown eyes.
“Yeah, I think so. Sounds like there are some last-minute issues on a project I’m working on.” The lie fell from his tongue too easily, but he wouldn’t tell her anything until he knew how bad it was. “I’ll drop you off at home and run up there, if that’s okay. Shouldn’t take long.”
Her brow remained furrowed but she nodded. “Sure, that’s fine.”
He dropped her off and sent James a quick message to let him know he was on his way to talk. His mind raced with questions the entire drive, and by the time he pulled into the parking lot his stomach was in knots.
What the hell had happened? Had they made the promotion decision and David wasn’t the one? It wouldn’t be a surprise if they chose someone else, since David didn’t deserve it and the principals weren’t idiots. Still, surely the asshole realized Noah had no control over the situation. Even if David couldn’t get over whatever issue he had with Noah, how could he do that to Mia?
The office was nearly empty. He straightened his shoulders as he moved down the hall, determined to face it head-on. His own door was open and as he passed, his gaze touched on the framed photo sitting next to the monitor.
When he’d gotten the images from the wedding—he’d asked Claire for them the next day—that one had immediately been his favorite. The way Mia looked at him...it had almost made him feel like that day was real. That it was about love and promises rather than necessity and deception. Her face was tilted up toward his, a secretive smile on her lips. Her dark eyes had locked on his as if she hadn’t realized anyone else was even in the room.
With that image in his mind, and the reminder it brought about why he’d done this in the first place, he continued toward the door at the end of the hall. David’s office was bare—lucky bastard got away before Noah could deal with him.
Noah knocked and leaned toward the door, waiting until he heard James’s gravelly “Come in” before twisting the handle. He stuck his head in.
“Is now a good tim—”
“Yes. Come in and shut the door, please.”