"Isaac, don’t leave like this, please."
The elevator dings, the doors open, and he steps inside.
"Isaac, please." I slap my hand on the door to stop it from closing. "Don’t go."
"I think it’s time I did." His features wear an expression of resignation. "I wish things between us hadn’t deteriorated to this stage."
"We can salvage things, Isaac. We can."
"As always, you’re the optimist, Lena. It’s too bad this time... I’m not sure if I feel the same way."
"Isaac—"
He shakes his head. "I’ll see you at home."
The tension in my shoulders leaches out. He’s going home. I’ll see him at home. He’s not leaving me… Yet. I step back and the doors swoosh shut. I spin around and walk back to my cubicle. My knees feel wobbly and cold sweat pools under my armpits. The stress drains out of my muscles and I yawn. I didn’t realize just how wound up I’d been from Isaac’s visit until now. I yawn again, then slam into a hard wall. A warm, ripped, hard wall. My nose connects with the front of his chest and I draw in large gulps of sherry oak, cinnamon and dark chocolate. My mouth waters. Large warm palms clamp down on my hips, jerking me out of my strange reverie. I glance up to meet his dark gaze.
"What are you doing here?"
"I stuck around to make sure you were okay."
"Of course, I’m okay." I step back, and JJ releases me at once. I walk around him, continuing to my cubicle.
"Have you eaten?"
I drop down into my seat and focus on my screen. The words blur in front of my eyes, but I continue to stare at it.
"Lena, you need to eat to keep up your strength."
"Please stop with your fake concern."
"It’s not fake. I’m worried about you. About both of you."
I still. "You heard us arguing?"
He doesn’t reply. He doesn’t need to. Of course, he did.
"It’s impolite to eavesdrop on other people."
"You’remypeople."
"Like your son, you have a strange way of showing concern. And I don’t need it. I just want to be left alone so I can carry on with this pitch, okay?"
"Eat first."
I throw up my hands. "Oh my god, you’re so annoying." I reach for the container of food, but he snatches it up, then the bag with the rest of the food.
"What are you doing?"
"Follow me." He stalks back toward the elevator.
"Hey, stop." I spring up and run after him. First the son, then the father—these Kane men are really annoying.
He walks to the elevator, presses the button and the doors open. He steps in, then holds it open for me. "Come on."
"Where?"
"A place where you can enjoy your food in peace."