Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
And now that I know he loves me, I’m all the more ready to do it.
But he hasn’t mentioned Switzerland once since getting here.
Of course, that meeting he took this morning probably threw him for a loop. It sounds like someone reported that he’d been seen fooling around with a student. If that’s the case, he could get in serious trouble.
It must have been Ralph. He claimed to have seen us kissing.
But he has no evidence, at least none that I’ve seen for myself. Still though, it weighs my gut down.
Oh…and on top of all that, I may be pregnant.
But that’s unlikely, given the timing.
Still, there’s a reason no one relies on the rhythm method.
I clench my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palms. I can’t afford to lose myself in what-ifs right now. Jason needs me. And though I’ve had feelings for him since the very beginning, his confession settles it all. I love him too, and I’ll be there for him no matter what.
“Jason,” I say, breaking the silence. “You were telling me about your meeting with those people this morning.”
He grows still next to me, his breath hitching in his throat as he lets out a long sigh. He doesn’t answer right away but traces light circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
Finally he clears his throat. “Like I said, they were from the HR department.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, the breath leaving my lungs in a sharp exhale.
Damn that Ralph!
“And?” I say, willing my voice not to tremble.
He doesn’t respond right away, simply pulls me closer against him. His body is warm and solid, his heartbeat steady against my own.
He sighs. “It appears that HR received an anonymous email saying I was seen kissing a student in the anatomy lab.”
“I can’t believe he did it,” I say, anger seeping into my tone.
“He?” Jason pulls away from me. “What do you know about this, Angie?”
I bury my face in my hands. “God, I’m sorry. Maybe I should have told you.”
“Yeah.” He sits up. “Maybe you should have told me a lot of things. Like you’re not on birth control. That you’re a member of the Steel family. That—”
I rise from the bed, anger flowing through me. “You’re not being fair. We never talked about birth control because we never talked about sex. We just did it. And you always used a condom before, so I had no reason to think you wouldn’t use one this time.”
He opens his mouth, but I keep talking.
“And yesterday you asked me to go to Switzerland with you. I was ready to tell you yes this morning. Ready when I went to your office, only for Ralph to tell me you were led off by those two people.” I cross my arms. “Oh, and it was Ralph, by the way. He’s the one who told me he saw us kissing. I denied it, of course, but he claims he snapped a photo.”
“Angie…”
“And he tried to kiss me.” My lip trembles. “Before he told me he saw us. He thought I was easy because I was kissing the teacher.”
He shifts his gaze quickly. “Wait, wait, wait. He tried to what?”
I gulp. “Kiss me. Here. At my place.”
He curls his fingers into fists. “What the fuck was he doing here?”
“We had study group. The night after our first anatomy lab.”
Jason’s face goes red. “Who the hell is this guy?” He grabs me. “Did he hurt you? I’ll kill him.”
A sliver of fear edges into me.
I love this man. But do I truly know this man? It’s only been a little over a week.
“Jason, I’m fine.”
He grabs my wrist. His grip is tight, almost painful, but the look in his eyes makes my heart ache. He’s a man pushed to the brink, wrestling with demons past and present, some because of me.
“It’s not worth it,” I say. “He didn’t hurt me. I told him off and he left.”
Jason scowls, the lines on his forehead deepening as he loosens his clasp on my wrist. “If he saw us, and he wants you, that’s why he went to HR.”
“Maybe. But why would he want me?”
“For the love of God, Angie, why wouldn’t he?” He rubs at his forehead. “Not only are you the most beautiful woman in the free world, but you come with a built-in trust fund. Who the hell wouldn’t want you?”
“You’re not saying…”
“Fuck no.” He rakes his fingers through his hair. “That’s not why I want you. I’m practically debt free.” He lets out a huff. “I am debt free, until this trip to Switzerland. The surgery may cost more than I have, but I have my own resources. I don’t need yours.”
Jason is debt free?
Then again, he did lose his wife and daughter. If they had life insurance… That would explain it. Of course, if his wife killed herself, that might have annulled the policy. Probably depends on how long she was insured.