Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
In the wake of her departure, I think of how alone Lori was when I met her despite having her mother. How alone I was before I met Lori. And Ashley is exactly that: Alone. No family. No one but us. It makes a man really appreciate his wife. It makes a man want to get up, find his wife, grab her and take her on a desk somewhere. I’m about to stand up with the intent of finding my wife and doing exactly that when she peeks her head in my office.
When she sees that I’m not on the phone, she enters my office and shuts the door. “There’s a case I want to talk about.”
“Bring it to me,” I order softly, scooting my chair back. “Here.”
Chapter seventy-four
Cole
The minute my door is shut and Lori has joined me on this side of the desk, I back her against the desk, my hands on her hips. “What are you doing?” She laughs as my fingers slide down her hips toward her hemline.
“Finding out what color of panties you have on,” I say, walking her skirt up her thighs.
She grabs my hands. “No,” she says firmly. “You wait until tonight.”
“Just let me look.”
“No,” she chides, holding up the file in her hand. “Murder case. Really interesting. Please read it, but I’m warning you. It’s a federal judge’s wife. It’s going to get lots of attention, but we have to take it. I want to take it.”
“If I read the file—”
“You’ll make me very happy,” she supplies.
“Well then,” I say. “I guess I better read it.” I accept the file and set it on the desk before updating her on Ashley.
“She must be a wreck,” Lori says. “I’m going to see if I can take her to lunch. Maybe talking will help her.”
“Order in,” I say, sharper than I intend. “I don’t want you out with her.”
“Cole,” she says, her hand settling on my shoulder. “I thought you were easing up.”
“This isn’t about a case, Lori. I’m paying for security for Ashley for a reason. The FBI is involved for a reason.”
“Right,” she concedes. “You’re right. We’ll order in. I almost overreacted. I’m sorry.”
I kiss her hand. “Just protecting what is mine and you are mine.”
“Yes,” she says, cupping my face. “I am.” She kisses me. “I’m going to ask Ashley to lunch, in my office.” She smiles and heads toward the door, peeking over her shoulder to say, “Those pink panties you like so much.”
I groan, and she laughs, shutting me in my office, alone. I’m about to reach for the phone when my eyes settle on the file she gave me now laying on my desk, I know it’s a fight ready to happen. I open it and start reading and confirm my assessment. Federal judges lead to politics, this particular one especially, and there’s nothing more volatile than politics which isn’t necessarily something the firm needs in its newly formed identity.
I have to hope Lori understands this, but my gut says that she’ll think I’m holding back to protect her, that I’m incapable of giving her the freedom I know she craves and the growth she deserves. If I’m not careful, that’s exactly what will happen, and that would be my mistake again. I can’t insist that Lori tear down her walls while I try to hold her captive, but deep in my gut, I still feel what I felt right before we returned from Paris. Trouble hasn’t finished with us yet.
Lori
Ashley and I sit down for a lunch that includes salads and soup, which suits my intention of losing my five pounds quite well. “How are you feeling about everything?” I ask, then add, “Though we don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”
“It’s fine. It really is. I’m fine. I have to be, right?” She jabs her fork at her salad before continuing, “How do you love someone that was a lie? That makes the love a lie, too.”
“But it didn’t feel like a lie,” I surmise.
“No.” She swallows hard. “It felt more real than anything I’ve ever known.” She shuts her eyes. “I’m not sure how I was that foolish.”
I have no idea why but I get the sense that despite her reactions, she wants to talk. “How did you meet him?”
“Jogging and texting. I ran right into him, as in literally. Of all the men I chose this tall, dark, and gorgeous man to run into. I thought it was a fairy tale. And now, I think it was a set-up. I was an easy target. I don’t have any family. If I disappear, no one misses me.”
“Is that what the authorities told you?”
“They thought I was an accomplice.”
“To what?”
“I never got that answer. It’s crazy, right? Not to know what I was accused of? But I was in another country and I heard the word ‘spy’ several times. Spies don’t get the same rights.”