High-Powered, Hot-Blooded(24)

     



 

The colors were vivid, the expressions fierce. There was something about  the way the two men stared at each other that reminded her of Duncan.

"Annie, what are you doing up?"



She smiled at Kami, who looked sleepy as she stepped into Annie's room.

"It's late," Annie said. "You have classes."

"I could see your light was still on."

"Oh. Is it bothering you?"

Kami sat on the edge of the bed and shook her head. "No. I'm worried  about you. You were acting weird when you got home. Are you sick? Is  this about Duncan? Did he hurt you?"

"Duncan's getting back together with his ex-wife."

"Since when?"

"It hasn't actually happened yet, but it probably will. I can't stand in  the way of that. Not that I would be. I mean, he's just dating me  because of our deal."

Kami wore her long dark hair in a thick braid. Her oversize T-shirt and  PJ bottoms made her look young, but her eyes were wise. "He's not going  out with you because he has to. Not anymore. He got his good press a  while ago. Besides, what about the freezer and the food and the presents  under the tree?"

A few days ago, a box of presents had been delivered. Well, presents for  the girls. There hadn't been anything for her. At the time she'd told  herself that he would give her something later. Privately. Now she  wasn't so sure.

"She's still in love with him."

"So? She left him. The bitch had her chance. Now it's yours."

"While I appreciate the support, she's really not a bitch. I wish she  was. Then I could hate her." And fight for Duncan. "They deserve a  second chance."

"What about you? You're in love with Duncan."

"I'll get over it." She clicked on the Buy It Now button and tried not  to wince at the price. She wanted to give Duncan something special.  Something that would make him happy.

"You should tell him you love him," Kami said. "He needs to make an informed decision."

Annie managed a smile. "He's not buying auto insurance. He doesn't need to comparison shop."

"Maybe he needs to be reminded about what's important. You're the best  thing that ever happened to him. If he doesn't see that, he's an idiot."

"Should I tell him that, too?"

"Absolutely."

Annie arrived at Duncan's office shortly after four. She'd called and  made an appointment, wanting to be sure she saw him. They were supposed  to go out that night. Nearly their last event. A cocktail party. But he  wouldn't need her for that or the other parties to follow. His  reputation had been saved and he had more important things to do. Like  get on with his life.

She'd spent the day telling herself that she had to do the right thing.  That loving Duncan meant wanting what was best for him rather than for  herself. That she had to be strong. Losing Ron and A.J. hadn't mattered.  She'd recovered in a matter of weeks. But losing Duncan was different.  She had fallen madly, hopelessly, totally in love with him.

She'd learned early that life could be a challenge. She'd been ten when  her mom had first gotten sick and barely eighteen when she'd died. Her  aunt wrestled with immobilizing depression, spending more time in  hospitals than out. Over the years, Annie had helped raise her brother  and her cousins. She'd always done her best. They were family and that  mattered more than anything.

She'd made sacrifices, but nothing she regretted. It was her nature to  give-she knew that. So the fact that she'd given her heart to Duncan  shouldn't be a surprise. Nor was the reality that he didn't want it.

She waited outside his office door until four and then was shown in. Duncan put down his phone and smiled when he saw her.

"Why do we have an appointment?" he asked, walking around the desk to greet her. "I'm picking you up in a couple of hours."

He looked good, she thought, taking in the shape of his mouth, the  breadth of his shoulders. His eyes-how could she ever have thought them  cold?-brightened with pleasure. He smiled, then kissed her.

"Let me guess," he said. "You're here to convince me to start a profit-sharing plan."

"You can profit share with your employees? You should think about it."

Typical Annie, Duncan thought, leading her over to a sofa and sitting  next to her. Good thing she'd never gone into business. She would have  given away her entire worth the first day.

She'd come straight from school. He could tell by her clothes-the long  plaid skirt, the cardigan covered with beaded snowmen. Her curls were  mussed, her light makeup mostly faded. This wasn't the glamorous Annie  he usually saw on their evenings together. This was more real, more  beautiful.         

     



 

She leaned toward him and covered his hands with hers. Her gaze was intense.

"Duncan, I talked to Valentina at the party last night."

His good mood vanished. Why wasn't he surprised? "Whatever she said,  she's lying. You can't trust her, Annie. She'll do anything, say  anything, to get what she wants."

"She wants you."

Annie paused, as if waiting for a reaction. His was to swear loudly,  then punch the wall. Dammit all to hell. "You believed her."

"She loves you, Duncan. She realizes she made a mistake and wants to be  with you again. You were married-you owe her the chance to try to make  it work."

She believed her words. He could see the truth in her big blue eyes. There was something else there, too. Pain, maybe. Regret.

Or was he reading too much into the situation? What he knew about women  couldn't fill a thirty-second commercial. He knew they lied and  manipulated. That they only thought about themselves. That given the  chance, they would sell out anyone to get ahead.

Well, not Annie. She seemed to be genuine. He'd seen her with her  students, with her cousins, hell, even with his uncle. She was exactly  what she appeared to be. Open, honest, smart and funny. She led with her  heart, which made her a fool, but everyone had flaws.

"You're here to plead Valentina's case?" he asked. "Did she offer to pay you?"

"No. It wasn't like that. She cried. She's desperately in love with you.  I didn't want to believe her at first, but then she asked me if I'd  ever been in love. If I'd ever known down to my bones that someone was  the one. She meant it. Every word."

He was a whole lot less convinced. "She's a good actress, Annie. Don't  let yourself get too caught up in her pain. It's mostly for show."

"It's not. She's your wife."

"Ex-wife. It's been three years."

"Can you honestly say you're not in love with her? That she doesn't matter, that she never mattered?"

"Of course I thought I loved her when we got married," he said, frustrated. "I was a fool."

"You owe it to her and to yourself to hear her out."

He stood up and crossed to the window overlooking the atrium below. Folding his arms across his chest, he faced Annie.

"She got to you."

Annie stood. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away.

"She begged me to get out of the way and that's what I have to do. I'm  not going with you tonight, Duncan. Take Valentina instead. Give her a  chance."

"We have a deal."

"It's nearly over anyway. What does it matter if we stop things now?"

He'd known his relationship with Annie was finite. He'd designed it that  way himself. But until now, he hadn't been willing to look past the  holidays, to the days after. When she would no longer be with him.

She was leaving. Just like they all left. Her excuse was noble, but the  outcome was the same. She would be gone and he would be left here,  without her.

They all left. No one could be trusted. No woman could be trusted. Anger  burned hot and bright, but he knew it was merely a shield to something  else that would taunt him for a very long time.

"Our contract is clear," he told her coldly. "You walk out now and I throw your brother in jail."

He braced himself for the anger, the tears, the threats. Instead she smiled.

"Oh, please, Duncan. We both know you won't. You're not that guy." The  smile quivered a little, then died. "Do you think this is easy for me?  It isn't. I love you. But look at you and your life. I don't belong  there. I've had a wonderful time and you're a great man. You deserve  every happiness. That's why it's important for you to give Valentina a  second chance. You loved her once. Maybe it was just the wrong time for  the two of you."

Once again she was speaking the truth as she knew it. Duncan thought he  understood Annie, but he'd been wrong. She loved him and she wanted him  to be with someone else? The ridiculousness of it made him even more  angry.

"If you loved me, you'd stay," he said, his voice practically a growl. "Next you'll tell me you want to be friends."

She winced, as if he'd slapped her. "You're upset."

"You're playing a game. I expected better. If you want to leave, then  go. Don't give me any bullshit about it being for my own good. That's  crap and you know it."