Sliding off the stool, she went back up to the office. She’d give him two weeks’ notice, starting tomorrow. Pulling the door open, she came to an abrupt halt. Dillon stood on the other side of the threshold, his arm out, like he was reaching for the handle.
“I was just about to come find you,” he said. “We need to talk.”
The look in his eyes got to her, and for a moment, she froze. His heart shone bright in his eyes. Sadness and regret added a haunted shadow to the dark depths that wanted to melt her resolve.
She stiffened her spine. “I came back up here to give you two weeks’ notice. I quit. I’ll give you time to find a replacement, but that’s it. We’ll exchange Annie through your mother. I won’t take her away from you. I refuse to punish her because of this, but—”
“She’s mine.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned back against the end of the desk behind him. “I opened the letter from the lab yesterday.”
“Oh.” Caught off guard, she fumbled for a minute and glanced at her feet. “Well. Good.”
“What happened with Leila isn’t what you think.” The dejection in his tone matched the look in his eyes.
The memory of him and Leila flitted through her mind, a twinge of pain surging through her chest. She furrowed her brow and folded her arms across her chest. “Spare me the details, if you don’t mind. What you do on your own time is your business.”
“Em…” He reached out to her, but she sidestepped his hand, shook her head.
“I’ve had enough of this game. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t have me and her at the same time, and you made it abundantly clear you don’t want me.” She turned back to the stairs. “Just leave me alone.”
* * *
Emma opened her eyes. Her cell phone vibrated on the nightstand again. She didn’t need to look to know who the call was from. Dillon had called at least seven times since she left the club at midnight, twice in the last ten minutes. He left half a dozen messages, none of which she’d listened to.
She didn’t want to talk to him, didn’t want to hear his excuses. She wanted to mend her heart and get on with her life, but he wouldn’t stop calling. The pain refused to leave her chest, leaving her unable to sleep.
Ignoring the call like all the others, she let her eyes close. Ten minutes later, she began to drift off again when knocking snapped her awake. The pounding sounded again and she glanced at the clock. Only one person would dare to come to her door at a quarter to four in the morning. The incessant pounding wouldn’t stop and she finally pried herself out of bed, padding out of her room and down the stairs. If he didn’t stop, he’d wake Annie.
When she opened the door, Dillon stood on her step. He leaned a shoulder against the frame, looking up when the door opened. His eyelids drooped, sorrow and regret adding a haunted shadow to the depths of his eyes. He looked like she felt—harrowed, miserable, and exhausted.
Her heart twisted at the sight of him, leaving Emma caught between how much she missed him and being so angry she couldn’t see straight. Caught between wanting to throw herself into his arms for the safety she used to find there, and slamming the door in his face.
That image of Leila pressing herself along his length chose that moment to insinuate itself into her mind, answering the quandary for her, and with a shake of her head, she simply shut the door and turned to head back upstairs to bed.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” Dillon called through the door, his tone telling her he meant business. “I’ll stay out here all night if I have to.”
She paused midstep, halfway to the staircase. It was twenty degrees out there. “You’ll freeze to death.”
Never mind they risked waking Annie.
“That’s why I’m hoping you’ll have mercy on me and open the door.”
Emma didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to open the door, didn’t want to fight with him or fend off any sweet talk. If he tried, his eyes would melt her resolve and she’d end up back where she started—in love with a man who’d never love her.
“This is one of those times when I really need you to give me the benefit of the doubt.”
Her heart lurched at that, the beginnings of doubt swirling through her mind. Hadn’t she once promised him to try not to always think the worst of him? To give him the benefit of the doubt? God, was it possible she misinterpreted what she saw?
The image flashed again, of Leila pressing herself against him, their mouths connecting…
She marched to the door and yanked it open. “I’m not blind. I saw you kiss her.”