Wherever You Will Go(46)

Thinking over all that she said, I pick the comments I most want answered. “She thinks I’m playing you. That you chase me like a lost puppy dog and give in to all my wants. That I’m playing with your emotions and confusing you, and I’m being selfish by keeping you here and you feel trapped,” I ramble, not being able to get it all out quick enough.

Saxon sighs loudly and pinches the bridge of his nose as he leans forward on the couch. “Over the past few months, Brooke, we have been working our asses off here. How many late nights and business functions have we attended? Maybe she felt I was blowing her off to take you to business functions instead of her?”

“Why does she think we are sleeping together, Saxon?”

“I haven’t slept with her for months. I guess it kind of corresponded with the time you started working here.”

My forehead creases in confusion as I try to make sense of what he just said. He hasn’t slept with her for months? Surely he hasn’t not had sex for three months.

“Brooke,” he says, “Don’t over think it. The shit she said was all about me and our relationship. She clearly has issues and built something in her head which isn’t there. I can’t explain it to you. I can’t tell you what it all meant. It’s best to let it go.” There’s frustration in his voice, but I’m not finished yet.

“Do you feel trapped here? I’ve told you many times you’re free to go whenever you want, that I’ll figure it out. I’ve been more than clear about this. You don’t owe Nate or me anything. You’ve given us so much and now I just want you to be happy… and Nate would, too”

“Apparently I haven’t been clear,” he says cutting me off again. “Look at me, Brooke.” I turn on the couch to face him. His eyes are fierce. “I am going to say this only once more, and you are going to believe it. You’re not going to brush me off or question me, again.” Shit, he’s pissed. “I want to be here. I am not staying for Nate, and I have no interest in moving on now or in the future. I belong here and there is no place I’d rather be. You’d have to fire me and even then I won’t leave you. I will never leave you, Brooke. Ever.”

Oh. My. God. I have no words. He regards me with those green eyes, something flashing in them I can’t read.

“Okay,” I croak out. I clear my throat and nod. Seriously, I have no words.

“Do you want to give that dinner tonight a miss?”

Shit, I had forgotten all about that stupid function. “Could we?” I ask, unable to hide my excitement.

“Of course, it’s just a charity. I’ll call and leave a big donation, and they won’t even notice we didn’t come.” He smiles warmly at me. I breathe a sigh of relief. “Is Rachel still here?”

“Yeah, she’s chatting with Ruth. Said we may as well go to lunch seeing as we dragged her out of the office.” I chuckle.

“Why don’t you see if she can take the rest of the day off and go spend some time with her? Have an early day, get lunch, do some shopping. Maybe a massage or get your feet done, whatever you women do at the spa.” He laughs.

“That sounds fantastic, but are you sure? There is still a lot to do before the weekend.” I smile widely.

“Of course, Brooke. You need it. Enjoy it, have a good weekend, and I‘ll see you Monday.”

I push down the disappointment of not seeing him for the next two days and jump up from the couch, excited to see if Rach can join me in playing hooky. I make my way to his door, turning to him once more. “Thanks for everything, Sax. Not just the business side of things, but for looking after me, too. I couldn’t have made it through the last few months without you.”

He gives me a sad smile and nods. “Go on and pamper yourself, Brooke. You deserve it.”

As I leave his office I see him throw his drink back before he leans his head against the couch and closes his eyes again, looking just the same as he did when I’d first entered.

I wonder why he’s still upset. I wonder if I’ll ever know what goes through his head. Especially what goes through his head while he’s holding me with his piercing green eyes.





Working late in Saxon’s office, he leans over the back of my chair, examining the figures on the screen. His breath flows over my ear and neck and it’s comfortable and familiar, while still sending shivers rolling down my back.

Spending so many months working so closely together has really brought us closer, and he’s probably the main person in my life besides Rachel and my parents.

Our time is spent together talking daily about the smallest details in our life: what we watched on TV the night before, what funny things we saw on the drive to work that morning, what crazy things Jeanie says to us in our phone conversations with her, and of course, whatever office gossip I had gained the day before. Saxon acts as if he doesn’t care, but I can see his eyes light up if I have something really juicy, like the time Brett caught herpes from a stripper.