Seduced by the CEO (17 page)

“Rewind this fucking conversation and start at the
beginning.” He sat her up in his arms. “Kristin, you’re not making any sense.
We were talking about ménages and now you’re talking about mixed signals and me
not being fair. What the fuck are you really trying to say?”

“I love you.” His eyes widened slightly. “I know you
said it once, even if it was an accident. But I mean it, and I’m terrified
because you don’t feel the same way.”

Kristin waited for him to say something. When he
didn’t, she pulled away from him and stood. Tears filled her eyes, but she
didn’t let them fall. Whatever was happening inside her was completely
unfamiliar territory.

She went upstairs and crawled back into bed. Her mind
ached as her heart shattered. She wanted to be happy. She wanted to finally
find “the one” after her disastrous marriage. She wanted to have someone to come
home to and be there when she needed him. Micah, she realized, would never be
that for her. Just like Rick was never that for her.

She hiccupped a sob as tears flowed down her cheeks.
Maybe if she hadn’t read too much into Micah, she wouldn’t be in her current
position.

Kristin curled against Micah’s pillow and shut her
eyes, anxious to fly home. Tomorrow would be better. She planned on spending
the day with her son. Hayden was the only one who instantly made her feel
better.

Chapter
Sixteen

“Rough night?” Gabe came in the kitchen, disturbing
Micah’s train of thought.

“Yeah.” He ran a hand over his face. “I don’t know
what the fuck I’m doing.”

“About what?” Gabe went to the fridge and poured
himself a glass of orange juice.

“Kristin. When it’s going great, we are on cloud nine.
It feels like nothing can bring us down. Then out of the blue, she starts
mixing in feelings and emotions and she hates my guts.” He laid his cheek on
the counter. Some of that
was
his
fault. “She told me she loved me last night.”
How could I have fucking let the L word slip out like I did? Fuck.
Confusing
Kristin was not his goal. He didn’t lead people on.

“Wow,” Gabe said. “Did you say it back?”

“No.” Not, this time. Micah closed his eyes. “We were
talking about fucking ménages and suddenly the conversation turns into
a you
-don’t-love-me-like-I-love-you thing. What the fuck am
I missing?”

Gabe chuckled. “Don’t ask me. I have no idea.”

Micah lifted his head. “She said you told her to talk
to me. Thanks, bro.”

Gabe smiled. “Micah, you need to learn to read the
signs. I could have told you that woman loved you the very moment I met her.
She wants a relationship with you, not just sex. What are you holding back
for?”

“I don’t want a relationship. I don’t do
relationships.”

Gabe set his glass on the island in the middle of the
kitchen. “She’s not Molly.”

“I never said she was.”

“No, but you’re scared, which means you think she
could be.”

Micah narrowed his eyes. “She could never be Molly.
She’s a damn good mother and doesn’t regret anything about her situation.”

“So why don’t you admit that you love her too?”

Micah stared at his brother. “I don’t contemplate
feelings. I don’t involve emotions in anything I do.”

“And look at your life.” Gabe withdrew a carton of
eggs. “I think she makes you happy. Why not give into that feeling and let it
be?”

“Because I don’t love her!”

Gabe’s attention went to the doorway and Micah turned.
Kristin stood in the same tank and shorts she’d put on before bed. Her eyes
were puffy, undeniably hinting that she’d been crying. If he didn’t feel like
shit for his comment just now, knowing he was the reason for those tears pushed
him over the edge.

“Kristin.”

“Don’t.” She blinked a few times. Her lower lip
quivered. “I just want some toast.”

Gabe reached for the bread. “I’ll make you some. Have
a seat.”

“No. I—I just want…” She sniffled. “I just want some
fucking toast!”

Micah stood, going around the counter to where she
was. “Kristin, I don’t—”

“Leave me alone, Micah.” Tears fell to her cheeks as
she turned her back to him.

He sighed in frustration and gave up. “I don’t know
what you fucking expect from me.”

The bread Gabe had popped into the toaster sprang up.
Micah watched as his brother put it on a plate and handed it to her.

“Have a seat at the table. I’ll get you something to
drink.”

Kristin moved past Micah and took a seat, ignoring
him.

“What do you want from me, Kristin? A ring? A white
wedding, complete with a honeymoon to the Bahamas? What do you fucking want
from me?”

“I want you to leave me alone.”

“No you don’t,” he yelled. “You want to bitch about
stuff you don’t know shit about just to spark a reaction from me.”

“You don’t love me, Micah. That’s all I need to know.”

He propped his hands on his hips. “No, I don’t love
you. I shouldn’t have said it the first time, but when I’m balls deep inside of
you I tend to lose my rational mindset.”

She threw her toast at him. “You are an ass.”

“At least I’m honest.”

“I don’t know what I ever saw in you.” She shook her
head. At least the tears were gone.

“A fantasy that you cooked up in your mind.”

“You’re right.” She stood and reached for the orange
juice in Gabe’s hand. “I’m going to pack my things.”

He watched her leave. His mind was a muddled mess. He
wasn’t the fairy tale kind of guy. He didn’t rescue women. He didn’t cater to
them and end up loving them. He fucked them and left.

“What is wrong with you?” Gabe slapped the back of
Micah’s head.

“Wrong with me?”

“You can be such a fucking idiot sometimes. You are so
scared of getting hurt that you are completely oblivious to your real
feelings.”

“What real feelings?”

“You love her, Micah. You love her and you’re pushing
her away.”

“Mind your own damn business.” Micah left the kitchen
and headed upstairs to the bedroom.

He found Kristin inside, packing. Tears streamed down
her face but there was no sound.

She glanced over her shoulder when he entered the room
and wiped her cheeks. “When we get back to Colorado, I’m turning in my two
weeks notice.”

“You’re quitting because I said I don’t love you?”

“No, Micah.” Her voice rose. “I’m quitting because I
deserve better. I deserve to go to a job that I like, that agrees with me and
my abilities, and not have to deal with drama. I deserve more than settling for
the first job offered to me.”

“You’re mixing business with pleasure.”

“I did that the first moment I let you fuck me.” She
hoisted her bag onto her shoulder.

“Mom, Charles wanted me to—” Hayden stopped in the
doorway and took in the scenery. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Kristin said. “We’re leaving soon so make
sure your things are packed.”

“Why are your eyes puffy? Have you been crying?”
Hayden glanced over at Micah, then back at his mother.

“Go, Hayden.”

“Did you do something to her?” Hayden ignored his
mother, focusing instead on Micah.

Kristin moved toward the door. “We’re leaving, Hayden.
Please go get ready.”

Micah rubbed his eyes. It was going to be a long
flight home.

****

“You can tell me what happened.” Hayden brought her a
glass of soda and sat beside her on the couch. They had a quiet trip back to
Denver, thank God. It had been uncomfortable stuffed in the private plane with
Micah but at least there had been no more drama.

She shook her head. “I need to find a new job.”

She had no idea how she’d afford Hayden’s college.
Bosk Enterprises paid her more than any other company would even consider. She
dropped her face into her hands. How stupid could she really be?

Hayden hugged her and she nearly broke down again.
“Mom, he’s not worth it.”

She hugged him as tears fell to her cheeks. “I love
you, baby.”

He kissed her cheek. “I love you, too. It will be
okay. I promise.”

She pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. “I guess
this isn’t the way you planned to spend the beginning of Spring break, huh?”

“Actually, it’s been a long time since we simply hung
out together.” He picked up the remote and handed it to her. “Pick any movie
you want.”

“Steel Magnolias it is.” She smiled and clicked it on
the station.

After spending most of the day with Hayden watching
sappy movies, his cell phone rang interrupting their peaceful evening.

“It’s Dad, Mom.” He rubbed his eyes. “Should I answer
it?”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m sure he’ll want me to go over to his
place and I don’t want to.”

Maybe Micah was right about his comment regarding
Hayden. Maybe he didn’t like his father as much as she thought he did.

“Answer it and see what he wants.”

He clicked his phone on. “Hey, Dad.”

Kristin chose that moment to escape into the kitchen
for some junk food. One of Jamie’s margaritas sounded really nice, but she had
to settle for Ben and Jerry’s Rocky Road.

“
Mom, that
was Holly. She
wants me to take care of Macy.”

“So you need to go?”

“I don’t know anything about taking care of a baby.”

Kristin dipped a spoon into the ice cream. “What are
they doing that they need a baby sitter?”

“Social event at Grandma’s.”

Kristin chuckled. “Tell them to bring her here if you
want. I wouldn’t wish your grandmother’s social events on anyone, much less a
baby.”

“Really?”

She nodded.

“You sure you’re okay with it?”

“Hayden,
it’s
fine.”

He dialed a number and told Holly what she said.
“Okay. See you in a few.” He hung up and stared at his mother. “They’ll be here
in a few. I don’t get why Holly doesn’t stay home. She just had the baby for
crying out loud.”

“Oh, Hayden. Your grandmother isn’t like that. If she
has a party, you must be there. Even those that she doesn’t like.”

Hayden leaned against the counter. “You never got
along with Grandma, did you?”

She chuckled. “She never thought I was good enough for
her son.”

“He wasn’t good enough for you.”

Kristin glanced up from her ice cream. Her son looked
exactly like Rick, but fortunately, acted nothing like him. “Your father isn’t
completely bad. A little moronic but he can’t help that, I suppose.”

Hayden smiled. “You will never say anything bad about
him to me, will you?”

Kristin dipped her spoon into the ice cream again.
“No. I won’t.”

“He’s told me stuff about your relationship with him.”

That caught her attention. “What stuff?”

Hayden shrugged. “The night you conceived me was a
mistake. He told me it was his fault and that when Grandma found out, she tried
to force a paternity test. He told me that she called you names and that he
didn’t stand up for you. She was the reason behind you two getting married and
he was the reason you got divorced.”

Kristin dropped the spoon into the container. “He told
you all of that?”

Hayden stood straight again. “I sort of forced him. I
was pissed off and I wanted answers. We had a long discussion and I don’t know.
I think he’s changed somewhat. Maybe he finally grew up.”

“Hayden, you were not a mistake. Not in any way,
regardless of the circumstances.”

“I don’t know, Mom. Life’s been hard on you and I
can’t help thinking I’m the cause of most of it.”

She set the ice cream to the side and went to him.
“You are not. You are the best part, the only
part, that
makes everything else worth it.”

She pulled him into her arms. “You’re my baby. Even if
you are eighteen and in college and bigger than me.” She laughed and kissed his
cheek. “I love you, sweetheart.”

He hugged her back. “You are the best, Mom.”

The doorbell rang and Kristin stepped back. “Your
sister is here.”

He smiled. “You’re really cool with this?”

“Yes.” The doorbell rang again. “Go answer the door.”

Kristin put the ice cream up and waited as long as she
could before heading into the living room to greet her ex and his fiancé.

“Oh, good. You’re staying here with him, aren’t you,
Krissy?” Rick set the baby carrier down next to the couch.

“Yes, Rick.”

“I tried to tell Holly that he’d never been around
kids before. He probably wouldn’t know how to take care of a baby by himself.”

She took a deep breath. “Your son is perfectly
capable.”

Rick glanced over at him. “You have my cell number.
We’ll be at Mother’s but you know how she gets when you call during dinner.”

Hayden nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

Kristin walked them to the door while Hayden unbuckled
Macy from her carrier.

“You’re going to help him out, right?” Rick stared at
her.

“I’m not the one babysitting.” She propped her hand on
the door. “Maybe you should have a little more faith that our son is capable of
handling situations that make you uncomfortable.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Please. You were eighteen when Hayden was born. You
didn’t know the first thing about babies.”

“And he does?”

“I believe he is more mature than you give him credit
for.” She paused, glancing over to her son who was cradling his little sister
in his arms. “He’s nothing like you, Rick, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Rick glanced toward his son. “Yeah. Me too.”

She shut the door after he left and went to the couch.
She hadn’t been sitting for five minutes before Hayden lifted Macy with a
groan.