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Fuck, I hated the hurt that crossed her face. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry, Deacon.”
“Stop,” I ground out. “Please don’t. Not now, not when…”
Her dark brown eyes were full of sorrow and sympathy. “When what?”
“I miss you,” I said in a low voice.
“I miss you, too,” she said. “Maybe we could have coffee and talk, or -”
“No,” I said.
She pressed her lips together, wincing at the pressure before licking away the fresh blood on her lower lip. “If you change your mind, you have my number.”
We stared at each other, separated by her desk and hurt feelings and a million reasons why we could never be together.
“Deacon?”
I twitched wildly and turned, staring at Lina, who stood just outside the alcove. I forced a smile. “Hello, Lina.”
“Hi.” She held her daughter against her chest, and she stared at me and then Riley, her head cocked slightly to the side. “How are you?”
“Good. How are you doing?”
“Sleep deprived but happy,” she said. “You haven’t met Chloe yet.”
“I haven’t.” I stepped closer, smiling at the baby when Lina balanced her in her hands so I could see her face. I ran a finger over the baby’s soft cheek. “She’s beautiful, just like her mother.”
“Thank you,” Lina said. “How are you doing?”
“Good,” I said. “Busy with the year end.”
“I bet,” Lina said. “But I know Aiden is thrilled with how well it’s going.” She smiled at Riley. “Hey, Ry. How are you?”
“Hi, Lina,” Riley said.
“Cute glasses,” Lina said.
Riley glanced at me, her cheeks turning pink. “Thank you.”
I cleared my throat. “It was good to see you, Lina, but I should get back to work.”
“Right,” Lina said as she studied me and then Riley.
“I’ll have that spreadsheet to you in the next five minutes, Mr. Cross,” Riley said.
“Thank you, Ms. Gates,” I said. “Take care, Lina.”
I walked to my office, making sure not to look at Riley as I passed her desk. I closed the door behind me and dropped into my chair. I couldn’t wait to be finished this fucking job so I could move on and never think about Riley Gates again.
You think it’ll be that easy to forget her just because you don’t see her anymore?
It had to be. I felt like I was going insane. The hurt, the loss, the sheer desire to be with Riley despite everything she’d done was overwhelming. It hadn’t been like this with Eloise, even in my darkest moments, and I turned in my chair to stare out the window at the falling snow.
Why the fuck had I ever gone back to that fucking agency?
CHAPTER 35
Deacon
