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“The less she knows,” Cole says, “the better. These kinds of things have to be handled with care.”
“True that,” Savage says. “We have no idea who else might be involved that we haven’t found out about.”
“We don’t want them tipped off,” Adam says running his hands through his hair.
“But I’ll take care of Tara for you when the time is right,” Savage offers.
“Go for it,” Cole says. “And good luck. She will eat you for lunch.”
I tune out Savage and focus on Cole. “Is it over? Is that what this means?”
“If Royce says it’s handled. It’s handled.” His cell phone rings, and he pulls it from his pocket. “The airline,” he tells me before accepting the call.
Savage gives me a grin and a wink. “Is he still an asshole?”
I laugh and shake my head. “I’m really glad you live here and not in New York City.”
“Actually, I live in New York City,” Savage says. “Adam here just needs a He-Man to help him out until he gets his team built. So don’t you worry. I’ll be around to tell everyone all about you, tequila, and Cole’s wrinkled shirt.”
My lips part, and I’m about to panic when Cole steps to my side. “Hold that story until she graduates law school,” he orders. “Otherwise I’ll kill you, Savage.”
“Ah, right,” Savage says, winking at me again. “You’re the naughty intern or some shit like that right now. Don’t you worry. I’ll bite my tongue. Your secret is safe.”
“You have any seats on that plane?” Adam asks, looking at Cole.
“Why?” Cole asks. “You need one?”
“No,” he says. “I want you to haul Savage and his big fucking mouth back with you.”
“He’s joking,” Savage says. “He loves me.”
“I don’t,” Cole says. “We’re leaving.” He drapes his arm around me and turns me toward the door. Once we’re there, he gives me a quick kiss. “To hold me over until the airplane.” He releases me and opens the door.
I step into the hallway, and he joins me, and now we can’t touch. Now we are boss and associate. It’s an unwelcome cold splash of water. We’re forbidden and I’m really the naughty associate and nothing will change that for nine long months. Every silent moment of the elevator ride drives home these feelings.
“The flight is in two hours,” Cole says when we step off the car onto our floor. “The pilot couldn’t do any later due to scheduling conflicts. We’ll need to leave in an hour.”
“I’ll be ready,” I say, walking to my door as he walks to his. I don’t look at him. I just enter the room. I’ve barely had time to kick off my shoes when my cell phone rings and it’s Cole.
“Whatever you just let get in your head,” he says. “I’m going to get it out on the plane.” He hangs up.
Chapter forty-four
Cole
Ihang up the phone from calling Lori, fully aware of what is bothering her. I felt, I feel what Lori did when we exited that hotel suite; the separation between us the minute we left a place where we’d freely been together, and when I ended that call with her, I fought the urge to make a few phone calls to deal with speeding up Lori’s program rather than wait on Ashley to handle this. Those calls are not for her, not now. There isn’t time to do it right without being rushed, and I intend to do it right.
I head for the shower and make fast work of tossing on a pair of dark jeans and a navy “Brooks Legal” shirt that I’ve lived in on weekends forever. I’m contemplating a shave when my phone rings and it’s Ashley. “Hey, boss man.”
“Oh fuck,” I say, hearing the hesitation in her voice that I know as dread. “You’re not coming.”
“I am,” she says. “Of course, I am. I just might need to go to Houston to wrap up some issues. Can I work from that office until I can move?”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. It could be a month. I’ll spare you the details, but I need to do this.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
